Updated entry requirements for Panama as of September 15, 2022

Through Executive Decree No. 122 of September 14, 2022, the Panamanian government ordered the lifting of the sanitary measures of physical distancing, capacity and sanitary restrictions for travelers issued due to COVID-19.

Therefore, Panama does not require COVID testing, vaccination cards, COVID travel insurance, special entry forms, or quarantine to enter the country.

The use of masks is mandatory only in public transportation and hospitals.

REQUIREMENTS: AUGUST 2021

1. Fully vaccinated travellers (14 days after the last dose) registered digitally or who show their vaccination card upon entry are exempt from getting a COVID-test on entry and from the 72-hour preventive quarantine.
2. Non-fully vaccinated travellers from low-risk countries: Must present a negative COVID-19 test upon entry.
3. Non-fully vaccinated travellers from high-risk countries: Must present a negative COVID-19 test and undergo a 72-hour preventive quarantine.

Residents and nationals can quarantine at home, while tourists must quarantine at authorized hotels.

Passengers under 12 years old are exempt from taking the COVID-19 test and preventive quarantine if their parents, tutors or caretakers comply with the requirements established according to the risk level of their country of origin.

Former update – New entry requirements for Panama as of July 26, 2021

For Fully Vaccinated passengers as of Monday, July 26, 2021:

1. Passengers must present a COVID-19 vaccination card that indicates the record of the last dose at least 14 days prior to arrival in Panama. Passengers must upload the COVID-19 vaccination card in the health declaration form before traveling. In addition, upon arrival, the traveler must physically present the vaccination card or the Digital Certificate issued by the competent authority.
2. Passengers must upload a negative COVID-19 test (PCR or antigen) in the health declaration form up to 72 hours before entering Panama. Additionally, the passenger must present the negative test upon arrival.
3. Passengers who meet requirements 1 and 2 ( vaccination and negative test) from Non-High-Risk countries will not need to carry out a second COVID-19 test at entry or to quarantine.
4. For passengers who meet requirements 1 and 2 (vaccination and negative test) from countries that the Ministry of Health of Panama (MINSA) identifies as *High Risk, a second COVID-19 test must be performed at the country’s entry points, at the passenger’s expense, and if negative, they will not need to quarantine.
5. If the traveler does not have a negative COVID-19 test performed a maximum of 72 hours before traveling, it will be mandatory to undergo testing at the country’s entry points. The passenger must cover the cost of this test. If the test is positive, the passenger must comply, at their own expense, with the quarantine established by the MINSA.

For Unvaccinated Travelers:

1. The passenger must upload a negative COVID-19 test (PCR or antigen) in the health declaration form up to 72 hours before entering Panama.
2. Passengers traveling from Non-High-Risk countries must present a negative COVID-19 test (PCR or antigen) performed up to 72 hours prior to arrival. If they do not present the test, they will have to carry out a test at the country’s entry points upon arrival, at the traveler’s expense. If the test result is negative, they will not have to quarantine.
3. Passengers traveling from High-Risk countries must undergo a second COVID-19 test at the points of entry to the country, and if negative, they will have to comply with three (3) days of quarantine at the cost of the passenger as of Monday, August 9, 2021.

Surveillance Hotels authorized by the government to carry out the 3-day quarantine:

1. Westin Panama
2. Westin Playa Bonita
3. The Bristol Panama
4. Wyndham Panama Albrook Mall
5. Sortis Hotel
6. The Santa Maria Hotel

* To date, Panama considers India, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and countries in South America as high-risk countries.  

Responsibilities of the Boards of Directors of Horizontal Properties according to Executive Decree 142 of July 9, 2021

By Ricardo Alberto Ceballos

Executive Decree 142 was issued on July 9, 2021, as regulatory of Law 226 of June 8, 2021, which regulates the design and building standards in Panama.

This legislation establishes and defines the responsibility of the Boards of Directors of Horizontal Properties, as well as their owners and/or inhabitants of the property, to perform the appropriate periodic maintenance work of their buildings once the Permit or Certificate of Occupancy have been issued. This maintenance must include the condition of the structure (slabs, columns, masonry), windows and roofs, coatings, as well as access ramps, evacuation routes, stairs and handrails, among others.

