The National Migration Service (SNM) of Panama confirmed that every Venezuelan citizen who wants to enter that country needs to apply for a visa. The agency denied that, instead of the visa, it is considering implementing a tourist entry card.
“The information that circulates related to a supposed evaluation to eliminate the visa requirement for the entry of Venezuelan citizens to Panama is totally false,” the SNM quoted in a press release shared on its official account.
The entity made it clear that “it does not hold conversations about it” and that the Panamanian authorities are the only ones authorized to provide information on the country’s immigration regulations.
The response from the migration authorities comes after local and international media took up the statements of Jesús Irausquín, president of Fedecamaras Nueva Esparta, who mentioned that the Panamanian authorities were evaluating implementing a tourist entry card for Venezuelans, instead of the visa.
In recent days, Panamanian authorities also implemented a rule that requires a transit visa “for Passengers or Crew in Transit” as a requirement for Cuban citizens traveling in transit through Panama.
The visa is also requested by Costa Rica to Venezuelan and Nicaraguan citizens. Authorities from both countries argue that the requirement is part of the regulations that seek “safe and orderly migration.”
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