Thread: Renewing a Canadian passport in Panama

I'm going to be heading to Panama in the next few weeks... not sure exactly how long I'm going to stay but my passport expires Nov 2011. I don't think I will have the time before I leave to get a new one.


If I decide to stay for longer than I currently plan (around 6 months) is it a real pain to get it renewed at the Canadian embassy over there? Or should I try harder to make the time to do it before I leave?

Any input would be appreciated.

If you are going to be hanging around in Panama City it shouldn't be so bad to renew it here. For me, since I live over 4 hours away, I am not looking forward to the trip to the city to renew it. In fact, it will take several trips.

Originally Posted by Pollerkeeper

If you are going to be hanging around in Panama City it shouldn't be so bad to renew it here. For me, since I live over 4 hours away, I am not looking forward to the trip to the city to renew it. In fact, it will take several trips.

Yep I'll be living right downtown.

Do not move to Panama with an old passport. If you register cars, motorcycles, get driver's licenses, IDs, bank accnts and so on you will go through hell to update everything later on. If you are from a country that does not change the passport number, all good, otherwise get a fresh one or prepare to die a torture death in Panamanian bureaucracy.

On top of this a passport that expires within 6 months is normally not valid for entry (in case you are form a country that cannot produce new passports locally). That could mean that you have to fly to home country to renew and not the closest one with an embassy.....

Should be pretty easy to get a new one here (I lost mine a few years ago and they gave me a new one at the Embassy). The embassy is pretty quick and fairly efficient. The final passport will be delivered (or you can pick it up) by DHL.

Happy Holidays!
Matt

Originally Posted by EdBowers

Do not move to Panama with an old passport. If you register cars, motorcycles, get driver's licenses, IDs, bank accnts and so on you will go through hell to update everything later on. If you are from a country that does not change the passport number, all good, otherwise get a fresh one or prepare to die a torture death in Panamanian bureaucracy.

On top of this a passport that expires within 6 months is normally not valid for entry (in case you are form a country that cannot produce new passports locally). That could mean that you have to fly to home country to renew and not the closest one with an embassy.....

I don't think this is going to be a permanent move. No plans of registering vehicles or opening bank accounts in the near future. I am aware of the passport needing to be valid for six months after the date of entry. The only reason I need a renewal is if I plan to do a visa run after May.

Originally Posted by No-Non-Sense-Matt

Should be pretty easy to get a new one here (I lost mine a few years ago and they gave me a new one at the Embassy). The embassy is pretty quick and fairly efficient. The final passport will be delivered (or you can pick it up) by DHL.

Happy Holidays!
Matt

Good to hear. Any additional documents I would need besides my passport? Birth certificate/social/health card etc? I don't normally bring that stuff with me.

I don't remember -- bring your birth certificate for sure. I would probably bring everything (just in case).

You saving would by C$89/12/5*9 then, or C$13.35 for using it up to the end date. That saving would disappear if renewing abroad (or if you die within the validity minus 9 months of the new passport). If you do buy a scooter in panic due to the congestion on your old passport you will lose you sanity and spend endless weeks on stupidity and end up leaving the country (unless you have extreme tax savings from being here). Losing the ability to go on a last minute weekend trip to Costa Rica over C$13.35.....

Originally Posted by CyberKat17

I don't think this is going to be a permanent move. No plans of registering vehicles or opening bank accounts in the near future. I am aware of the passport needing to be valid for six months after the date of entry. The only reason I need a renewal is if I plan to do a visa run after May.

Thank you for your valuable insights and information Ed and Matt. I will make my decision accordingly.