November 27 2012
The editor of The Panama Guide, Don Winter, writes this about this new development.
"Cool. Now everyone out there who already has a pensionado visa can also obtain your permanent identification card (cedula). This is a big advantage, because in the Panamanian business community as soon as you flash a cedula, then they relax because you've been completely identified, even though you're a foreigner. I zip through the airport using the "Panamanian" line in immigration, just by showing my cedula."
When you are dealing with banks and lawyers, one of the first items you will be asked for is your cédula. If you don't have one, everything seems to get alittle more complicated.
Having a cédula makes life easier in Panama.
It is great news it is now its much easier for Pensionados to get one.
November 25, 2012
Drop On By The Tsunami Inn in Puerto Armuelles
While there are some places to rent, there are very few hotel options.
Thankfully, Scott and Bob have solved the problem of "where to stay".
They have opened a delightful hotel in Puerto Armuelles.
It is located by the beach in the San Vicente neighborhood.
The Tsunami Inn is a small hotel with:
Please tell them that Betsy and Reyn sent you.
If you are looking at property in Puerto as well, make sure you give us a call.
Reyn gives a killer tour of Puerto Armuelles and can answer all your questions.
November 17, 2012
I was doing some research the other day on the history of Puerto Armuelles.
Time and time again the Google translate tool automatically translated the Spanish on the webpages into English.
I had never noticed how it translates Puerto Armuelles.
Almost invariably Google translates "Puerto Armuelles" as "Waterford".
I was a bit confused until I figured it out.
I opted to correct its translations quite a few times.
I'm not sure how many times a correction must be made before Google takes it into account. My guess is that it takes ALOT of corrections before that happens.
I ask everyone who sees Puerto Armuelles translated as Waterford to correct it. Not necessarily every time but occasionally.
It is a pretty confusing mistake to get the name of a town wrong.
It can also be alittle confusing to figure out how to correct the translation. At least the first time.
Simply follow these steps:
Hover your mouse over the text with the incorrect translation. Then the Translation Window will appear, as seen below.
Hover Your Mouse Over The Text. The Translation Window Will Appear.In the example below, an "r" appears. In my experience, a variety of single letters could appear instead.
A Double Click Works - At Least SometimesNow a new window appears; giving you the option to correct the translation.
You spell it, Puerto Armuelles. Named after Colonel Armuelles.After that, the final window appears. Then you can continue reading that web page or correct any other incorrect translations.
That's It! Thank You!To visit the site I used as an example, click on the link below.
On that page, Google has one instance of translating Puerto Armuelles as PORT IS ARMUELLES.
It is also the only page that I noticed that Google correctly used the town name, Puerto Armuelles, at least twice.
It gives me hope.
It was conducted by the very personable Claral Richards and Mr. Francisco.
Both gentleman were born and raised in Puerto Armuelles.
Both worked for Chiquita banana for many years.
I hope you enjoy these videos.
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Chiquita Banana was an integral part of Puerto Armuelles from 1927 to 2003.
That is for about 80 years.
Please subscribe to our Youtube channel or this website to get notified whenever we publish more videos in this series.
Please leave your comments below.
Once you have a resident visa you can go through the border much faster.(photo of the border crossing at Paso Canoas)Updated: October 2017
The Friendly Nations visa is Panama's best residency program.
Once you get a friendly nations visa, you are then eligible to apply for a work permit. In fact they make it easy to do so.
It is all part of an effort by the Panama government to ease their shortage of skilled workers.
This permanent resident program is referred to as the friendly nations visa because of the language used in the executive order that created it:
"foreign nationals from specific countries that maintain friendly, professional, economic, and investment relationships with the Republic of Panama."
The Friendly Nations visa's legal name is Permanent Residence for Nationals of Specific Countries (NSC). Now you can understand why they came up with a nickname for it.
Since May 2012, when this visa was created, it has been both easier & faster for foreigners to get Panama permanent residency.
There are now 50 countries listed as friendly in the ever expanding list of countries Panama considers as qualifying for this visa. Here they are, in alphabetical order.
Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Marino, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United States of America, Uruguay, United Kingdom (Great Britain & Northern Ireland).
FYI, unless you are married to a Panamanian, foreigners are never permitted, even with this visa, to practice as medical & veterinary doctors, attorneys, architects, and engineers. (See 25 forbidden jobs)
The permit covers your dependents, children under 18, relatives with disability, and parents who depend on them.
