Panama Visa for Indians - Definitive Guide

The Panamanian visa is an endorsement that lets people travel to the country to take part in various activities including tourism, business, work, studies, and much more. Quite a number of nationalities do not need a permit to enter the country. However, since India is not among them, a Panama visa for Indians is a mandatory requirement.

If you possess a valid multiple-entry permit from Australia, Canada, Schengen/EU, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, UK, or the US, you will be able to enter Panama without a Panamanian visa, for a stay of up to 90 days. Although, the above-mentioned permit must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry and it must have been previously used to enter the respective country before. 

The application for the Panama visa for Indian citizens is an entirely offline process. You can either do it by yourself, or you can use the services of a visa agency for it. Since doing on your own would require you to physically travel to the Embassy, it is suggested that you choose the alternate option. 

However, before starting your application, you must ensure that you are eligible to travel to Panama on a particular category. You may then proceed to make the application as follows - 

1. Visit the website of the Panamanian embassy and download the Panama visa application form.
2. Fill in the application form with all the required details. 
3. Affix your photograph and sign the application form. 
4.   Along with the completed Panama visa form, documents, and the fees, visit the Embassy of Panama in New Delhi in person or through a visa agent.

Ensure that you fill in the application form with all the correct details, and provide only genuine documents. Providing false information or fake documents can lead to visa rejection. 

Based on the purpose of the visit, the visa for Panama can be majorly classified into the following types -

• Tourist - As the name suggests, this category is for people who are travelling to the country to take part in tourism-related activities. 
• Business - This is granted for people travelling to attend business-activities in the country. 
• Visit - This is issued for people visiting Panama to meet their family/friends living in the country. 
•  Educational - This is issued for students who are travelling to the country for educational purposes. 

As per the Panama visa application requirements, the general set of documents are as follows. However, based on the exact category, you will need to provide additional documents - 

• A passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of intended travel.
• 2 photos as per the specifications.
• Covering letter explaining the visit.
•  Confirmed flight tickets. 
• Hotel bookings.
• Proof of sufficient funds.
• Proof of profession.

• Dimensions: 2 X 2 inch
• Colour: Coloured
• Head must occupy the central position
• Must be captured within the last 3 months
• Background: Solid, plain white or grey
• 80% face coverage
• Neutral expression
• Glasses: Non-thick framed and prescription glasses
• Headgears - only for religious reasons
• Facial hair - permitted

The average time taken to process the Panamanian visa is around 4-5 working days. However, this can vary significantly based on several factors such as the time taken to get the approval from the Panama immigration, volume of applications at the embassy, the type of visa, the duration and validity, and so on. As a result, ensure that you apply well in advance. 

The fees for the permit depends on the exact type of the permit, the number of entries, and so on. It can also vary slightly depending on the foreign exchange rates. As a result, ensure that you check the exact amount before starting your application. 

Since the entire process is offline, there is no online tracking services provided by the embassy. However, if you have applied through a travel agent, you can contact them to check if they can check the status by contacting the embassy. 

The Embassy of Panama in New Delhi and the Consulate of Panama in Mumbai are the visa issuing authority in India. As a result, your application must be made to the embassy. You can apply through a reputed travel agency as well. However, in certain cases, the embassy may demand your physical presence.