Thread: Illegal to own and operate car as tourist

Now it is officially illegal (by policy) to own and operate car in Panama under a 90 day tourist visa.

The ATTT will no longer allow anyone to get the vehicle's identification card (made after revisado) unless the person has a valid and current carnet from Panama migratory services.

Another strike by the mono-in-charge.

Really?
What about those "tourists" who had already bought, registered, and are driving their cars now, but are waiting for the residence visas? Legal or not?

Looks like it's kind of old news: Canal 13 - Telemetro.com - Panamá - Inicia entrega de Tarjeta de Propiedad Vehicular

Now they are really enforcing "original y copia de carnet de migración que coincida con el pasaporte con el que registró el vehículo en el Registro Único Vehicular Motorizado." though so don't expect to be able to drive legally.

Ed. It's not April Fool's day yet. So please tell me your calendar is off.

Luckily it's Panama so just slip the officer $10 and be on your way.

Not sure what you mean. We went to Autodepot today and my friend was refused the vehicle's card. We won't be able to get it without bribing one of the monkies working there.

Originally Posted by Felicity

Ed. It's not April Fool's day yet. So please tell me your calendar is off.

Originally Posted by EdBowers

Not sure what you mean. We went to Autodepot today and my friend was refused the vehicle's card. We won't be able to get it without bribing one of the monkies working there.

Remember when Don Winner published a story about a law that required expats to pass a Spanish test? A lot of gringos actually believed it and freaked out.

So are you saying it's possible to send a Panamanian in to get the ID card? Is that the fix?

If the owner of the car is a foreigner you need to bring:

- original y copia de carnet de migración que coincida con el pasaporte con el que registró el vehículo en el Registro Único Vehicular Motorizado.
- Original y copia del pasaporte que concuerde con el carné de migración
- Original y copia del certificado de propiedad vehicular (CPV)

So there is no fix if you are a tourist.

Originally Posted by EdBowers

If the owner of the car is a foreigner you need to bring:

- original y copia de carnet de migración que coincida con el pasaporte con el que registró el vehículo en el Registro Único Vehicular Motorizado.
- Original y copia del pasaporte que concuerde con el carné de migración
- Original y copia del certificado de propiedad vehicular (CPV)

So there is no fix if you are a tourist.

Well it looks like more bribing will be required in beautiful Panama.

The article you quoted is from 2009....we just got our plates this month, no problems, we are tourists.

Originally Posted by becky7474

The article you quoted is from 2009....we just got our plates this month, no problems, we are tourists.

Did you get your ID card as well?

Yes we did. The lady at the ATTT office was very helpful.

Originally Posted by becky7474

Yes we did. The lady at the ATTT office was very helpful.

Excellent.

Originally Posted by becky7474

The article you quoted is from 2009....we just got our plates this month, no problems, we are tourists.

Same here!

That's why I was wondering.
We just bought a car 1 month ago, got our plates and I am driving it now.
We are waiting for our residence visas for now.

Figures...