Updated: July 4, 2017
In this post, I describe many aspects of driving in Panama
The roads are generally well maintained and there aren't usually alot of other cars on the road.
The exception is Panama City. (Also, driving to Almirante, more on that later)
Driving in a big and unfamiliar city is always daunting. And Panama City with all its traffic, pedestrians, erratic taxis, and vendors can be a scary place to drive.
We never used to drive in Panama City. Now we feel more comfortable driving there. The WAZE app has help us feel much more confident driving here. We can now find our way from place to place in the city easily.
We used to ask a taxi if we could follow them to our destination. Keep that option in mind if you find yourself lost when driving in Panama City. Taxis are happy to do it, for the price of a fare, of course.
Typically, even now that we are experienced, we park our car at our hotel and leave it there til we leave. In the city we take taxis, uber, and the subway. You might want to do the same, especially at first, in Panama City.
Timing is critical if you plan to drive into or out of Panama City. You will be stuck in unholy traffic if you attempt to travel across the Punte de las Americas (the bridge linking Panama City to the Inter-Americana) during rush hour. Many workers live outside the city and commute into their jobs every day.
On major holidays, Panama City empties as everyone goes back to their hometowns to celebrate. When the traffic gets very bad, the police transform parts of the Inter-Americana & other impacted roads from 2 way roads into one-way roads.
At the start of the holiday, the Inter-Americana near Panama City will at times only go one way. That is, one way going west, out of Panama City. At the end of the holiday, it is reversed. The Inter-Americana near Panama City will turn into a one-way road going east, into Panama City.
For more about holidays in Panama read this post
While it can be stressful to drive in Panama City, that stress is caused by the traffic, lack of street signs, and general difficulties navigating the city. While the mountainous stretches of road from David to Almirante can be dangerous. This because cars tend to make use of the on-coming traffic's lane when going around curves. Usually this is not an issue since there is not much traffic on the road. However, it can be heart stopping.
Just yesterday, we were driving back from Bocas. We went around a curve to see 2 semis coming toward us. They were neck and neck. One in each lane of this 2 lane road. Thankfully, the semi in our lane made it into his lane before we collided, but it did take our breath away. In that case, it was the semi passing another semi, not a car making generous use of both lanes when taking a turn.
We have driven this road many times, and that was our most scary drive. And we will go again. But you should be aware of the danger. Use caution going around blind turns. Be aware that cars will also swerve to avoid pot holes. Also there can be fog in the highest elevations of this road. On the plus side, the views and scenery on the drive are quite beautiful
Keep in mind that there are few services along the way, so make sure you have a full tank of gas for the drive. If you are going to be catching a passenger ferry in Almirante to Bocas, be aware that the last one leaves at 6pm, so make it there before then.
The WAZE App
I highly recommend that you download the WAZE app onto your smart phone before you come to Panama.
It is useful both in Panama City, and throughout Panama. I believe it is the most useful navigation app to use in Panama. It will even give you a heads up when there are police with radar guns (hidden or visible) on the road. It tells you the current speed limit, and what speed you are traveling at.
I use the WAZE app in the US as well. An excellent app that is very easy to set up and use.
Keep these driving rules in mind in Panama.
You Must Carry
If you drive across Panama, will encounter police check points and you should be ready to show your ID and/or license. I talk more about these checkpoints below.
By law you are also supposed to carry these in your car
I have never heard of anyone being asked for either an accident form or driver's manual. We have never had them in our car.
It is against the law to drink and drive in Panama. I believe the allowable blood alcohol content for driving in Panama is zero. There is not alot of public pressure against drinking and driving.
If you are caught drinking and driving, you will be fined and may have your vehicle retained. I have seen drunk driving check points a few times during some hard-drinking holidays. But such check points are not common.
However, years ago while I was driving through Paso Canoas, an obviously drunken driver suddenly appeared in front of me. Surprisingly a police car immediately pulled it over. A very pleasant surprise.
