Last year in Panama was recorded the entry of 5.6 million visitors, 2% below the 5.8 million reported in 2017.
According to the National Immigration Service, between 2017 and 2018 there were 141,332 fewer travelers, as the number of visitors fell from 5,759,280 to 5,617,948. The figures of the institution detail that in 2018 May was the month that reported the lowest number of visitors with 410,954.
Using a mobile application travelers arriving at Tocumen airport can carry out security prechecks up to two weeks before arriving in the country.
The digital system can be used by Panamanians and foreigners on computers, tablets and mobile phones, allowing travelers to enter their personal and flight data for review prior to their entry to the airport.
Another 11,000 foreigners from 44 different countries have regularized their immigration status and obtained work and residency permits.
" ... Some 54 foreign nationalities have regularized their status, in the seventeen days that the process takes, without any hitches, although the number of regularized people has increased compared to the previous processes," said Javier Carrillo , director general of the National Immigration Service (SNM by its initials in Spanish) .
The government of Panama has reduced from seven to two years the timespan for granting Permanent Resident immigration status to professionals in the country.
As explained by the Director of Immigration, Javier Carrillo, the measure seeks to reduce the timeframe and make the process easier.
The office of the National Immigration Service at Penonomé, Cocle, will address the requirements of the inhabitants of the area, giving priority to employees of the mining company.
From resolution number 18972 by the National Immigration Service:
Resolved
FIRST: Created within the organizational structure of the National Immigration Service, a Special Office, located in the District of Penonomé, Cocle Province.
In the ninth round of “Crisol de Razas” (Race Melting Pot) organized by the National Immigration Service (NMS) some 5,300 foreigners have had their immigration status regularized.
Since the beginning of this conference, the NMS has issued some 23,000 temporary permits to foreigners.
An extraordinary migratory regularization process, called " Panamá, Crisol de Razas” (Panama, the Melting Pot) will be reactivated from 3 to October 7, 2011.
The country has large numbers of foreigners with irregular migratory status, and this will be the seventh time that this process has been activated The process aims to grant residence permits to foreigners who have been in the country for a year or longer, for which they must show entry stamps from when they came to the country.
Foreigners who have been in the country for more than two years will be able to legalise their status, subject to paying relevant fees.
The process, called “Panama, Crisol de Razas" (Melting Pot) will begin on 16 July in Atlapa and continue for four months, indicated the director of the country’s Immigration Service (SNM), María Cristina González.
Citizens of restricted visa nationalities, but holders of Canadian, US, EU or Australian visas will be able to enter the country with a tourist status.
An authorized visa had to be obtained before, a process that could last up to 6 months, as it required approval of the Public Safety and National Defense Council.
From Prensa.com: "President Martinelli approved this in his third Minister Cabinet council...Those interested will request their tourism visa at the closest accredited Panamanian consulate, with a minimum of 48 hours prior to the date of entry into national territory".
Immigration sources pointed out that in order to travel throughout the Panamanian territory a foreigner must carry documentation to prove that the stay is legal.
Rafael Perez wrote in Prensa.com : "This information comes as a result of criticism led by the Panamanian Association of Hoteliers, who have complained that immigration staff has detained tourists and fined them for not carrying a respective passport.
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