Once all the paperwork needed to apply for your Pensionado Visa has been assembled plan on being in Panama City for at least five working days, minimum.

After your initial visit to our offices a couple of days are needed for the documents to be translated into Spanish by an officially-certified translation service.

We will then be making two trips to the Immigration offices and a visit to a doctor’s office for a physical examination as required by Immigration.

On our first visit to the Immigration offices you will be registered with the department and a couple of days later, when you are officially in the system, we will return to get your first 90-day identification card, known as a carnet. Do NOT plan on touring the countryside before this card is issued to you. since your passport, required to be able to tour the country, will be also needed to file the visa. You must be in the city to hand your passport to us. There are plenty of places to go and things see right here in the city to keep you from being bored.

Bring something with you to read or an iPod to listen to. You will be waiting in the immigration offices.

Bring plenty of $20 bills. Immigration does NOT accept anything larger nor do they take Traveler’s Checks. The only place you can cash Travelers Checks is at the National Bank or at Tocumen Airport. Since Panama is an international banking center you can easily make cash withdrawals at any of the numerous ATM machines around the city with your ATM or credit card.

If you choose to start the process November, bear in mind that there are five national holidays that month: the 3rd is Separation Day, the 4^th is Flag Day and the 5^th is Colon Day. Five days later, on the10th, it is The Uprising in the Villa de Los Santos and the 28^th is our Independence Day. December 8th is Mother’s Day. These are all National Holidays and all government offices are closed.

Buy a prepaid cell phone when you get here. You will need a local phone number so my office can contact you. Cell phones are inexpensive in Panama and as you walk around the city you’ll begin to think there is a phone store on every block. You can buy one for as little as $14 and another $5 bill will give you more time than you’re going to use on your first visit.

If you are filing for your visa with dependents (spouse and/or children) you need to have your hotel write a letter certifying your residence there. For this purpose you’re better off staying at a small hotel or a Bed & Breakfast since the larger chain hotels may not be as flexible with providing you this letter.

Proper dress is required when visiting the Immigration offices. You will not be admitted if you are wearing shorts or flip-flops. Other than the shorts and flip-flop rule your dress will not effect the processing of your application, but remember; you never get a second chance to make a first impression. While a summer-weight suit certainly shows you are serious about process, a pair of slacks and a sport shirt are perfectly acceptable.

When you apply for your Pensionado Visa there are several documents that must be submitted to the Immigration Department. You must get these in order before coming to Panama to start the process.

First, you must verify that your retirement income is at least U.S. $1,000.00 per month (or its equivalence in foreign currency). If you are applying with a spouse and/or dependents an additional U.S. $250.00 is required for each.

If this income comes from Social Security it is very easy to confirm. Your local Social Security office will provide you with a statement of your account on request. If there is no Social Security office near you, you can request a Proof of Income letter online at: http://www.ssa.gov/onlineservices/

Verification of income derived from a private pension is a bit more complicated. If the source is a private company you must have the following:

1. A letter on the pension company’s official letterhead, from an administrator of foreign business of pensions, trusts, mutual funds, insurances, or banking, that certify the funds exist and must include the phrase that you receive the “pension for life.” It is extremely important that the exact phrase is used in the letter. The letter must be signed by a representative of the company with complete contact information for verification purposes;
2. Certification of existence and the work of the business that offers the pension and administers the fund;
3. Proof that the payments are being made. This can be done by providing copies of pension payment checks, bank statements showing deposits, etc.

All of these documents must be “original,” “official,” “updated” and “authenticated.”

You need to provide a criminal background check for the last five years  submitted by your local police department or you can have one done by the FBI. For an FBI check go to the following web site and follow their instructions. http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cjisd/fprequest.htm

Documents issued in one country and need to be used in another country, must be “authenticated” or “legalized” before they can be recognized in a foreign country. This is a process, known as “Apostilation” is one in which various seals and signatures are placed on the document. If there is a Panamanian Consulate in your area you can take the documents there and have them apostiled. Having this done, if you don’t live near a Panamanian Consul, may be the most difficult and time consuming part of the whole process.

The following table shows which Panamanian Consulate serves your state of residence:

State of Residence	Consulate
District of Columbia, Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware, and Maryland	Washington, D.C.
Pennsylvania	Philadelphia, PA
Hawaii	Honolulu, Hawaii
Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Arkansas	Houston, TX
Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands	Miami, Florida
Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia	Tampa, Florida
Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama	New Orleans, LA
New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Rhode Island	New York, NY
California, Nevada, Arizona, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho	San Diego, CA
All Other U.S. States	Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.
2862 McGill Terrace, NW
Washington, DC 20008
Phone: (202) 483-1407
Fax: (202) 387-6141
email: consulate@embassyofpanama.org

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
124 Chestnut St. Suite 1
Philadelphia, PA 19106
Phone: (215) 574-2994
Fax: (215) 574-4225
email: panama@foreingconsulate.com

Honolulu, Hawaii
P.O. Box 75582
Honolulu, Hawaii 96836
Phone: (808) 549-6883
Fax: (808) 521-5043
email: panamaconsulhawaii@aol.com