The speed limits on the Inter-Americana change often. There are not many speed limit signs so you may miss the change.
In general, if you are going through an area with a noticeable increase in the number of houses and/or store fronts, assume the speed limit has dropped. The maximum speed on the InterAmericana is 100 kilometers an hour (i.e., 62 mph). The speed limit through more densely inhabited sections of the road can go down to 60 kilometers an hour. In other areas, the speed limit drops to 80 kilometer an hour. The changes don't always make sense.
It is yet another reason to download the WAZE app. It displays the current speed limit and indicates the whether you are traveling above that limit.
Getting Out of a Speeding Ticket
If you are stopped for speeding, please don't try to bribe the officer not to give you a ticket. Even if it works, you are simply encouraging that officer to stop more foreigners, whether they are speeding or not. Plus, in my opinion, it just makes the whole Panama experience seem a bit yucky. Just pay the ticket. (See below for link on how to do that.)
You can of course, protest the accuracy of the radar gun. Just the other day we were stopped for speeding. However, my husband had just been looking at the speedometer so he knew he was well under the speed limit. He denied that he was speeding, and the cop said okay and told him to drive off. It looked to us like the officer was still figuring out how to use the radar gun.
I have heard some people suggest telling the cop that you will protest the ticket in court. Since he or she will then have to appear in court, perhaps the officer will decide not to give you the ticket. We tried it once, and the police officer just looked at my husband and gave him the ticket.
Flashing Lights
It is the custom in Panama for other drivers to warn you of upcoming police speed traps by flashing their headlights. If someone flashes their headlights at you, especially during the day, slow down! There is a cop with a radar gun ahead. It is a very friendly and helpful costume.
If you do get ticket, learn how to pay a traffic ticket in Panama's Chiriqui Province.
If you are on a tourist visa, you can only drive for 3 months - even if you have a 6 month tourist visa. You cannot legally drive for longer than the first 3 months of your tourist visa.
A tourist used to be able to renew his or her visa quickly by checking out and back into the country, but no longer. Read about new rules for Panama Tourist visas.
Because Puerto Armuelles is so close to the Costa Rica border, we have alot of experience with the custom police (Adunas) check points.
There is one checkpoint between Puerto and the Frontera (the border town of Pasa Canoas). And one between the Frontera and David.
The reason for the checkpoints is not to catch expats with expired visas. They want to catch criminals, drug smugglers, and other such.
Most of the time the Police say, "Buenas" and wave you through. They may do a brief visual check of your car.
When they do ask for documents, usually they only check the passport/cedula of the driver. Sometimes they ask to see the driver's license. Occasionally they will ask to see everyone's passport.
They will look for your entry stamp to make sure your visa is still good.
My husband swears that if you wear sunglasses while at the check point, they never ask to see your passport.
Assume everyone on the road is 17 years old. That is, a new driver.
You just never know what another driver will do in a tight spot. I have now realized how much most of us picked up about driving while in the back seat as kids. It seeped in.
Many people here are the first generation in the family to drive.
Driver's education is not required in Panama. Most people learn by driving. On the same road you are driving on. Everyone must pass both a written and driving test to get a drivers license.
In general the rules of the road are same as in the US. However, although the rules may be the same, what people actually do can be different. For instance, there is no consensus on how to use turn signals or emergency blinkers. Often people will put on their left turn blinkers when they are moving to the right side of the road. This is can be an helpful thing to remember.
Also keep in mind that taxis will stop to pick people up, whenever and where ever. They will come to a careening stop, sometimes in the middle of the road. Be prepared. Expect erratic behavior.
There are all sorts of regulations about what you should do in the case of an accident. For instance, neither car is suppose to be moved until the transit police arrive. It can take hours for them to arrive. For more information on what the law requires see this post in Chiriqui Chatter.
Obviously, you want to avoid being in an accident. We have been in 3 small fender benders over the years. Neither party felt compelled to call the police over a dent we didn't care about. We were all fine with just moving on with our days. All without repercussions.
