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Passport validity requirements

If you are visiting Panama, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the day you plan to leave Panama.

If you live in Panama, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the day you arrive.

Your passport must have at least one blank page.

Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.

You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen.

Dual nationals

When returning to the UK, British citizens must carry a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement. See Dual citizenship.

 Checks at border control

Make sure you get your passport stamped.

Make sure immigration officials stamp your passport with the date you arrived in the country.

At Panamanian border control, you may need to:

• give the address of your accommodation and a contact telephone number
• show a return or onward ticket – particularly if you arrive by land from Costa Rica and are not a legal resident of Costa Rica
• prove you have at least 1000 US dollars (or the same amount in other currencies) or a credit card

Visa requirements

You can visit Panama for up to 3 months without a visa if you arrive by land or air. There are different visa requirements for sea arrivals.

You cannot normally extend your stay, unless you apply to change your immigration status (for example, for business purposes or marriage) within the 3 months.

If you try to extend your stay by visiting a neighbouring country and returning to Panama, immigration officials may detain you. The British Embassy cannot intervene in decisions made by Panama’s immigration officials.

If you arrive by sea

If you arrive on a vessel that is not a cruise ship, you must have a visa to enter Panama. You must pay a fee of 100 US dollars, plus 5 US dollars registration, for each passenger or crew member. There may be other fees, for example for cruising permits. Check in advance what permits you will need and how to get them.

If you arrive on a cruise ship or are travelling through the Panama Canal, you do not need a visa unless you are staying in Panama for more than 3 months. Immigration authorities will stamp your passport if you leave the ship. They do not board cruise ships travelling through the Canal to check passports.

Applying for a visa

If you need a visa, apply through the Embassy and Consulate of Panama in the UK. They can give you more information on entry requirements.

For information on extending your stay, check with the Panama National Migration Service (in Spanish).

Airport tax

There is a charge of 40 US dollars on departure. This is usually included in the price of your ticket. Check with your airline.

Vaccine requirements

To enter Panama, you must have a certificate to prove you’ve had a yellow fever vaccination if you’re coming from a country listed as a transmission risk.

For full details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, see TravelHealthPro’s Panama guide.

Customs rules

There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of Panama. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.

Customs rules

There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of Panama. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.

Emergency services in Panama

Telephone: 911 (ambulance, fire, police)

You can also call specific emergency numbers.

Ambulance: 103

Fire: 103

Police: 104

Panamanian Tourism Authority

Telephone: +507 6330 2520

Email: contact@atp.gob.pal

Contact your travel provider and insurer

Contact your travel provider and your insurer if you are involved in a serious incident or emergency abroad. They will tell you if they can help and what you need to do.

Refunds and changes to travel

For refunds or changes to travel, contact your travel provider. You may also be able to make a claim through insurance. However, insurers usually require you to talk to your travel provider first.

Find out more about changing or cancelling travel plans, including:

• where to get advice if you are in a dispute with a provider
• how to access previous versions of travel advice to support a claim

Support from FCDO

FCDO has guidance on staying safe and what to do if you need help or support abroad, including:

• finding English-speaking lawyers, funeral directors and translators and interpreters in Panama
• dealing with a death in Panama
• being arrested or imprisoned in Panama
• getting help if you’re a victim of crime
• what to do if you’re in hospital
• if you’re affected by a crisis, such as a terrorist attack

Contacting FCDO  

Help abroad   

See how to get help from the UK government abroad including in an emergency.  

Help in the UK   

You can call FCDO in London if you need urgent help because something has happened to a friend or relative abroad.   

Telephone: 020 7008 5000 (24 hours)   

Find out about call charges 

Get travel advice updates   

Sign up to get email notifications when this travel advice is updated.   

Follow FCDO:  

• travel advice on X 

• travel advice on Facebook

Risk information for British companies

The Overseas Business Risk service offers information and advice for British companies operating in Panama on how to manage political, economic, and business security-related risks.

Before you travel

No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide. You may also find it helpful to: 

• see general advice for women travellers
• read our guide on disability and travel abroad
• see general advice for LGBT+ travellers
• read about safety for solo and independent travel
• see advice on volunteering and adventure travel abroad

Travel insurance

If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.

About FCDO travel advice

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides advice about risks of travel to help you make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice.

Get travel advice updates 

Sign up to get email notifications when this travel advice is updated.  

Follow FCDO:    

• travel advice on X 

• travel advice on Facebook 

• Travel Aware on Instagram

Laws and cultural differences

Personal ID

As a foreign national, you must carry ID such as a passport. The police will usually accept a printed copy.

Curfews

Local authorities occasionally impose night-time curfews for adults and/or unaccompanied minors under the age of 18. These are usually in place for several weeks and limited exceptions apply. This is part of government efforts to tackle criminal groups and organised crime.

Those who do not comply with the curfew face arrest by the police. They are not usually applied in tourist areas, but seek local advice if a curfew is introduced in an area you are visiting.

Smoking and e-cigarette bans

It is illegal to smoke in public places. You could be fined 25 to 100 US dollars if you are caught smoking where it’s not allowed. The use of e-cigarettes is also banned in public places.

Illegal drugs and prison sentences

Do not become involved with drugs of any kind. You can get a prison sentence for possessing even a small quantity of drugs.

The judicial process is slow and sentencing may take up to 2 years, during which you are likely to be detained. Conditions in prisons and other detention facilities in Panama are often harsh. Most facilities are overcrowded with limited access to healthcare. There have been recent cases of riots resulting in prisoner deaths.

LGBT+ travellers

Same-sex civil unions are illegal, but same-sex relationships are legal in Panama. Most Panamanians are generally tolerant of LGBT+ travellers. However, Panamanian law does not ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. There have been incidents of police officers detaining LGBT+ couples on the grounds of public indecency. Showing affection in public can lead to unwanted attention. Casco Viejo is considered a safe place for LGBT+ travellers.

Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers.