Tourist Visas Now Valid For 60 Days Max

By Rafael Luna Noguera for La Prensa - Last week Article 36 of Law 15 which dictates immigration law in Panama took effect, lowering from 90 days to 30 days the validity of tourist visas granted to visitors who enter the country. The Director of Immigration Ricardo Vargas explained yesterday that before the new law had taken effect, tourist visas were valid for 90 days and they could have been extended twice. Now, under the new law, the first tourist visa granted upon entry is only valid for 30 days, and it can only be extended once for a total of 60 days. Vargas added that this law is part of a series of new immigration controls, such as motorized patrols of immigration officials that started operations yesterday. Vargas explained that the Office of Immigration will conduct operations mainly in the area of Panama City where the greatest concentration of illegal immigrants can be found. "In addition to the inspectors, we have strengthened and reinforced border checkpoints and other sensitive areas around the country," he said. So far this year 512 undocumented foreigners have been deported of several nationalities, including Colombian, Chinese, Ecuadorian, Peruvian and Dominican.

Editor's Comment: Panama has been having increasing internal security problems caused by illegal immigrants. The one area where the administration of Panama's President Martin Torrijos has been consistently taking it in the teeth is in public safety and security. When there are multiton drug busts there are always foreigners involved. Now there are more frequent busts of transiting illegal aliens who have paid as much as $50,000 per head for safe passage to the United States, and they tend to come through Colombia and then Panama on their way north. In Colombia the internal security forces are gaining the upper hand against the FARC and those who produce cocaine for shipment north, and much of the drug trafficking and money laundering activity occurring in Panama is being done by illegal Mexican aliens. In short, Panama is being forced to take better control of the immigration situation in order to secure the country in general.

Effect on Gringos: Unfortunately, the implementation of this law means that now a loophole has been closed for snow-birders and temporary residents from the United States, Canada, and other countries. Before you could come to Panama on a tourist visa and stay (practically) for a total of nine months just by getting extensions and paying fines before you were forced to leave the country to "reset" your entry date. I know people who have been doing this for ten years or more, and have never managed to obtain some kind of a permanent residency status. They have been surfing through this loophole for years, and that door is now closed.

What To Do? Get legal. Article 36 of Law 15 is now in effect, this is not a drill. If you are now on some kind of an expired tourist visa status you are subject to being taken into custody immediately and being deported to your country of origin. This is especially true if you are in some kind legal trouble or have charges pending against you (you know who you are.) The government of Panama is cracking down, and they are going to start with you. The message really could not be clearer - either get legal or get out, before you are thrown out. If you act now, you might have some ability to have an impact on the date that you leave and where you go. If you wait until you are caught, then you will be ejected from the country when they catch you, and you will go back to your country of origin. Thanks for playing, but game over.

Consistent Governmental Strategy: The Torrijos administration has been following one consistent thread since (practically) day one - simply make everyone follow existing law. The surge in crime in Panama has come at a bad time for the administration which is doing a generally good job on most other fronts, especially the economy, transparency, international relations, unemployment, free trade, infrastructure spending, internal revenue, and social programs. They are working on tackling the lingering transportation issues, and got a tremendous black eye over the tainted medicines issue. But right now on the street the one big, fat, ugly blister is public safety and security. And the general perception is that the problems are being caused by drugs, foreigners, and youth gangs. So, this action to tighten immigration controls is consistent with Panama's internal security strategy, and is actually a good call.

Effect On The Ground: Most of the people who have been taking advantage of Panama's relatively lax tourist visa requirements to hang out and purchase property here can qualify for some other kind of visa but it's going to cost more in time, money, and effort. The tourist visa thing was an easy way out. If you don't intent to live here full time then you could just come on down whenever you felt like it. Now you can still do that, but in two-month blocks. If you can't qualify for some other kind of visa then you're going to be spending more money on plane tickets. This might be a good time to remind you about my good friends at offices of the Panama Relocation Attorneys as well as the Panama Offshore Legal Services, both of which advertise on this fine website and who are more than capable of helping to keep your ass out of jail (no, wait, I can't say that...) OK, they can help you find a practical solution to your current immigration dilemma. Much better said.

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MIGRACIÓN.

Solo 30 días para la visa de turista

Rafael Luna Noguera rluna@prensa.com

Desde la semana pasada entró en vigencia el Artículo 36 de la Ley 15 de Migración, que bajó de 90 a 30 días la validez de las visas otorgadas a los turistas que visitan el país.

El director de la institución, Ricardo Vargas, explicó ayer que antes de esta nueva reglamentación, las visas de turistas valían hasta por 90 días y podían ser prorrogadas dos veces. Ahora, en cambio, se podrán prorrogar una sola vez y tendrán validez hasta por 60 días.

Vargas precisó que la medida se suma a una serie de nuevos controles migratorios, como el patrullaje motorizado de funcionarios de la entidad, que se puso en marcha ayer.

El funcionario explicó que los operativos se efectuarán en la capital, sobre todo en áreas de tránsito de extranjeros.

"Además de los inspectores, la vigilancia en las fronteras y en puntos sensitivos del país ha sido reforzada", añadió.

Este año han sido deportados 512 extranjeros indocumentados, de varias nacionalidades, entre ellas, colombiana, china, ecuatoriana, peruana y dominicana.