The Police Helped My Friend
An expat friend of mine was sideswiped by a bus here in Puerto Armuelles. It damaged the passenger side of her truck. The bus just kept going. She was not even sure that the bus noticed the accident.
It happened near the police station here in Puerto Armuelles. She went into the police station in a fury. The police tracked down the bus (the bus station is down the street). The police then took my expat friend and the driver to a body repair shop and the driver paid for it.
A car accident in Panama is not necessarily a tragedy. But it can be. It all depends upon who is involved and the damage done.
In Panama, there is no such thing as a no fault accident. Someone is assumed to be at fault. Most likely, as the foreigner, it is you. If a person is hurt in the accident, you and/or your auto insurance will be paying. The owner of the car and the driver, if not the same person, are considered equally liable.
If it looks like the other party thinks you are at fault and wants you to pay, you may just want to do that. Assuming it is a reasonable amount of money and no one was injured in the accident. Once the transit police arrive, no matter whose fault it is, it will take a long time to resolve.
If the worst happens and someone dies, that is simply a tragedy. No matter why it happened or who was at fault.
But putting that aside, lets look at the legal aspects and liability. In general, it is assumed that, if you are not the one who died, then it is your fault. A long court case can ensue. In the likely event that you are found guilty, you are responsible for all that person's lost earnings, medical bills, etc. Even if everyone knows it was not your fault.
Some people install a movie camera on their dashboard to record an accident as it happens. Then fault can be correctly assigned.
To increase the odds of such a tragedy never happening to me, I never drive at night here if I can help it. Too many people walk and bike in dark clothes. Although, more and more people are wearing reflective vests when biking at night.
The rules of the road are similar to those in North America. But not everyone knows those rules.
In most places there are no traffic jams, or much traffic at all. It is easy to be safe while driving - if you assume that a driver could act erratically at any time.
The exception, as I said, is Panama City and increasingly in David. The traffic in those places makes driving a little more dicey. We drive in David, but we mostly take taxis in Panama City.
Driving to Puerto Armuelles? Get directions to Puerto Armuelles.
July 2013
Listen in below.
[leadplayer_vid id="522199A9F14AC"]
Us: Hello, this is Betsy and Reyn, with Living in Panama,
and today we are talking with Leif Simon about the cost of living in Panama.
Hi Leif, it's Betsy and my husband Reyn.
Lief: How are you doing?
Hi Reyn.
I'm good, how are you?
Us: Leif is not only an authority on Panama, having lived in Panama City, with his wife Katherine Peddicord,and their two children for the last several years,but he is an international real estate expert.
Welcome Leif, to Living in Panama with Betsy and Reyn!
Lief: Thank you guys, I'm happy to be here.
I think one of the reasons people often think about moving to Panama, is because they hear that it has a really low cost of living.
Some people couldn't afford the lifestyle they'd like to become accustomed to in the United States or Canada,or other places, are starting to think about Panama.
Us: What are your thoughts about the cost of living in Panama?
What generally do you think you could live on, and what kind of lifestyle would that give you?
And is it true that it's more affordable?
Lief: Yeah.The cost of living conversations that we have with people that vary in the gambit.
You can live off of your social security in Panama.
Us: What does that buy you?
Lief: It can buy your a beach lifestyle,like what you guys have in Puerto Armuelles,
where you can live off maybe $1000, $1200 a month.
That's not going to be luxurious,but where in the U. S are you going to live on the beach on $1200 a month?
So, you know, people come from Iowa, say,"Oh Goodness, Panama City is so expensive!"
Well, of course it is, if you're coming from Des Moines,it's going to be more expensive.
If you're coming from the West Coast or the East Coast,or any major city in between,
Panama City is going to be likely less expensive.
And you can live inexpensively in Panama City.
We know a guy, it's been a couple years since I have spoken with him, but he was living
here on his social security, and it was less than $1000 a month.