Dependents can include your spouse and children up to the age of 25, if they are full time university students. You must provide a written letter of responsibility regarding your dependents. In addition, every son or daughter dependent over the age of 18 must provide an authenticated "I'm not married" certificate from their respective country.
After you have filed your applications - with all the required documents - the immigration office will issue a one year temporary residency card (carnet). This temporary card will be replaced by a permanent residency card once the application is approved.
Until February 2017, a obtaining a Friendly Nations Visa earned you a fast track to a work permit. Previously there was a a Presidential Decree ordering Panama’s Ministry of Labor to fast track acceptance of work permits for friendly nations citizens.
But in Februrary Panama made getting a work permit much harder to get. The easy path to work permits for Friendly Nations visa holders got alot harder. Click to read about the changes to the work permit requirements for Friendly Nation Visa holders.
Go here for information on getting a work permit in Panama - with and without this visa.
Panama's Pensionado visa is very popular.
There are 2 things to consider when comparing it to the Friendly Nation Visa
You can learn more about the Pensionado Visa on my site.
If you qualify for a Friendly Nations visa, the process to get a residency permit is easy. So if you were going to marry that young Panamanian only so you could get your residency permit, you may want to reconsider.
You can also explore 3 other Panama resident visa options.
It is hysterical, saddening, and encouraging which is pretty impressive for a 3 minute video.
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Donate and Enjoy.
Betsy and Reyn
We lost count of our pineapple plants after 120!
Each plant sprouts babies, some as many a 5 or more!
We began by just planting the green leafy top off the pineapples that we purchased and ate.
We were curious to see the process because we had never seen a pineapple grow.
We were told that it took a year or longer to produce a pineapple and that turned out to be correct.
However, once you have a mature pineapple, the baby sprouts produce within months.
Now we have so many we always have fresh pineapple.
We have never been happier! Yummy!
We have learned that it takes about 20-26 months to produce a ripe fruit when beginning from a leafy top.
We just broke off the top and planted it in the yard.
We have found when a plant is about 24 inches tall and 12-14 months old:
It is cool to see how the pineapple begins to grow from the inside and comes out of the top. Then they sprout babies as begin growing in every direction still coming out from the middle of a sprouted plant.
Once fully grown and ready to pick it is interesting to see how the color of the of the fruit changes from green to yellow,
The color changes from the bottom up.
During this time the fruit becomes sweeter and the flesh also changes from white to yellow.
Once the fruit begins to change from green to yellow you can pick it at any time.
However, it is worth it to wait and pick the pineapple when the entire fruit has turned yellow.
Our original pineapples weigh around 8 to 8.5 pounds and we have noticed that the more a plant produces the pineapples are smaller.
What is your experience growing pineapples?
September 5, 2012
It seemed to go on for quite a bit of time - for an earthquake.
No sudden jolts or jerks. A long slow swaying motion.
No harm done. Nothing even knocked over.
Our electricity went out a minute later.
It came back on about 3 hours later. We didn't miss not having it.
In fact, we were watching the movie on my laptop when it hit. Luckily it was fully downloaded. So we finished up the movie even though there was no electricity.
It was only when I was able to go back on-line and see all the emails from my family that I learned what happened.
They wanted to know if we were okay after the 7.5 earthquake in Costa Rica.
Yes, thankfully, we were.
It looks like Costa Rica survived the earthquake pretty well too. Only one death, and that from a heart attack.
For those of you who don't know, the epicenter was about 38 miles from the town of Liberia.
Liberia is in the northwest part of Costa Rica.
Keep safe.
Betsy and Reyn
August 29, 2012
Enjoy Free Music in Boquete Every Month Thru FebruaryOn the second Sunday of each month there will be a free concert in Boquete.
It is put on by the Boquete Jazz & Blues Foundation as a lead up to their annual festival in February 2013.
Click for our experience at the 2015 Boquete Jazz & Blues Festival
September 9th, October 14th, November 11th, December 9th, January 13th, and Feburary 10th.
Music will range from Salsa, Bossa Nova, Reggae, Merengue to Latin Jazz and Blues.
I will definately check it out if I am in Boquete.
My daughter and I need to go there to see someone about a dog.
Maybe I'll make that visit for September 9th.
The series actually started on August 12th.
Did anyone go?
How was it?
Please share your experience at one of the free concerts in the comments below.
Thanks.
