Panama entry requirements, by passport
Panama visa requirements at a glance: 57 of the 81 passports VisaRadar tracks can enter Panama without arranging a visa beforehand — visa-free, with a visa on arrival, or with an electronic travel authorization. The other 24 must obtain a visa before they travel.
Which passport do you hold?
We'll take you straight to the entry requirements for Panama for your nationality.
What we've verified for Panama
Beyond the yes/no matrix, we've checked these against an official primary source (last checked 2026-08-18). The specifics depend on your nationality — open your passport's row in the table for the detail that applies to you.
- Required documents (4)
- Required vaccinations
- Health-insurance rules
- Customs limits (cash, alcohol, tobacco)
- Overstay penalties
- Airport transit rules
Sources: migracion.gob.pa (National Immigration Service — entry requirements, entry/exit card, USD 500 proof of funds, 90-day maximum stay); panamadigital.gob.pa (Traveler's Sworn Health Declaration, mandatory health form); ana.gob.pa and declaraciondeviajero.ana.gob.pa (National Customs Authority — USD 10,000 cash declaration, USD 500 baggage allowance every 6 months) (checked 18/08/2026).
Panama sets its entry regime by nationality: most passports from the Americas and Western Europe enter visa-free for up to 90 days, while other nationalities need a prior consular visa. The National Immigration Service requires proof of at least $500 in economic solvency (cash, credit card, bank reference, or an employment letter), on top of the passport and, if required, the entry visa.
This table summarizes the exact entry mechanism for every passport we track — the difference between entering visa-free, with an electronic authorization, with an e-Visa, or with a traditional visa is explained in visa, e-Visa, and electronic authorization: what's the difference. How we verify every row before publishing it is on methodology.
Base entry rules refreshed 2026-09-17. Published: 2026-08-20.
| Passport | Requirement | Max. stay |
|---|---|---|
| Visa-free | ||
| Argentina | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Australia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Austria | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Belgium | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Bolivia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Brazil | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Bulgaria | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Canada | Visa-free | 180 days |
| Chile | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Colombia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Costa Rica | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Croatia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Czech Republic | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Denmark | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Ecuador | Visa-free | 90 days |
| El Salvador | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Finland | Visa-free | 90 days |
| France | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Germany | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Greece | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Guatemala | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Honduras | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Hungary | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Iceland | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Ireland | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Israel | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Italy | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Japan | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Malaysia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Malta | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Mexico | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Moldova | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Netherlands | Visa-free | 90 days |
| New Zealand | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Nicaragua | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Norway | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Paraguay | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Peru | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Poland | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Portugal | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Romania | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Russia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Saudi Arabia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Singapore | Visa-free | 90 days |
| South Africa | Visa-free | 90 days |
| South Korea | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Spain | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Sweden | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Switzerland | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Thailand | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Turkey | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Ukraine | Visa-free | 90 days |
| United Arab Emirates | Visa-free | 90 days |
| United Kingdom | Visa-free | 90 days |
| United States | Visa-free | 180 days |
| Uruguay | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Vietnam | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Visa required | ||
| Algeria | Visa required | — |
| Bangladesh | Visa required | — |
| Cape Verde | Visa required | — |
| China | Visa required | — |
| Cuba | Visa required | — |
| Dominican Republic | Visa required | — |
| Egypt | Visa required | — |
| Equatorial Guinea | Visa required | — |
| Gambia | Visa required | — |
| Georgia | Visa required | — |
| Ghana | Visa required | — |
| India | Visa required | — |
| Indonesia | Visa required | — |
| Jordan | Visa required | — |
| Kenya | Visa required | — |
| Mali | Visa required | — |
| Morocco | Visa required | — |
| Nigeria | Visa required | — |
| Pakistan | Visa required | — |
| Philippines | Visa required | — |
| Senegal | Visa required | — |
| Sri Lanka | Visa required | — |
| Tunisia | Visa required | — |
| Venezuela | Visa required | — |
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Do you need a different visa for Panama City, Bocas del Toro, or David?
No. Panama sets the requirements, so entering through Panama City asks for the same as entering through Bocas del Toro or David. If you're arriving overland or through a small border post, check that separately: some countries apply their own rules to specific crossings.
What does change is where you file the application when a visa is needed, and that depends on the country you live in rather than the city you're travelling to.
What draws travelers to Panama
Panama fits almost entirely into a few days, and everything happens near the capital. The Canal — with the Miraflores Visitor Centre to watch ships transit — is the must-see; its expanded locks and the colonial trans-isthmian route are part of the World Heritage listing. In Panama City, the colonial-street Casco Antiguo and the ruins of Panamá Viejo, the first European settlement on the American Pacific, are both World Heritage. Outside the city, the Caribbean archipelago of San Blas (Guna Yala), the mountain valley of Boquete — coffee and quetzals — and the remote Darién park, also World Heritage. Panama has 5 UNESCO World Heritage sites. A week covers the Canal, the capital and San Blas or Boquete. The dry season (December-April) is best; the rest of the year it rains in the afternoon.
Sources for this section: tourismpanama.com (Panama Tourism Authority); UNESCO World Heritage List (whc.unesco.org, 5 sites in Panama); UK FCDO travel advice for Panama. Accessed 31 August 2026.
Things to see and do in Panama
Tours, skip-the-line tickets and day trips, most with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
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Where can Panama passport holders travel visa-free? →
Informational only. Always verify requirements with the official embassy or consulate before you travel.