Us: Wow.
Lief: Biggest portion went to his rent, he was renting a house in a decent neighborhood, not one of the high end neighborhoods, but a decent,local, safe neighborhood for $650 a month,and the rest of it went to food.
He didn't run his air conditioner 24 hours a day, and he didn't have a car, but he was happy.
He walked and it went around by taxi and bus, and he was living on less than $1000 in the city.
On the other hand, you can spend as much as $5000 a month in a high-rise apartment,
overlooking the ocean.
You're budget can go to the extreme the other way in the city as well.
But overall, I think most places, if you're in that $1500 to $2000 a month budget range,
you can have a great lifestyle in lots of areas in the country.
Us: It sounds like if you bought property right, you had your own house, if you had the capital to do that, then you'd have even a lot more money to spend on living expenses.
Lief: Absolutely, and that's when we talk about budgets,we try and separate housing, because housing can be whatever you want it to be.
It can be a one bedroom, small, little apartment, or it can be a five bedroom,
two million dollar house.
Take that part [housing] out of it, and then you're looking at the cost of food for example.
And food costs in Panama are goIng to be less.
Unless you're buying the processed foods that they ship in from the U. S, in which case they are going to be the same or more.
So, you have to make a bit of a shift in your expectations if you want to save a lot of money.
But you can have all the comforts at home in Panama as well.
Us: For more on the cost of living in Panama, please click the link below.
Thanks for watching!
Start here for more information on cost of living in Panama.
July 27, 2013
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is the trade association for the world’s airlines, representing about 80% of the world's airlines. Their site is helpful.
It provides a list of items to consider when transporting a pet including, airline regulations, government regulations, and the pet itself. For those IATA guidelines, click here.
If you are transporting only one animal — especially if it can travel in the cabin under the seat — you shouldn’t have a lot of difficulty bringing your pet with you to Panama.
Of course, you still must do all the paperwork and your pet must be healthy. However, the process will be pretty straightforward and not very expensive.
It can get more complicated when you have larger or multiple pets.
The Government requires strict adherence to the rules.
You must have the following:
Vaccinations and their documentation
Health Ministry "Home Quarantine" process costs $130.00 per pet.
Your pet's entry into Panama will only be processed Monday through Friday from 8 am to 10pm.
If your pet arrives outside of those times, or on a holiday, your pet will be kept in an airport kennel until the office opens again.
You must check with your airline.
They all have different rules. Some of which include:
Allow your pet to spend time in its travel crate before your trip. Travel is stressful for animals. Getting familiar with its new crate is important. You may want to put a worn T-shirt, or other item, that has your scent on it in the crate with your animal. Unless advised otherwise by your vet, you should not sedate your animal. This is to avoid any unexpected health complications.
Upon leaving the airport, your animal is officially in home quarantine for 30 days. This means that your dog must stay with you at all times for the next 30 days. Sometime during the quarantine period, you will be contacted to ensure that your dog is still healthy.
Once the 30 days have passed, your dog is free from quarantine restrictions.
My older daughter is always asking to bring our dog with us when we visit the States. I have always said no because I fear it is a difficult task. I have heard that you must visit 3 different Panama Ministries and get 3 separate stamps to get the dog out of Panama and into the U.S.A
However, I have not confirmed that process. In a future post I will cover taking pets out of Panama.
FYI , for those of you simply visiting Panama for a short while (i.e., less than 31 days), you don't have to do get all those stamps to bring your pet back with you.
We have never taken a pet to or from Panama. I owe my knowledge to a number of sources, including
Please comment below.
Find out how to ship your car to Panama here.
Updated: Nov. 14, 2017
This Summer Prove To SSA You Are Alive - Or Else No More SSA ChecksAnd you need to do it every 2 years.
That is how often the US government requires a Proof-of-Life" response from every social security recipient.
Otherwise they will stop your Social Security payments.
