New Visa Requirements Announced for Cuban Citizens by Panama

The National Migration Service (SNM) of Panama announced new requirements on Monday for Cuban citizens seeking tourist or transit visas, following last week's suspension of online applications due to detected "vulnerabilities" in the system. For the tourist visa, the primary requirement—until the website is restored—entails submitting documents physically through a lawyer in Panama, as detailed by the SNM on their X profile.

Applications must be submitted via a legal representative. The applicant must grant power of attorney to a qualified lawyer, with the document properly apostilled. The power of attorney must clearly specify the reasons for requesting the visa. Additionally, a simple photocopy of the general pages of the passport and a simple copy of the lawyer's ID and credentials must be included. Applications must be delivered to the SNM headquarters, specifically to the Correspondence department. It's crucial to include an email address in the provided information, as responses will be sent via this method.

Panamanian migration authorities reiterated that "the website for stamped tourist visa applications for Cuban nationals is currently under review." Unlike the previous statement, they did not specify that the online service would be restored by the end of July.

For transit visa applications, the requirements include: submitting a transit visa application form, a simple copy of the applicant's passport, an airline reservation, a simple copy of the lawyer's ID and credentials, and presenting the documents through a legal representative at the Correspondence window in the SNM.

Last Friday, the SNM announced a temporary suspension of online processing for stamped visas for Cuban nationals, citing "vulnerabilities" in the computer system used. Roger Mojica, the new director of the SNM, assured that the institution is committed to transparency in these procedures and emphasized the importance of complying with the country's immigration laws, "always respecting human rights."

Mandatory Transit Visa for Cubans

In January of this year, the Panamanian government extended the requirement for a mandatory transit visa for Cuban travelers making a stopover in the country until July 31, 2023, enforced since March 2022. The decree issued in December 2022 stipulated that visa holders are only authorized to stay in the international transit area of the airport for 24 hours.

This measure was initially implemented due to "an increase in cases of Cuban nationals admitted or rejected by the destination country, causing issues at Panamanian immigration control points." Exemptions from this transit visa include those traveling to Cuba, holding a valid tourist or residence visa for Panama, or possessing a multiple-entry visa, previously used in the granting state, valid for at least six months at the time of transit, duly issued by a list of countries including the United States and the European Community.

Panama has been a traditional exit point for Cubans migrating to the United States via the irregular Central American route. In early May of this year, Panama's president-elect, José Raúl Mulino, pledged to close the Darién jungle border crossing with Colombia as a measure to control the migration crisis. Last week, Panama's National Border Service (Senafront) announced the closure of at least three border crossings commonly used by migrants traversing the dangerous Darién jungle on their way to Colombia, with the final destination being the United States.

Besides being a transit route to the United States, the Colón Free Zone continues to be a tourist and commercial attraction for Cubans, with more than 15,042 visitors in 2023.