The general requirements for a temporary Visitor Visa are:

1. Power of Attorney and petition presented by conduct of a legal counsel
2. Good health certificate
3. HIV examination test
4. Clarifying note of the parents’ names
5. Valid passport
6. Personal Police Record provided by country of origin
7. Four (4) wallet-size pictures

Note: In addition to these items, some types of visas may require additional documents. 

IMMIGRATION VISAS: An Immigrant can be defined as a person who voluntarily, or for reasons out of his control, decides to leave his country of origin and move to another one permanently, with the sole purpose of working in said country. The types of Immigration Visas awarded in our country are:

1. Immigrant Visa for Investors
2. Immigration Visa awarded by disposition of the Ministry of Labor of the Republic of Panama
3. Immigration Visa for foreigner married to a Panamanian
4. Immigration Visa for economically privileged foreigners
5. Immigration Visa for residents’ dependents
6. Immigration Visa for agriculturalist foreigners or those of farming corporations
7. Immigration Visa for forestry investors

With any one of these visas, foreigners can choose to establish permanent residency in the Republic of Panama. The person must file a petition with the Department of Immigration, accompanied by all requirements demanded by law, for each individual type of Visa depending upon the one that is being applied for. Once the petition is approved, the Visa is awarded for one (1) year and a personal identification card is also issued for the same period of time. After a year, the foreigner must petition for a renewal, having then the right to obtain a national identity card and permanent residency.
The general requirements to apply for an Immigration Visa are:

1. Power of Attorney and petition presented by conduct of a legal counsel
2. Certified check for the sum of US$1,000.00 payable to the National Treasury
3. Certified check for the sum of US$500.00 payable to the Ministry of Government and Justice
4. Good health certificate
5. HIV examination test
6. Personal police record
7. Valid passport
8. Four (4) wallet-size pictures
9. Clarifying note of parents’ names
10.  Personal police record of the last place of residence.

NOTE: In addition to these items, each different type of Visa may require additional documents.
In addition, all foreigners with a Temporary Visitor Visa or Immigration Visa may obtain Multiple Exit and Entrance Visas.
Recently, a modification was made to the rules for Multiple Exit and Entrance Visas. A foreigner with residency in the country may now obtain a Multiple Exit and Entrance Visa valid for two (2) years. Those foreigners with an Identity Card valid for a year may obtain a Multiple Exit and Entrance Visa valid for the same period of time.

WORKING PERMIT: Foreigners who apply for a Visa of Corporation Visitor (such as executives hired by Colon Free Zone Corporation, experts, experts hired by the Panamanian State or as a Press Correspondent), Visa of Special Temporary Visitor or Immigrants who wish to work in the territory of the Republic of Panama must also obtain a working permit.

The general requirements to be met to obtain a working permit are:

1. Power of Attorney and petition presented through a legal counsel
2. Original work contract
3. Certification of Migratory Status issued by the Department of Immigration and Naturalization of the Republic of Panama
4. Photocopy of the Immigration Identification Card
5. Photocopy of the passport
6. Four (4) wallet-size pictures
7. Certificate of good-standing of the corporation