Embassy of Panama in Cuba: When will the January 2020 appointments be scheduled?

Just a few weeks into the new year, one of the most frequently asked questions among many Cubans is the exact moment when, without warning, the Panamanian Embassy in Cuba will open the button for scheduling new visa appointments.

Last September, one morning, the system was enabled for longer than usual, and all appointments for October, November, and December of this year were settled.

Some 7 appointments were made that day, covering the remaining months of the year, a small number compared to the number of applicants currently waiting to obtain a permit to fly to Panama after the suspension of tourist cards.

From that day until today, there are many who are waiting expectantly for a new opening that will allow them to reach one of the cupThe requirements for applying for a 5-year stamped visa are as follows: However, neither the Central American country's embassy nor the National Immigration Service have offered any explanation as to what the procedure will be for the new year.

The truth is that there are only a few days left for the website http://tramites.migracion.gob.pa/portal_migracion_digital/views/visa_cuba.php Open your appointment button. If this service is not enabled in December, visas will not be issued during the month of January, which is much more worrying.cupdoors.

While some are inclined to think that the cupJanuary in the first days of that same month, this seems really unlikely, if we take into account that the first applicants to qualify would have very little time to prepare all the requirements demanded during the interview.

Above all, those related to bank certification, as this process could take a few days to complete, if the required $500 must first be deposited into a bank account and then the relevant legalizations must be requested from the provincial offices of the aforementioned banking institutions.

Not to mention that no one would dare to rush this process, given that the bank certification must be valid for no more than 30 days at the time of the consular appointment.

For this reason, we consider it truly inappropriate for the Panamanian embassy to not schedule new appointments until January. On the contrary, it should be in the following days, and before the end-of-year holidays, when the consulate decides to open the appointment booking service.

Just a few days ago, the embassy's website reappeared after several weeks of being offline, presumably due to technical and organizational work aimed at improving the site so that its servers don't crash in the future when receiving the usual thousands of requests.

2020 could bring significant procedural changes to the way this embassy issues appointments. Many believe, in fact, that tourist cards could be resumed, as the consulate itself declared last July that its suspension of cards would only be "temporary."

Directorio Cubano remains vigilant and keeps its followers informed minute by minute about all the information generated by this and other consular representations accredited in Cuba. We strongly oppose all illegal acts by third parties who profit at the expense of those in need, charging exorbitant prices to arrange an appointment.

You may be interested in requesting our notification service, completely free. We'll notify you via the channel you choose, the exact time and date the appointment scheduling button opens.