Panama visa requirements for Indian citizens
Indian citizens need a visa for Panama and must apply for it before the trip at a consulate or embassy.
- Minimum passport validity
- 3 months
Last verified: 18 September 2026
How this visa is processed
Panama's consulate in Mumbai, currently the only one offered by the National Migration Service's stamped visa appointment system for applicants in India (Panama also has an embassy with a consular section in New Delhi). No visa is needed to enter as a tourist with a valid visa or residence from Canada, the United States, Australia, South Korea, Japan, the United Kingdom, Singapore or a European Union country
Executive Decree 113 of 4 April 2018 added India to the countries whose nationals need a visa stamped by the consul to enter Panama, with effect from 1 June 2018. Officials of the National Migration Service and the National Security Council posted at Panama's consulates in India review each applicant's immigration requirements and security background. Subject to that verification, the visa can be granted with multiple entries and exits for up to three years, and its cost cannot exceed 50 balboas. There is a route that avoids the process: Executive Decree 521 of 6 August 2018 lets anyone holding a valid visa or residence from Canada, the United States, Australia, South Korea, Japan, the United Kingdom, Singapore or any European Union country enter as a tourist without a Panamanian visa. That decree repealed Decree 114 of 2018, which only covered the Schengen visa and European Union residence. The visa conditions have changed too: Executive Decree 196 of 28 October 2024 replaced the requirements that it be multiple-entry, already used and valid for at least six more months with a single condition, that it be valid at the time of entry into Panama.
Official application site →Application details verified on 18 September 2026. Sources: Official Gazette of Panama no. 28497-B, 4 April 2018, Executive Decree 113 (India in the stamped visa group from 1 June 2018, verification by National Migration Service and National Security Council officials at the consulates, multiple-entry visa for up to three years, maximum cost of 50 balboas), copy published on migracion.gob.pa and read on web.archive.org because the original link no longer works. Same Official Gazette, Executive Decree 114 (exemption only for a Schengen visa or European Union residence), copy from migracion.gob.pa via web.archive.org. Official Gazette no. 28586-A, 8 August 2018, Executive Decree 521 (exemption for a valid visa or residence from Canada, the United States, Australia, South Korea, Japan, the United Kingdom, Singapore and the European Union; repeal of Executive Decree 114 of 2018), on gacetaoficial.gob.pa via web.archive.org. Official Gazette no. 30149-D, 28 October 2024, Executive Decree 196 (the visa only has to be valid on entry), on gacetaoficial.gob.pa and migracion.gob.pa via web.archive.org. tramites.migracion.gob.pa, stamped visa appointment system for India (only offers the Mumbai consulate). mire.gob.pa, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, India page (embassy and consular section in New Delhi, merchant marine consulate general in Mumbai). (checked 29 September 2026)
Verified practical details
You'll need to apply for a visa at a consulate or embassy before travelling. Here are the practical details we've verified:
Fee
Tourist entry for the passports we track has no pre-authorisation fee (no paid ETA/eVisa).
Required documents
- Original passport or travel document, valid for at least 3 months.
- Completed Entry/Exit Card, provided by the airline or transport company.
- Traveller's Sworn Health Declaration, mandatory for every adult traveller.
- Return ticket when the immigration category requires it.
How much money you need to show
At least 500 balboas (US$500), and more for a long stay
The amount has to match the length of stay you declare and can never be under 500. Under-18s do not need to show it.
Source: National Migration Service of Panama, frequently asked questions. Checked on 1 November 2026.
Health insurance
Not mandatory for this destination.
When travel insurance is mandatory → Travel insurance policies ↓Transit rules
Tourist visa/permit valid for a maximum of 90 days.
More Panama rules
They don't depend on your passport, so they are on the Panama page:
Official portal: https://www.migracion.gob.pa. Destination data verified on 18 August 2026. 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). Passport validity: migracion.gob.pa (National Immigration Service FAQ, entry requirements for visitors), checked 31 October 2026.
Travel insurance for Panama
It isn't listed as mandatory for this entry, but without insurance, medical care during the trip can get expensive.
See IATI's international site →IATI sells its policies according to the country you live in. Where do you live?
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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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This pair in context
In the other direction, citizens of Panama need an electronic visa to enter India. See the Panama → India page.
Of the 9 passports from Southern Asia that VisaRadar tracks, for travel to Panama 2 enter visa-free and 7 need a visa. Same result as India: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
With a passport from India, in the rest of Central America you need a prior authorisation or a visa on arrival for El Salvador; you need a visa for Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua.
A passport from India ranks 151 of 199 in the VisaRadar passport ranking and reaches 52 of 198 destinations without applying for a visa in advance.
Counts from the same requirements matrix behind this page's verdict, using the UN M49 subregions.
Frequently asked questions
Do Indian citizens need a visa for Panama?
Yes. You must apply for the visa in advance at the relevant consulate or embassy.
What minimum passport validity is required?
Original passport or travel document, valid for at least 3 months.
What currency is used in Panama?
Panamanian Balboa (PAB).
What kind of visa does an Indian get for Panama?
A visa stamped by the consul, required since 1 June 2018. After the check of requirements and background, it can be granted with multiple entries and exits for up to three years.
I hold a Schengen visa. Am I exempt?
Yes. Executive Decree 521 of 2018 exempts from the Panamanian tourist visa anyone with a valid visa or residence from a European Union country, and also from Canada, the United States, Australia, South Korea, Japan, the United Kingdom or Singapore.
Does a Schengen visa granted but never used count?
Under the text in force, yes. Since Executive Decree 196 of 2024 the only condition is that the visa be valid when you enter Panama; it no longer has to have been used before.
How much money do Indian passport holders need to enter Panama?
The reference amount is at least 500 balboas (US$500), and more for a long stay. The amount has to match the length of stay you declare and can never be under 500. Under-18s do not need to show it.
What do Indian passport holders need for the countries near Panama?
With a passport from India, in the rest of Central America you need a prior authorisation or a visa on arrival for El Salvador; you need a visa for Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua.
Related pages
See Panama requirements for other passports →
Informational only. Always verify requirements with the official embassy or consulate before you travel.