REFORESTATION VISA REQUIREMENTS FOR FOREIGNERS THAT APPLY UNDER THEIR NAME

Panama Residence General Requirements

1. Power of Attorney duly authenticate (Our office provides this)

2. Complete photocopy of the passport and dully authenticate (This is done by a Panamanian Notary after passport registration)

3. Affidavit (Our office provides this)

4. Health Certificate from a Panamanian Medical Center

5. A Certified USD 250.00 check issued to "Tesoro Nacional" for the request of an immigration category.

6. A Certified USD 800.00 check issued to "Servicio Nacional de Migración" as a repatriation deposit.

a) Certified check costs USD 5.35 in Banco General.

b) Minors of 12 years old do not pay repatriation deposits

7. Six (6) Passport photos (You can get them in Panama at Farmacias Arrocha or Immigration Office entrance)

8. Proof of your residence in Panama

a) Rental Agreement

b) Copy of the utility bill showing the address where you stay in Panama. For the Utility Bill, the validity can be up to one (1) month from its issuance at the moment of application.

Panama Forestry Visa Special requirements:

1. Proof of Investment in Panama:

a) Original certificate of the property issued by the Public Registry. (Our office can assist you with this - Cost US$30.00)

b) Original or authenticated photocopy of Invoice (Reforestation Company provides this)

c) Authenticate photocopy of the deed of the purchase contract and stewardship contract (Our office can assist you with this)

d) Administration Contract dully authenticate (Our office can help you with this)

e) Bank certifications of the transfer of the funds (The Client/Reforestation Company)

f) Certification of Public Licensed Accountants detailing the total amount invested. (Reforestation Company provides this)

g) Forestry Registry (Reforestation Company provides this)

Other requirements

1. Personal identification of the Public License Accountant. (Reforestation Company provides this)
2. Authenticate photocopy of the license of the Public Licensed Accountant (Reforestation Company provides this)
3. Authenticate photocopy of the identification card of the Public Licensed Accountant (Reforestation Company provides this)
4. Authenticate photocopy of the resolution approving the licensed to the accountant (Reforestation Company provides this)

If dependent, requirements will be as follows:

1. Marriage Certificate (Apostilled or authenticated by Panamanian Consulate)
2. Birth Certificate of son or daughter Apostilled or authenticated by the Panamanian Consulate.
3. Translation of the marriage certificate and the birth certificate (We have a certified Panamanian translator who assist us with this issues – Our legal fee does not include this cost)
4. Letter of responsibility duly authenticated by a Panamanian Notary (Our office provided this)
5. Bank reference letter showing that the client has at least four figures account, duly Apostille or authenticated by Panamanian Consulate if it was issued abroad and by a Panamanian Notary if a local bank issued it.
6. If the dependent is 18 years old and less than 25 years old, should present:

a) Certification of a college attesting that is student

b) Affidavit of singleness.

About the Police Record

Immigration will not approve a visa to a person who has any criminal history, including DUI.

The record must be Apostilled and translated into Spanish by a certified Panamanian translator.

If the applicant leaves Panama before the application is submitted, but after the police report has been issued, then the Police Report loses validity for immigration purposes.

Police records must be from the country of the last two (2) years of residency and must contain the following premises to have validity at the moment of application:

a) The police report cannot be older than six (6) months.

a) The Police Report must be duly Apostille or authenticated by the Panamanian Consulate in the country of its issuance.

b) For any application, the Panama Immigration Office requires the applicant to provide an authenticated criminal history report issued by a federal, central, or national police force or criminal investigation authority. The Panama Immigration Office requires an applicant's criminal history covering the entire country in which he or she is from or has been living for the last two years. The document must be authenticated by Apostil or by the Panamanian consulate in that country.

For U.S. Citizens the FBI publishes an online Checklist for requesting a criminal background check at http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/background-checks...

A U.S. citizen needs to complete an application form, attach prints to their fingerprint card, send a cashier's check, money order, or make a credit card (using their form) payment of $18 and include your contact information.

The application can be downloaded and printed from this web page after answering a question regarding the purpose of the form, such as "To live, work, or travel in a foreign country.": https://forms.fbi.gov/departmental-order-website-q...

An FBI standard fingerprints card can be downloaded and printed from this FBI web page: http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/background-checks...

The FBI does not require a specifically authorized fingerprint applier and suggests local police and even printing companies do this. A request to have the report Apostilled must be made when applying for the FBI report. The alternative to an Apostille is to have the document authenticated by any Panamanian Consulate in the USA.

For Canadian Citizens. Canadians will need to visit the RCMP website providing all of the information on obtaining a full criminal history report at http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cr-cj/fing-empr2-eng.htm

While the form of a full fingerprint is required, the RCMP does not provide one online. However, their website states that they will accept Fingerprint forms from foreign countries that contain the following:

a) Flat and rolled impressions of all ten fingers taken with black ink

b) Full name, sex, and date of birth of the applicant

c) The name and address of the police organization taking the fingerprints

d) The signature of the police officer who took the fingerprints

The above means that the RCMP will accept the FBI fingerprints form which can be downloaded and printed from the FBI's website at http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/background-checks...

Any police force offering fingerprinting services will be acceptable to the RCMP. The Canadian embassy or consulates will not provide this service.

The RCMP processing fee is $25 CAN or USD equivalent per record requested. Payment must be made by certified cheque or money order to the Receiver General for Canada.

RCMP predicts a four-week processing time.

Canada does not offer the Apostille, so the only option is to authenticate the criminal history report through any Panamanian Consulate in Canada.

To bear in mind:

1. The Immigration Office can deny the visa to persons with a criminal police record
2. None of these residency permits grants work permits unless specified otherwise
3. Expenses: Approximately USD 1400 (without dependents). We give the client invoices for each expense
4. Legal Fee: USD 2500 for the Immigration Process

For more information contact our attorney at lill@kerycruz.com