Thread: No more tourist visas

So I just got back after 5 weeks of being in the US and to my surprise I was not asked for a tourist visa form and an additional $5. I actually went looking for the form when I entered immigration and started looking inside the blue kiosks. I guess they are not sure what to do with the old furniture in customs? Wait and see, Panama is liable to become more friendly towards expats.

Peep the 40 bucks you get charged to your airfare when you leave the country now. Airport Departure Tax. So really they're hitting us with 8x what they used to, and instead of on the way in, leaving us feeling nice and sour on the way out.

Ahhhh, Panama is using marketing now. We get charged more and feel better about it. I guess since tourism has dropped they need to keep the revenue flowing.

Ahhh Panama, always finding new ways to charge the gringos and being cute while they do it.

If you bought your ticket prior to the new year you will be charged an extra $20 at the counter before the airline gives you your boarding pass. I should have printed it out online... would that have worked?

it is a airport departure tax , just like in the states and canada ,why do you think it would be any different here? someone has to pay for the improvments to the airport and it should be passed on to those who use it , not just a general tax that everyone has to pay even if they do not use the airport . if you find it costs to much take the bus home or just stay in panama or buy less beer throughout the year . and it is not just gringos paying the tax ,everyone pays it . stop whinning

What airport improvements? Panama airport is the most unattractive of all CA countries I've visited. Just the other day the escalator that takes you down to immigration was not working. Nobody was trying to fix it. I don't mind taking the stairs, but imagine the frail old lady. Only in Panama. They don't seem to give a hoot about anything. To add insult to injury their airport parking fee which is the most I've seen anywhere including the States is not justified. The old hag at the effectivo booth told me to pay at the machine next time to save her the trouble of having to serve me and give me my change. Imagine that! Do your F'in job bitch and STFU. Only in Panama.

Gotta take the bad with the good.

one real good thing about airlines ----------they fly both ways and there are no goons here making people stay , panama is not like the states ,canada , or any other so called first world country ,but i will take it over my own country ( canada ) anyday .at least the banks and buisness are not standing at the goverment door crying with there hand out , my big wish is that here in panama that we did not use the USD as i feel that is going to be short lived

I just did some quick research and it appears the departure tax here in Panama is greater than that of Costa Rica, Colombia, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Mexico, El Salvador, Brazil, Puerto Rico, and the US. Honduras and Ecuador are looking pricier. Those are the only ones that I have looked at. From what I gathered, approximately 1.2 million tourists visited Panama in 2009. With exponential increases in revenue by eliminating the $5 entry and making it more expensive on the back end, I hope for some betterments. Leaving your car in the airport lot for an extended stay will run you a penny a minute, so $14.40 a day.

ok , so it costs more money at the airport . but beer is cheaper here and we all drink more beer than we fly .LOL