Is this a residency visa requirement?

[graciela linett]

Friends are applying  for residency and their lawyer advised them of the following::

" We found a lawyer to use to start our visa paperwork.  One of the things he needs is the original rental agreement w/notarization and a copy of homeowners ID." from the person who owns the house that they are renting.

I've never heard of thie requirement and cannot find it on the Panama Immigration Services website  http://panama-immigration-services.com/panama-immigration-permanent-residency-application-required-documents/

These are very nice people and if their lawyer is requesting items not needed, why would he do that? There have been so many scans by lawyers on foreigners that I would hate to see this couple in the Bingo Gringo game.

Anyone have any insight on this requirement before their lawyer asks for more non-required documents to stall the residency application?

I am suspicious.

 

[Lic. Cristo Markou Castillo]

Hello Graciela, notice that the private (non govermental) website that you consulted is not updated, I can find may mistakes, for instance: they do not list Mexico as a Friendly Nation Country while it is.

Also there is another website that states: "Repatriation Deposit is in all cases Refundable", I do not suggest to consult websites, there is no regulation to guarantee reliability.

I suggest to all, when they are going to apply for a visa, have a Legal Consultation Updated, the Laws and the interpretation change many fast.

It does not work to say : "some years ago" "when I did my visa" "last year" "is not listed in the law"(the interpration of the law is not necessary Literary it responds to govermental policies).

Good Day.

[Lic. Cristo Markou Castillo]

Hello Graciela, I am a licensed attorney and yes the immigration office ask for a rental agreement notarized, the requirements are not posted in any website, they are into the law and the immigration officer can decide which you need and which dont.

I hope that I have answered to your inquiry.

Kindly regrads

[Patrick]

Hi Lic. Cristo Markou Castilo:

I am curious, can you specify the exact law for that resident visa requirement?

It seems several people on this forum have gotten their resident visa without

that requirement including myself. I didn't even live here when I got my visa.

patrick

 

[Lic. Cristo Markou Castillo]

Hello Patrick it is the Ejecutive Decre 320 August 8 2008. All visas has to include a proof of address, can be by presenting an Electricity or any service Bill, by a affidavit, by Public Registry Certification of property or by a Rental Agreement. The Immigration Officer has the ability to deicide any additional requirements that are not Literaly stated in laws.

Thank you for you question.

[Patrick]

Hola Lic. Cristo Markou Castillo:

Thank you Counselor  for your expeditious reply and for clearing this matter up. It's good to know that a Renter (homeowner) does not have to provide a  copy of his/her homeowners ID (passport/cedular) to establish the Tenant's  residency and that other documents can be used..

I would agree though, that a homeowner's ID (passport/cedular) may be necessary when providing a reference in order to open up a Tenant's bank account to Officials of the Bank. 

I want to thank you again for taking the time to provide a answer to this post. Not too many Attorney's would take the time to respond.

patrick

 

[Ray]

No visa application requires a rental agreement.

The lawyer's offices can serve as a contact address.

You aren't obliged to stay in the country for the entire process, therefore there's no need to sign any rental contract or to proof 'residency'. You are trying to obtain a residential status, so you literally can't already 'reside' here.

[Val]

Unless laws have changed, and that could be, we had our Penionado visas almost 4 years before we finally made the move - no legal residence in Panama. Maybe this is just one of those logical(dumb) questions, but who has an address here in Chiriqui anyway? Good point Ray, again logical (but have to stop that bad habit), how could you have a residence while applying for residency?

Yes, I am simplifying it but it does make sense. Bank? A different issue altogether but in our case, being US citizens, it had/has to do with US requiring compliance to Uncle Sam. This has been discussed many times before.

[Sharna Kahn]

Val, how could you have your visas before actually having 'feet on the ground' in Panama?  I had contacted an attorney in Pty and asked that very question.  We wanted our visa before making the move so that we could qualify for the duty exemption and meet our household goods coming in to have them with us from day 1.  That was a 'no can do'.

[Good Morning Boquete]

That's how it worked for me.  My container was loaded on a Saturday, I flew to Panama City on a Monday, went to immigration on Tuesday morning and received my temporary residency visa id card on Wednesday afternoon.  I obtained my drivers license on Thursday and flew to Boquete on Friday.  My container arrived about a week or so later where my shipper processed my house hold goods with the exemption at the aduana (customs).  Aduana will except temporary paper work status.

It's my understanding that this is a standard practice unless things have changed.

[Doug Johnson]

I had to have a rental agreement as part of my application for the Friendly Nations Visa last year.  This was despite the fact that I was making the application from the USA and didn't plan to move here until I received the visa.

It was part of the requirement when applying for that visa as an "investor".  You can apply as a "professional" for the same visa, but the required paperwork is different.