It is also established in said regulation, that the Boards of Directors of the Horizontal Properties, as well as their owners and/or inhabitants of the property, shall also be responsible for the periodic maintenance of the electrical and mechanical systems and equipment, such as elevators or escalators, electrical generators, pool equipment, fire detection systems and fire alarms, firefighting systems (including the maintenance of fire extinguishers and sprinklers), lightning and gas systems, as well as air conditioning and extraction equipment and any other equipment in use within the building, with their certifications updated by the Fire Department of the Republic of Panama, if required.

It is important to note that according to Article 62 of Law 31 of June 18, 2010, which governs Horizontal Property in Panama, the Board of Directors shall be responsible for complying with and enforcing the decisions of the Assembly of Owners regarding the administration and conservation of the common property and shall also have the functions and powers established in said article, which are not as specific as the responsibilities established in Executive Decree 142 of July 9, 2021 mentioned above.

However, and according to numbers 2 and 9 of article 72 of Law 31 of June 18, 2010, the administrator of the Horizontal Property has the obligation to: 

1. To perform the ordinary and regular duties of administration and conservation, carry out those that were of urgency for the integrity of the horizontal property and undertake those ordered by the Assembly of Owners and,
2. To order the urgent repairs in the common areas of the horizontal property and in the private areas that affect other real estate unit.

Although it is true that according to Article 62 the Board of Directors is responsible for complying and enforcing the decisions of the Owners’ Assembly, it is important to emphasize that it is the administrators who during the performance of their duties become responsible for verifying that everything is in order within the Horizontal Property so as to immediately inform the Board of Directors of what is happening, not only for the service they render, which is paid with the share of common expenses contributed by all the owners, but also for the duty they have of watching over the integrity of the co-owners and inhabitants of the Residential or Building, the latter with the sole purpose of ensuring that each owner has peace of mind in his daily life.

It is worth to remind the owners of a Horizontal Property, how important it is to attend the meetings of Co-owners’ Assembly of their Building or Residential, so that they can express their opinions and assert their rights, as well as to comply with their duty and take the opportunity to qualify the work of the administrators, who should be hired not only for the amount of services they propose or for what they charge, but for the experience they have, so that in the case of a specific situation they act with due diligence.

New entry requirements for Panama as of July 26, 2021

For Fully Vaccinated passengers as of Monday, July 26, 2021:

1. Passengers must present a COVID-19 vaccination card that indicates the record of the last dose at least 14 days prior to arrival in Panama. Passengers must upload the COVID-19 vaccination card in the health declaration form before traveling. In addition, upon arrival, the traveler must physically present the vaccination card or the Digital Certificate issued by the competent authority.
2. Passengers must upload a negative COVID-19 test (PCR or antigen) in the health declaration form up to 72 hours before entering Panama. Additionally, the passenger must present the negative test upon arrival.
3. Passengers who meet requirements 1 and 2 ( vaccination and negative test) from Non-High-Risk countries will not need to carry out a second COVID-19 test at entry or to quarantine.
4. For passengers who meet requirements 1 and 2 (vaccination and negative test) from countries that the Ministry of Health of Panama (MINSA) identifies as *High Risk, a second COVID-19 test must be performed at the country’s entry points, at the passenger’s expense, and if negative, they will not need to quarantine.
5. If the traveler does not have a negative COVID-19 test performed a maximum of 72 hours before traveling, it will be mandatory to undergo testing at the country’s entry points. The passenger must cover the cost of this test. If the test is positive, the passenger must comply, at their own expense, with the quarantine established by the MINSA.

For Unvaccinated Travelers:

1. The passenger must upload a negative COVID-19 test (PCR or antigen) in the health declaration form up to 72 hours before entering Panama.
2. Passengers traveling from Non-High-Risk countries must present a negative COVID-19 test (PCR or antigen) performed up to 72 hours prior to arrival. If they do not present the test, they will have to carry out a test at the country’s entry points upon arrival, at the traveler’s expense. If the test result is negative, they will not have to quarantine.
3. Passengers traveling from High-Risk countries must undergo a second COVID-19 test at the points of entry to the country, and if negative, they will have to comply with three (3) days of quarantine at the cost of the passenger as of Monday, August 9, 2021.

Surveillance Hotels authorized by the government to carry out the 3-day quarantine:

1. Westin Panama
2. Westin Playa Bonita
3. The Bristol Panama
4. Wyndham Panama Albrook Mall
5. Sortis Hotel
6. The Santa Maria Hotel

* To date, Panama considers India, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and countries in South America as high-risk countries.