The Panama Tourist Card is maintained

One of the most popular shopping destinations for Cubans is Panama, and there's no doubt that the governments of both countries strengthen diplomatic and commercial relations will only benefit those engaged in this business on the island. Panama has provided Cubans with a tourist card to shop there, bringing millions of dollars into the country's economy through this means. Therefore, the recent exchange between diplomats from both countries is recognized as a positive step toward maintaining this relationship.

Important: The National Migration Service (SNM) reports that the issuance of tourist cards to Cuban citizens was temporarily suspended, because immigration authorities are reviewing the procedures for entering Panama as a tourist. Read more…

In recent weeks, rumors have circulated that the measure could be eliminated for Cubans, but this has not actually happened. Despite the change in government, with the inauguration of the new president, Laurentino Cortizo, no one in the government has mentioned a change in Panama's immigration policy toward Cuba. From a commercial perspective, eliminating it would not be beneficial either. It is true that before being elected, the current president said that measures should be stricter and more selective, but his focus was on the wave of Central American and Venezuelan emigrants, not on business tourists like the Cubans.

In fact, recently, they expanded the tourist card to another country. In other words, Cuba's experiment has only brought them profits, so it's illogical to eliminate it. Since June 25, Dominicans have also been able to use this card for 30 days to make purchases in Panamanian territory, following a government decree. This regulation, approved for Cuba in 2018, aims to facilitate procedures for tourists and businesspeople who frequently visit Panama and contribute to the nation's economic development.

It was also learned that the Panamanian vice president, José Gabriel Carrizo, received in the canal nation with her Cuban counterpart, Gladys Bejerano, where they agreed on the positive state of relations between their countries and how to strengthen them from a commercial and economic perspective. Bejerano led the Cuban delegation that attended the inauguration of the new Panamanian president, Laurentino Cortizo, who also welcomed the Caribbean visit as a matter of protocol.

The continued positive immigration status was also evidenced by the presence at the meeting of Samira Gozaine, director of the National Immigration Service. Also present were Vice Foreign Minister Federico Alfaro and Vice Presidential Advisor Celso Carrizo. The Cuban vice president also met with Cubans residing in Panama and normalized their presence in the Isthmus, as a result of economic migration from the island and the opportunities Panama offers them. Bejerano according to statements Ana Teresita González, Cuba's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, spoke on Twitter about the current situation on the island and that Cuba would continue to strengthen ties with its emigrants, permanently and irreversibly.

In addition to the topic of immigration, the vice presidents exchanged ideas about Cuban medicine, given its international prestige, and how Cuba can help them prepare for the next Central American and Caribbean Games in 2022, which Panama will host. These two topics, the export of medical and sports services, are of vital importance to Cuba, just as the wave of Cuban businesspeople who come to invest and spend their dollars in the Central American nation is for Panama.

In other words, good relations remain intact, no matter that the country's presidency has changed. So far, to lessen the concern,cupation of Cubans, the Panama tourist card remains as is.

Embassy of Panama in Cuba

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