FYI, the official name of the "Proof-of-Life" requirement is the Foreign Enforcement Questionnaire.
However, the US Government will only send you this vital Proof-of-Life request if you have an "Acceptable Address".
If you live overseas, what SSA considers an acceptable address is strictly defined.
If you live in Panama, you must provide SSA with your mailing address in Panama. This is true even if your checks are direct deposited into a bank located in the US.
SSA's requirements for an acceptable address:
Note: These requirements are the same regardless of the country you live in. You must provide SSA with your mailing address in that country. In the example above, the country is Panama.
If you haven't provided SSA with an "acceptable address", you need to change your address.
Which means you need to fill out Form SSA-21. Send Form SSA-21 and your passport to the Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) of the US Embassy in San Jose, Costa Rica. For more information on changing your address, visit the US Embassy's Federal Benefits page.
The FBU will inform the SSA of your new Panama address.
You must do this if you want to receive your Proof of Life form/questionnaire.
You must return the questionnaire to SSA by December. If you don't respond in time, your Social Security benefits will be suspended.
That is, you will not receive your Social Security check starting in February or March.
Don't worry. Even if your checks are stopped, you will get all your SSA checks. Unfortunately, it may take some time to restart your checks and receive your back payments.
Go to the "Contact FBU" section below, to learn how to let the FBU know you didn't get your SSA check.
The Regional Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) of the US Embassy in San Jose, Costa Rica is now responsible for providing Federal Benefit services to US Citizens living in Caribbean, Central and South America countries.
Which means if you live in Panama, the Federal Benefits Unit of the US Embassy in San Jose, Costa Rica is your "go-to" place for questions about your Social Security benefits (as well as Veterans' benefits and more).
For more information on their services and how to contact them, please visit their webpage. Tip: the best way to contact them is by e-mail:[email protected].
For comprehensive information on SSA’s services abroad, please visit SSA’s Service Around the World.
You will receive your Proof of Life questionnaire every other year. The questionnaires are mailed out in May.
Which year you get it depends upon your social security number (SSN):
If you are 90 years old or older, you will be sent a Proof of Life request every year.
Again, the SSA sends out the questionnaire in May. If SSA does not receive your completed questionnaire by September, it will send out a follow up letter in October.
You must return your proof of life form to SSA before the end of the year.
If August comes and you still haven't received your Proof of Life questionnaire, you need to take action immediately.
You must contact the FBU (see below) ASAP. Part of the mission of the FBU is to help US Citizens receive their SSA payments.
The Federal Benefits Unit in San Jose operates on an appointment-only system.
To tell the FBU about your "lost" SSA check, schedule an appointment, or to ask questions, contact them via their online inquiry form.
They don't promise a speedy reply.
On their webpage they state, "We normally respond to e-mail inquiries within 15-working days." By email inquiries, they mean inquiries made via their online inquiry form.
You can also send the FBU a letter or fax them. The FBU in San Jose, has both a Costa Rica and a USA mailing address. To get those addresses and their fax number, go to their webpage here.
Although the FBU does not provide a phone number, you can call the US Embassy in San Jose, Costa Rica. Their phone number is (506) 2519-2000. (506 is the country code).
There is also an office to help US citizens living overseas or planning to live overseas with their SSA benefits.
It has a very dry and bewildering name: Office of Earnings & International Operations (OEIO).
You can visit OEIO's website here.
Check out this post on whether expats need to pay into ObamaCare.
March 23, 2013
David Fair A Good Place To Look At Cows & RelaxThere are many many cows on display.
Awards are given for the largest cows and bulls.
With steady climb in cattle prices lately the owners of these cows are feeling very wealthy.
Not only are cattle prices increasing but the agricultural land that they graze on is also going up in price. However, the price of cattle is not the main reason for the increase in agricultural land prices.
The quest for land for palm oil plantations is fueling the price increases. Many investors are looking to make money in the soaring palm oil trade, especially now that your trees can produce oil in 2 to 3 years instead of the former 7 years of the older and taller oil producing palm trees.
