North and Central America and Caribbean

• Travel Summary
• Safety and security
• Local laws and customs
• Entry requirements

• Health
• Natural disasters
• General
 

Travel Summary

• There have been confirmed human cases of the Influenza A (H1N1) virus (Swine Flu) in Panama, including a number of deaths.  You can check for updates on the number of cases and their locations through the World Health Organisation (WHO) (whose Pandemic Threat Alert Phase has been raised to Level 6). The WHO website at http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html has further details. You should monitor local media reports for any developments and advice.  A dedicated Swine Flu page can be found on the FCO website.  Guidance on Pandemic Flu can be obtained on the UK Department of Health website at http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/index.htm.
  
  
• There is a possibility of earthquakes in Panama.  The last major one struck the north of Panama on 4 July 2009, measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale.  There was no major damage caused.
  
  
• Travel to the Darien province should be conducted only with an organised group, and to recognised tourist destinations protected by the Panamanian police.  See the Local Travel section of this advice for more details.
  
  
• If you transit the United States on your way to or from Panama, you must have a machine-readable passport or a valid US non-immigrant visa. Additionally if you travel to or via the USA you need to apply for travel authorisation from the US authorities prior to travel. (see below for further details).
  
  
• There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks, which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
  
  
• In 2008 14,350 British nationals visited Panama (Source: Panamanian Immigration Department).  Most visits are trouble-free. 7 British nationals required consular assistance in Panama in the period 01 April 2008 – 31 March 2009 for the following types of incident; deaths (1 cases); hospitalisations (1 cases); and arrests, for a variety of offences (4 cases). During this period assistance was also requested with regard to lost or stolen passports (14 cases).
  
  
• We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling.  You are advised to check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake.  See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and Travel Insurance  for more details.