Between January 1 and September 30, 2022, the National Migration Service (SNM) applied deportation and expulsion measures to 303 foreigners who failed to comply with Panama’s immigration regulations.
According to the SNM, the expulsion measure was applied to 127 people, while 176 foreigners were deported.
They detailed that some of the offenses for which these measures were applied are entering the country irregularly, for having been convicted of an intentional crime and having served the respective sentence, constituting a threat to collective security, evading checkpoints and for staying in the country irregularly.
In the breakdown of deportations, they indicated that 55 were applied to citizens born in Nicaragua, followed by natives from Colombia with 37 and from Venezuela (18); while in relation to expulsions the nationals of the same countries repeat, however the order changes: Colombia (64) while Venezuela and Nicaragua reflect the figure of (11) citizens each.
According to the immigration regulations in force in Panama, any foreigner who has been deported will not be able to enter the country for five to ten years, counted from the date of execution of their deportation.
In order to re-enter the country, after completing this period, the citizen may request the General Directorate of the institution to lift the measure preventing entry into the country, which will be evaluated for approval or disapproval.
This sanction will be extended indefinitely, in cases in which the foreigner evades the measure and remains clandestinely in the country or re-enters without authorization.
On the other hand, the expelled foreigner will not be able to return to the country. Whoever re-enters will be referred to the competent authority for the corresponding procedures or, failing that, will be permanently and permanently expelled.
