Transit rules · Panama
Layover in Panama: transit visa and leaving the airport
Tocumen (PTY) has an international transit zone: passengers whose nationality is not on Panama's transit-visa list can stay airside for up to 12 hours without a visa. Nationals on that list (e.g. India) need a transit visa unless they hold a valid multiple-entry visa or residence of the US, Canada, Australia, South Korea, UK, Singapore or an EU state (or meet other exemptions). To leave the airport, visa-exempt nationals need only a passport (US/Canada up to 180 days, others up to 3 months); visa-required nationals (China, India, Philippines) need a Panamanian visa or a valid visa/residence of the US, Canada, UK, EU, Japan, Korea, Australia or Singapore (Decree 521 of 2018, amended by Decree 196 of 2024), which allows up to 30 days.
At a glance, by passport
| Passport | Change planes airside | Leave the airport |
|---|---|---|
| United States | No document needed to stay airside | Yes, no visa needed · 180 days |
| Canada | No document needed to stay airside | Yes, no visa needed · 180 days |
| United Kingdom | No document needed to stay airside | Yes, no visa needed · 3 months |
| Australia | No document needed to stay airside | Yes, no visa needed · 3 months |
| New Zealand | No document needed to stay airside | Yes, no visa needed · 3 months |
| EU / EEA / Switzerland | No document needed to stay airside | Yes, no visa needed · 3 months |
| India | Airport transit visa needed, unless an exemption applies | Not without a visa · 30 days (with third-country visa) |
| China (mainland) | No document needed to stay airside | Not without a visa · 30 days (with third-country visa) |
| Brazil | No document needed to stay airside | Yes, no visa needed · 3 months |
| Mexico | No document needed to stay airside | Yes, no visa needed · 3 months |
| South Africa | No document needed to stay airside | Yes, no visa needed · 3 months |
| Philippines | No document needed to stay airside | Not without a visa · 30 days (with third-country visa) |
| Japan | No document needed to stay airside | Yes, no visa needed · 3 months |
| South Korea | No document needed to stay airside | Yes, no visa needed · 3 months |
Changing planes without leaving the airport
Airside means you stay behind passport control: you walk from one gate to the next and never formally enter Panama. Many countries let you do that without any document, some ask for an online authorisation or a transit visa even for this.
Holders of United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, EU / EEA / Switzerland, China (mainland), Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Philippines, Japan and South Korea passports can change planes airside without any document. India passports need a transit visa to connect, unless one of the official exemptions applies.
Leaving the airport
To see the city you pass immigration and enter Panama like any visitor, so the normal entry rule for your passport applies, however short your stay.
Without a visa: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, EU / EEA / Switzerland, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Japan and South Korea. Only with a visa: India, China (mainland) and Philippines.
Transit rules in Panama
12-hour visa-free airport transit
Who: Nationals not on Panama's transit-visa list
- Stay in the international transit zone of Tocumen
- Maximum 12 hours
- Leaving the airport requires meeting normal entry requirements
Source: Embassy of Panama in Canada
Entry with a third-country visa or residence (Decree 521 of 2018, amended by Decree 196 of 2024)
Who: Nationals of visa-required countries holding a valid visa or residence of the US, Canada, Australia, South Korea, Japan, UK, Singapore or an EU state
- Visa valid on entry (prior use no longer mandatory since Decree 196)
- Passport valid 3+ months (Embassy Washington) / 6 months (Embassy Ottawa)
- Proof of USD 500
- Return/onward ticket
- Maximum stay 30 days (one month)
Source: Embassy of Panama in Washington, D.C. , Embassy of Panama in Canada
Your passport in detail
United States passport
Leave the airport: Yes, no visa needed US citizens may stay up to 180 days as tourists (Resolution 22706). Stay: 180 days.
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside Not on the transit-visa list; visa-exempt.
Official source: Clasificación de visas en la República de Panamá: ¿Necesita visa para entrar a Panamá? (ordinary passport, uploaded 2026-10) , Visas , Visas / Travel Document / Transit notice (Resolution 24430 of 9 Aug 2023)
Canada passport
Leave the airport: Yes, no visa needed Canadian citizens may stay up to 180 days as tourists (Resolution 22706). Stay: 180 days.
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside Visa-exempt.