Horses and equestrian events are also popular at the fair. It is a good place to be a cowboy.
There are not only displays of all the agriculture in Panama, but many vendors of all sorts of flowers and plants. It is a good place to get a wide variety of plants for your yard and vegetable garden.
The Fair is also a great place to visit for crafts of all sorts. Panama is not a place overflowing with crafts. However, you can find them at the fair. Crafts, paintings, hammocks, hand made chairs, and more are for sale at the David fair. In fact there are so many vendors this year that all the rides were consolidated across the street from the main fair.
Of course, a fair has to have rides. That is the main reason my children clamor to go to the fair. There are also rides on ponies and cows for young children . If you want to go on the rides, keep in mind that the rides don't start until late in the afternoon.
There is also a place to view a wide variety of animals and birds, not just those that live in Panama. The fair used to have 3 ostriches on display. Those have "disappeared" in the last 2 years. There are also lots of animals native to Panama on display like margays, and a variety of tropical birds.
Technically the fair is over on Sunday night. However, if you are looking to buy plants you can usually do so on Monday morning.
Oh, there is also alot of music at the fair. It is a party every night of its 10 day run. We usually leave before the partying starts but for many that is when they arrive.
It costs $2 to attend on the weekends, $1 if you are retired Admission is free if you are under 8 years old.
The David Fair is definitely worth a visit.
For those who don't know who LIO is, their website says:
Live and Invest Overseas showcases the best opportunities for international living, investing, and retiring overseas.
Basically, Live and Invest Overseas (LIO) is similar to International Living.
I am assuming, if you are here, you've most likely run across International Living in your search for information on living in Panama.
In fact, LIO's founder, Kathleen Peddicord, used to be with International Living.
I hold a soft spot in my heart for International Living.
Although, I think International Living is too often over-the-top and salesy, it started us thinking about moving to Panama. Something I am very happy we did.
While Live and Invest Oversea's can be a bit over the top too, it seems that they save most of their hyperbole for their sales pages and not their actual publications. Although, I have to admit I have never subscribed to International Living's paid publications.
Back in January, David Sexton and Denis Foynes, managing editors of Live and Invest Oversea's Panama Letter, came to Puerto Armuelles.
Their goal was to convey to the readers of the Panama Letter what Puerto Armuelles was like and if it was a good place to live and invest.
David and Denis are wonderful guys. David is from the DC area, as is my husband Reyn. Denis is from Ireland.
Reyn took them surfing in the morning. They are not really surfers, but they gave it a shot.
Reyn showed them the town and introduced them to all the folks he ran into. We wanted to give them a flavor of the people, ex-pat and natives, who lived here.
I really enjoyed when they came and had brunch with us. We invited our friend Frank, who is from Germany, and his family, to join us.
We talked about a zillion different things. I enjoyed hearing about how much they liked Panama. This was their first time to Puerto Armuelles.
So far they said they liked the feel of the town and the beaches very much.
My daughter 11 year old Skylar made a good impression on them.
I mentioned that Skylar had been hounding me about how she could earn money. She really wants an ipod touch. (The family rule is kids have to pay for their own electronic devises.)
Coincidently, I had recently run across International Living offer to pay for articles. She wanted money. I wanted her to improve her writing. It seemed a great combo.
When David and Denis heard this, they said she could write something for us. Which she has done.
Skylar was and is thrilled.
Her blurb appears in the recent Panama Letter. It is on being an expat kid in Panama.
David and Denis also included an interview with my husband, Reyn, in Live and Invest Oversea's The Panama Letter.
You can read the Panama Letter via Live & Invest Oversea's website, click here to go there.
We also interviewed one of the co-founders of Live & Invest Oversea's Lief Simon. We asked him his experience and thoughts on living in Panama.
Click here to hear our interview with Lief Simon
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.
[leadplayer_vid id="547D13E7497EB"]
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?
