Panama News

.autotagframe1 { float:right; padding:5px; width:210px; border: silver solid; border-width: 1px; text-align:center; }


By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - I've been living here for a long time, and sometimes you just overlook the basics. The other day I got a frantic cell call from a friend - his mother had just returned from a trip to the United States and he explained that "they confiscated her Passport at the airport, and now I've got a lawyer here who wants $100 bucks..." What had happened to his mother was the same thing that happened to me. A few weeks ago I went to Costa Rica and at the border I found out that I had simply neglected to renew my Multiple Entry - Exit Visa at the Immigration offices. So, I was able to leave and go to Costa Rica (no sweat) but when I came back in I had to pay a $100 fine for leaving without a valid stamp in my passport. If you don't have the $100 bucks on the spot, they will let you in but confiscate your passport - then you have to go to Immigration to pick it up, pay the fine, and update your Multiple Entry - Exit Visa at the same time. So, if you have not done that in awhile, consider this to be a community service announcement. Pull out your passport and look at the stamp - is it valid? If not, you might want to take the time to get it done or you might find yourself (like I did) getting nicked for $100 bucks.
Copyright 2008 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.

More...

GeekZ

Thanks for the great advice... this is going to save a lot of people a big hassle!