Houston, Texas
24 Greenway Plaza, Suite 1307
Houston, TX 77406
Phone: (713) 622-4451
Phone: (713) 622-4459
Fax: (713) 622-4468
email: panamaconsul@sbcglobal.net

Miami, Florida
5775 Blue Lagoon Drive, Suite 200
Miami, FL 33126
Phone: (305) 447-3700
Fax: (305) 447-4142
Fax: (305) 269-7480
email: ptymia@bellsouth.net

Tampa, Florida
5811 Memorial Highway, Suite 104
Tampa, FL 33615
Phone: (813) 886-1427
Fax: (813) 886-3624
email: consuladopanama@verizon.net

New Orleans
2615 Energy Centre
1100 Poydras Street, New Orleans, L.A. 70163
Phone: (504) 525-3458
Phone: (504) 525-3459
Fax: (504) 524-8960
email: consulgeneral@consulateofpanama.com

New York
1212 Ave. of the Americas, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10036
Phone: (212) 840-2450
Phone: (212) 840-2451
Fax: (212) 840-2469
email: vbonilla@nyconsul.com

New York
269 Lexington Avenue, 14th Floor
New York, NY 10017
Phone: (212) 869-6440
Fax: (212) 575-2285
email: info@segumar.com

San Diego
402 West Broadway Way, Suite 670
San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: (619) 235-4441
Fax: (619) 235-4442
email: secpanconwest@sbcglobal.net

Make sure that all passports have at least six months validity before expiration.

Birth Certificates are only required for dependent children. A marriage certificate is required for a spouse.

When you arrive in Panama all of these documents must be translated into Spanish by an official-certified translation service. This cannot be done outside of Panama. We have working relationships with several approved services so you won’t have to worry about trying to find one on your own.

You must provide a complete photocopy of your passport, and complete means each and every page. You may either do that yourself before  coming to Panama or can have it done at one of the many internet cafes or office service companies in the city.

You must provide five (5) passport-sized photos of each visa applicant.

Prior to your first trip to Immigration you need to obtain a Certificate of Good Health, issued by a licensed Panamanian hospital or clinic, signed by a registered, licensed physician, indicating that the applicant (and dependents – if applicable) has no contagious diseases and is in good mental and physical condition. We will assist you with getting this certificate after your initial visit to our offices.

On your initial visit to our offices you will have to sign a:

1. “Special Power of Attorney,” for the applicant and any dependents authorizing us to process the immigration applications and documentation;
2. A “Letter of Responsibility,” signed by the applicant, whereby you take responsibility for your dependents (if applicable)
3. A sworn statement of personal background: the Declaración Jurada Sobre Antecedentes Personales which we will provide for you.

When all the papers are translated and in order we will make our initial visit to the Immigration offices to begin the process.

People the world over know Panama for its Canal that joins the world. But Panama is more than just a canal. It is a vibrant, modern country and each year thousands of people from around the world choose to retire to Panama, and Panama welcomes them.

There are many reasons people choose to move to Panama. They may have retired from the working world but they haven’t retired from life. They are looking for a new adventure to keep themselves young and active. Many come to Panama because the cost of living here is a lot kinder to their new, fixed-income status than it is in the United States and much of Europe.

In order to qualify for Panama’s retirement Pensionado Visa a person only has to have proof of a monthly income of at least $1,000 (an additional $250.month is required for a spouse and/or each dependent child), be in good standing with the police department, and pass a physical examination here in Panama.

When someone receives their Pensionado they are offered a shopping list of benefits unequaled almost anywhere else in the world:

They will be given a tax exemption on a new car imported to Panama every two years.

There is a one-time import tax exemption of $10,000 for household goods.

Other discounts apply to such things as:

50% off of entrance to recreation and entertainment such as movies, theaters and sporting events.

A 30% discount on transportation within the country (buses, trains and boats).

25% discount on air fares within the country and on international flights booked in Panama.

A minimum discount of the regular prices of hotels, motels and pensions of 50% Monday through Thursday and 30% off on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

You are elibible for a 25% discount on food for each visa holder in restaurants (15% at fast food outlets)

A 15% discount in the total cost for services of hospitals and private clinics.

10% off in pharmacies for medications obtained with a medical prescription.

Other medical service discounts are 20% in consultation fees of general practitioners and medical and surgical specialists. 15% off on dental services and 15% off for optometry services.

There are also discounts for technical and professional services, prosthetic devices, electrical, phone and water services of between 20 and 25%.

Panama is an international banking center and throughout the country it is possible to obtain cash at ATMs with your bank debit or credit cards. While our official currency is called the Balboa, there is no such thing as a Balboa dollar bill. The American dollar is the paper currency here and the coins clinking in your pocket may be either U.S. pennies, nickles, dimes and quarters or Panamanian Balboas which are the same size and composition as their American counterparts.

Whole books have been written about the benefits of retiring and living in the Republic of Panama. As this blog develops we will investigate other aspects of living here including what you need to know about buying and investing in real estate.