The Embassy of Panama in La Habana continuous meeting the visa request, after making the extension of the implementation of the governmental decree to March 15, which establishes the transit visa for Cuban citizens to travel to the isthmus nation.

The consular office of the panamenian diplomatic representation in the Cuban capital

Started this Thursday and Friday, the steps for the visas of the citizens that were supposed to travel on March 31st, April 1st and 2nd.

This Thursday and Friday, the Embassy extended its usual working timetable and on Saturday when they don´t usually see public, they also assisted citizens with tickets for those days.

Next Monday they will assist people having tickets for April 3rd and later the Embassy will inform in its social networks and the web page, about the following days and schedules to receive travelers.

On March 11th, the Panamanian Airline Copa Airlines also announced that it will be flexible with Cuban passengers who need to change their traveling planstaking into account the new requisites of the transit visa that the government of Panama is asking for through the Executive Decree No. 19.

The Executive Decree No.19 of the Ministry of Public Security of Panama, published this week, establishes “the travelers or crew visa in transit as a requisite for foreign citizens with Cuban nationality traveling through the Republic of Panama, to other destiny or coming back to their country, for a period of three months”.

The transit visa will be given until 24 hours and only authorizes the traveler to stay in the international transit area of the airport and allows him/ her to continue the trip to other destiny or to the country of origin. 

The regulation establishes that the visa will cost 50 United States dollars and should be individually requested in the Panama consulate in the country where they are, in a period no less than 15 days before the traveling date.    

 A group of Cuban citizens found their possibilities of traveling to Panama between 13 and 31 of this month, affected and got together around the diplomatic office of that country in their Havana to show their discontent with the regulation.

They were in the park on 7ma and 24, in Playa, and were waiting for the consulate answers, that finally issued an extension for the decree with some adjustments.  

Later, the Panamanian Embassy informed about the extension of the period for the implementation of the Executive Decree No.19, until March 15th, 2022 extending for 72 hours the day set initially.

The note makes clear that the people having tickets from Wednesday, March 16th, 2022 on and cannot request a transit visa in the adequate time can re-schedule their flight and then ask for a transit visa.

To have this type of visa the traveler should show a requesting form, two photos with a card size, a copy of the passport (six months validity) and the proven area reservation or itinerary of continuity of the journey, among other documents.  

The copy of the identity document of the country of residence (six months validity) and the payment prove done by the consular rights, is also demanded.

 Cuban authorities said they keep contact with the Panamanian Chancellery with the aim of assisting the interests of the national citizens who travel to other countries through Panama, respecting the decision of the authorities of the isthmus country.

The police and other institutions of the capital were accompanying the people there and were also protecting the diplomat installation, as the Vienna agreements stipulates. Health personnel carried out a remarkable work as well.

The moment this note was issued the area around the consulate is clear and without incidents.