Panama entry requirements for British passport holders (2026): visa and passport validity
Passport validity (FCDO rule): At least 6 months after the day you leave
Visa (FCDO): Read the official visa text below
Official source: GOV.UK – Panama travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO) · page last updated 9 October 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
Whether you need a visa and how long your British passport must be valid to enter Panama, as published by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), quoted word for word, with a checker for your dates.
Other passports: Canadian passport · Australian passport · Italian citizens: documenti per italiani
Do I need a visa for Panama with a British passport?
We quote the FCDO text word for word and do not summarise it: its first sentence has conditions or a wording we do not turn into a one-line answer.
You can visit Panama for up to 3 months without a visa if you arrive by land or air. There are different visa requirements for sea arrivals.
You cannot normally extend your stay, unless you apply to change your immigration status (for example, for business purposes or marriage) within the 3 months.
If you try to extend your stay by visiting a neighbouring country and returning to Panama, immigration officials may detain you. The British Embassy cannot intervene in decisions made by Panama’s immigration officials.
Applying for a visa
If you need a visa, apply through the Embassy and Consulate of Panama in the UK. They can give you more information on entry requirements.
For information on extending your stay, check with the Panama National Migration Service (in Spanish).
More from the FCDO visa section (extensions, border checks and other cases)
If you arrive by sea
If you arrive on a vessel that is not a cruise ship, you must have a visa to enter Panama. You must pay a fee of 100 US dollars, plus 5 US dollars registration, for each passenger or crew member. There may be other fees, for example for cruising permits. Check in advance what permits you will need and how to get them.
If you arrive on a cruise ship or are travelling through the Panama Canal, you do not need a visa unless you are staying in Panama for more than 3 months. Immigration authorities will stamp your passport if you leave the ship. They do not board cruise ships travelling through the Canal to check passports.
Official source: GOV.UK – Panama travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO), section “Visa requirements” · page last updated 9 October 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
Passport validity: official text “Passport validity requirements”
If you are visiting Panama, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the day you plan to leave Panama.
If you live in Panama, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the day you arrive.
Your passport must have at least one blank page.
Official source: GOV.UK – Panama travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO) · page last updated 9 October 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
Check your passport for Panama
Schengen rules count your whole trip in the Schengen area: if you visit several Schengen countries, enter the day you first enter the area and the day you leave the last Schengen country.
The check runs in your browser: your dates are not sent anywhere. It applies the FCDO sentence literally (for example “6 months” is counted as the same day of the month 6 months later).
For British passport holders only. These are the rules published by the UK government (FCDO) for British citizens. If you hold another passport, check your own government's advice. The airline and the border officials of the destination decide whether you can travel or enter: this site is information, not legal advice.
Different rules for other cases (official)
If you live in Panama, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the day you arrive.
Blank pages: the official text says “…at least one blank page…”. The checker does not count pages.
Recent FCDO updates to the entry requirements
- 7 October 2026: “Updated information about border control checks and curfews (‘Entry requirements’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages).”
- 10 December 2025: “New information about dual nationals returning to the UK (‘Entry requirements’ page).”
- 10 February 2025: “Addition of information that you must complete an immigration and customs declaration form when entering Panama. Panamanian authorities recommend completing their digital form ('Entry requirements' page).”
- 16 April 2024: “Information on border control, political situation, use of e-cigarettes, hiking and drinking water (‘Entry requirements, ‘Safety and security’ and ‘Health’ pages).”
- 25 November 2022: “Addition of information on the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions and requirements including the electronic affidavit of good health (‘Entry requirements’ page).”
Read the full FCDO travel advice for Panama (safety, visas, health) before you travel.
Spotted a change? Tell us.
Same FCDO rule (6 months after departure)
Passport validity rules for all destinations · Liquids rules by airport · EES and ETIAS status