Official source: Clasificación de visas en la República de Panamá: ¿Necesita visa para entrar a Panamá? (ordinary passport, uploaded 2026-10) , Visas , Visas / Travel Document / Transit notice (Resolution 24430 of 9 Aug 2023)
United Kingdom passport
Leave the airport: Yes, no visa needed Visa-exempt (ordinary passport). Stay: 3 months.
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside Visa-exempt; up to 12 hours airside without a visa.
Official source: Clasificación de visas en la República de Panamá: ¿Necesita visa para entrar a Panamá? (ordinary passport, uploaded 2026-10) , Visas , Visas / Travel Document / Transit notice (Resolution 24430 of 9 Aug 2023)
Australia passport
Leave the airport: Yes, no visa needed Visa-exempt. Stay: 3 months.
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside Visa-exempt.
Official source: Clasificación de visas en la República de Panamá: ¿Necesita visa para entrar a Panamá? (ordinary passport, uploaded 2026-10) , Visas , Visas / Travel Document / Transit notice (Resolution 24430 of 9 Aug 2023)
New Zealand passport
Leave the airport: Yes, no visa needed Visa-exempt. Stay: 3 months.
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside Visa-exempt.
Official source: Clasificación de visas en la República de Panamá: ¿Necesita visa para entrar a Panamá? (ordinary passport, uploaded 2026-10) , Visas , Visas / Travel Document / Transit notice (Resolution 24430 of 9 Aug 2023)
EU / EEA / Switzerland passport
Leave the airport: Yes, no visa needed Visa-exempt. Stay: 3 months.
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside All EU states (incl. Bulgaria, Cyprus, Romania), Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland are visa-exempt.
Official source: Clasificación de visas en la República de Panamá: ¿Necesita visa para entrar a Panamá? (ordinary passport, uploaded 2026-10) , Visas , Visas / Travel Document / Transit notice (Resolution 24430 of 9 Aug 2023)
India passport
Leave the airport: Not without a visa Stamped Panamanian visa, OR entry without a Panamanian visa with a valid visa/permanent residence of the US, Canada, UK, EU, Japan, South Korea, Australia or Singapore (Decree 521/2018 as amended by Decree 196/2024), passport valid 3+ months, USD 500, return ticket; max 30 days. Stay: 30 days (with third-country visa) . Cost: USD 50 + USD 90 (consular fees, Panama Embassy Washington).
Change planes airside: Airport transit visa needed, unless an exemption applies India is on the transit-visa list (Resolution 24430 / 16024): transit visa needed, unless holding a valid multiple-entry visa or residence of the US, Canada, Australia, South Korea, UK, Singapore or an EU state, a Panamanian visa/residence, travelling to/from a country where one holds a visa or residence, or travelling to India.
Official source: Clasificación de visas en la República de Panamá: ¿Necesita visa para entrar a Panamá? (ordinary passport, uploaded 2026-10) , Visas , Visas / Travel Document / Transit notice (Resolution 24430 of 9 Aug 2023)
China (mainland) passport
Leave the airport: Not without a visa Stamped Panamanian visa, or the Decree 521/196 exemption with a valid US/CA/UK/EU/JP/KR/AU/SG visa or residence (max 30 days). Stay: 30 days (with third-country visa). Cost: USD 50 + USD 90 (consular fees).
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside Visa required to enter, but China is not on the transit-visa list: up to 12 hours in the airport transit zone without a visa.
Official source: Clasificación de visas en la República de Panamá: ¿Necesita visa para entrar a Panamá? (ordinary passport, uploaded 2026-10) , Visas , Visas / Travel Document / Transit notice (Resolution 24430 of 9 Aug 2023)
Brazil passport
Leave the airport: Yes, no visa needed Visa-exempt. Stay: 3 months.
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside Visa-exempt.
Official source: Clasificación de visas en la República de Panamá: ¿Necesita visa para entrar a Panamá? (ordinary passport, uploaded 2026-10) , Visas , Visas / Travel Document / Transit notice (Resolution 24430 of 9 Aug 2023)
Mexico passport
Leave the airport: Yes, no visa needed Visa-exempt. Stay: 3 months.
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside Visa-exempt.
Official source: Clasificación de visas en la República de Panamá: ¿Necesita visa para entrar a Panamá? (ordinary passport, uploaded 2026-10) , Visas , Visas / Travel Document / Transit notice (Resolution 24430 of 9 Aug 2023)
South Africa passport
Leave the airport: Yes, no visa needed Visa-exempt. Stay: 3 months.
