Thread: 2 Cats & So Many Questions - Please HELP!

The grand plan is to retire somewhere in the western highlands. To rent for as long as needed until we (my daughter & I) find the perfect place where we can be happy. It is all the details that we need help in ironing out. With the help of a lawyer I will seek a pensionado visa and my daughter a "person of means" visa. So, we will arrive in PC and will need to find cat friendly accommodations. How long should we expect to stay in PC while the visas are processed. I am assuming we must stay there until they are finalized or can we finish up in David? Now should we buy a used car while in PC or should we wait until we are in the David/Boquette area? Again, regardless of where we buy it we will need a recommendation of someone that can help us with the purchase and paperwork and who should we use for car insurance? We will have international driver's licences but will need to get Panamanian ones. How long do we have before we have to get them? So if we don't buy in PC we will need to rent a car from the airport to the David/Boquette - a one-way long term (until we buy a used car) rental that will allow us to transport the cats. How did everyone else that had pets make the transfer outside the PC area? Any and all help will greatly be appreciated.
Thank you!
Pam

You should contact these folks: Panama Pet Relocation Services 2011 Moving Pets to Panama Dogs Cats
We are planning on using them to relocate our four dogs and two cats when we make the move. I've read very positive reviews of their services.

Originally Posted by pam

The grand plan is to retire somewhere in the western highlands. To rent for as long as needed until we (my daughter & I) find the perfect place where we can be happy. It is all the details that we need help in ironing out. With the help of a lawyer I will seek a pensionado visa and my daughter a "person of means" visa. So, we will arrive in PC and will need to find cat friendly accommodations. How long should we expect to stay in PC while the visas are processed. I am assuming we must stay there until they are finalized or can we finish up in David? Now should we buy a used car while in PC or should we wait until we are in the David/Boquette area? Again, regardless of where we buy it we will need a recommendation of someone that can help us with the purchase and paperwork and who should we use for car insurance? We will have international driver's licences but will need to get Panamanian ones. How long do we have before we have to get them? So if we don't buy in PC we will need to rent a car from the airport to the David/Boquette - a one-way long term (until we buy a used car) rental that will allow us to transport the cats. How did everyone else that had pets make the transfer outside the PC area? Any and all help will greatly be appreciated.
Thank you!
Pam

as far as your visas , get all your paper work that you need to get from where you are living now , your pension records , get your daughters 300,000 g wired here and find out where she wants to park her money for the rest of her life , as the money has to stay invested , one good thing is they pay real interest on money in panama and she should be able to live on the interest off her visa . you will need to be in the city for 2-3 days to get everything started with the lawyer and the immagration dept , then you will have to return to panama and keep getting temp visas until yours is ready , not sure about yours but your daughters will take over 2 yrs , that is the probation period for hers . so she needs to find a good lawyer , come here open a bank account , deposit her loot , get a letter from the bank saying she has at least a 2 yr term deposit , give the letter to the lawyer , dont give the money for the visa to the lawyer . and thats how it starts .renew your drivers licence before you come here , because if it expires before you get one from panama you get to write the test in spanish , also think about this , buying a used car in panama is a crap shoot at best , the only thing that you will be sure of is that it is used , you might be able to do the very first oil change LOL , no matter how old it is , the word maintance is not spoken in panama for the most part , now if you are thinking of spending in the area of 10 g or more on a car , think about buying a new little car , hyundia has like a 5 yr coverage and you can buy at under 10 for something new , if you are living on pavement you dont need a 4 wheel drive , if you live down a dirt road in the ( very wet ) hilands , you need a 4 wheel drive , and if you buy used , do not buy anything that has been imported , buy something that is sold in this country as you will be fixing it and need a local parts supply

Hello and thank you for your responses. I have narrowed my lawyer search down to Mayra Lamboglia based on numerous positive reviews. I have yet to contact her but I am sure she can clear up some questions we have. Like for instance, the $300k that needs to be put into a CD for a solvency visa, I had been under the assumption that it was for a period of 3 years not a lifetime commitment.
I also looked at the panama pet relocation website. This does offer some possiblilty but I had the vision of checking into the airline - most likely Copa, and checking the cats in as baggage and all of us arriving together in PC. I have seen a website for a gentleman who is a pet facilitator. I think his name is Jose Saenz and his website is "goldenfrog.net". Is anyone familiar with him? He would meet us at the airport and handle getting the cats processed through that end. He could also drive us to pet friendly accommodations. He also can help in getting our licences changed over to Panamanian ones. I would have to see if he could also help us in the purchase of a new car. I am guessing the car dealer would handle everything but having a third party looking after my interests, especially one who is bi-lingual is a huge deal to me.
I have tried looking to see what new car prices are in Panama City but haven't had much luck. Do you think their is much difference between PC and David car price? I would like something small with high ground clearance like a Suzuki Jimmy.
Thank you again!
Pam

from my understanding when they changed the law for your daughters visa from 200g to 300g they changed the term from 2 yrs to life time of the visa , from the way it was explained to me , too many people where cashing out , spending the money on whatever and then really being no longer self supporting . they will give you temp permits until the 2 yr probation program is up for you daughter , the temps will be from 3 months up to 1 yr , renew you drivers licence after you get your cedula after the probation period , other wise your licence expires every time your temp permit expires , i personally had 5 temp permits , the people at the licence office told me not to get a panama licence until i got my cedula , which is what your daughter gets , looks just like the locals cedula except it has a E before the number , you get a carnet , different style card with your pension visa . a friend bought a Suzuki Jinny , 4 wheel drive a/c etc and paid 17 g new , loves the thing . rented one before he bought and took it out and really tried it ,