Olga is a great source for everything Panama, and especially with all things related to getting residency visas. There have been many posts lately regarding residency visas and I thought they were a little hard to follow. So I tried to make sense of them, and went to Migracion in David, and tried to put all of the information in one place, for my own understanding. I just decided I would post it, in case anyone else out there is confused. I am not a lawyer.
This is my understanding of what is going on right now - which is about the same as what became law June 3, 2016.
The article that Olga posted last week is here again:
The new Decreto 145, March 24, 2017 referenced in above article is here:
https://www.gacetaoficial.gob.pa/pdfTemp/28243_B/60451.pdf
It does 2 things:
1. Officially ends the Crisol de Razas by overturning Decreto 547, July 25, 2012:
2. Changes the language (ever so slightly) of the 4 points of Article 2 of Decreto 167 from June 3, 2016, below:
Article 3 of Decreto 167 (above) lists the 7 actual requirements necessary to get the "$517 Visa" - which have not changed recently - they were established in this Decreto 167, June 3, 2016.
If one gets this Visa it is a 2 year Visa. I don't see anything and wouldn't even try to guess what might be required to extend the visa after 2 years.
Finally, for those with Crisol de Razas, Decreto 169, May 22, 2015, lists 9 requirements for extending those visas. The extension also costs $517, but is good for "from 2 to 10 years" (and doesn't say how the number of years will be determined). It is here:
While both of these visas say $517.00, that price is for citizens of certain countries. The cost is $1,022.00 for citizens of other countries, and $2,102.00 for citizens of some other countries. I asked at Migracion in David last week and they said it is $517.00 for USA, I don't know about any others.If anyone has any different information, please post it, correct me, I want to know as much as possible.
Replies
All I can tell anyone is I have met a Venezuelan with a temporary card who has applied for this visa. The card doesn't have his photo on it. So it seems that it is possible to get a card that enables you to stay in Panama until your appointment.
You're right about being disqualified if you leave for 30 days. No one seems to be able to answer this question. Not even Olga. First she says you have to be here for 2 years and then she say 1 year. Now she is saying that if you are in your 5th month then cross the border to 30 days and then come back to start the process. Before she also said to stay out for more than 30 days to make sure they will let you return. I don't think that she knows what she is talking about.
If anyone know, I bet Rainelda Mata-Kelly, a lawyer from Panama knows. I haven't used her, but a lot of people with IL do. I think her office is next to the building for the Immigration people, and she certainly has contacts there.
Her email is rmk@mata-kelly.com
Just a thought...
This still doesn't answer the question about if a person can stay here while waiting for this process. I only have 1 month until I have to cross the border. Then the 30 days will void my eligibility. They are so daft if they don't realize that this is happening.
If you are on your 5th month, you are better off leaving for minimum 30 days and then come back, you can start the process but you will have no time to get it altogether before you due.
Remember, if you are very close to your 180 days, you will be denied for longer than 30 days
How can one start the process if they have been out for more than 30 days. You have to have been here without having been out for more than 30 days.
I requested an appointment in September 2016 and none were available.
In October, I got one for May, online.
As far as what to do in the meantime, that is a great question. With all of the talk about 6 months (or 5 months) in, and 30 days (or 35 days, or 180 days) out, I do not know. I came in February within 90 days of my appointment, just to be safe.
Did they give you any idea of how long it would be until the appt date? And what we do in the meantime?