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside Visa-exempt; not on the transit-visa list.
Official source: Clasificación de visas en la República de Panamá: ¿Necesita visa para entrar a Panamá? (ordinary passport, uploaded 2026-10) , Visas , Visas / Travel Document / Transit notice (Resolution 24430 of 9 Aug 2023)
Philippines passport
Leave the airport: Not without a visa Stamped Panamanian visa, or the Decree 521/196 exemption with a valid US/CA/UK/EU/JP/KR/AU/SG visa or residence (max 30 days). Stay: 30 days (with third-country visa). Cost: USD 50 + USD 90 (consular fees).
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside Visa required to enter, but the Philippines is not on the transit-visa list: up to 12 hours airside without a visa.
Official source: Clasificación de visas en la República de Panamá: ¿Necesita visa para entrar a Panamá? (ordinary passport, uploaded 2026-10) , Visas , Visas / Travel Document / Transit notice (Resolution 24430 of 9 Aug 2023)
Japan passport
Leave the airport: Yes, no visa needed Visa-exempt. Stay: 3 months.
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside Visa-exempt.
Official source: Clasificación de visas en la República de Panamá: ¿Necesita visa para entrar a Panamá? (ordinary passport, uploaded 2026-10) , Visas , Visas / Travel Document / Transit notice (Resolution 24430 of 9 Aug 2023)
South Korea passport
Leave the airport: Yes, no visa needed Visa-exempt (República de Corea). Stay: 3 months.
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside Visa-exempt.
Official source: Clasificación de visas en la República de Panamá: ¿Necesita visa para entrar a Panamá? (ordinary passport, uploaded 2026-10) , Visas , Visas / Travel Document / Transit notice (Resolution 24430 of 9 Aug 2023)
How much time you get in the city
Being allowed out is half the answer; the other half is the clock. Count the time to get off the plane and through immigration, the trip into town and back, and getting back early enough for security and the gate. Tocumen International Airport (PTY): the fastest public option, Metro Line 2 from the airport, change to Line 1 at San Miguelito, to 5 de Mayo, then a short taxi or 20-minute walk to Casco Viejo, takes about 60 minutes, so plan a layover of at least 6 h 45 min.
The planner on each airport page does this for your own flight times and lets you change every assumption.
Questions
Do I need a transit visa for Panama?
Holders of United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, EU / EEA / Switzerland, China (mainland), Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Philippines, Japan and South Korea passports can change planes airside without any document. India passports need a transit visa to connect, unless one of the official exemptions applies.
Can I leave the airport during a layover in Panama?
It depends on your passport. Without a visa: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, EU / EEA / Switzerland, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Japan and South Korea. Only with a visa: India, China (mainland) and Philippines.
How long a layover do I need to leave the airport?
With our cautious defaults (45 minutes to get out, the trip into town and back plus 20%, 120 minutes back before departure, at least 90 minutes in the city): Tocumen International Airport (PTY): the fastest public option, Metro Line 2 from the airport, change to Line 1 at San Miguelito, to 5 de Mayo, then a short taxi or 20-minute walk to Casco Viejo, takes about 60 minutes, so plan a layover of at least 6 h 45 min.
Official sources
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Clasificación de visas en la República de Panamá: ¿Necesita visa para entrar a Panamá? (ordinary passport, uploaded 2026-10) (Servicio Nacional de Migración de Panamá):
¿NECESITA VISA PARA ENTRAR A PANAMÁ? ... CHINA SI ... FILIPINAS SI ... INDIA SI ... SUDÁFRICA NO ... BRASIL NO ... MÉXICO NO ... RUMANIA NO ... BULGARIA NO ... CHIPRE NO
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Visas (Embassy of Panama in Washington, D.C.):
La cantidad máxima de tiempo que puede permanecer en Panamá es de tres (3) meses. ... podrán tener estancia de hasta 180 días como turistas en Panamá [US and Canadian citizens, Resolution 22706]
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Visas / Travel Document / Transit notice (Resolution 24430 of 9 Aug 2023) (Embassy of Panama in Canada):
Si su nacionalidad no figura en esta lista, usted puede transitar por un máximo de 12 horas en el aeropuerto de Panamá, sin requerir una visa.
Checked against these sources on 2026-11-01. Rules change; the airline and the border officer have the final word. Found something out of date? Tell us.