Panama

Visas & Permits

Visas & Work Permits

Entry is subject to regulations from country of origin. Western passport holders can enter Panama visa-free for stays of up to 180 days.

Visiting productions receive free work permits and reduced costs on multiple entry visas.

Please contact a local embassy, consulate or representative for more information. Alternatively, there are specialist companies that provide visa and immigration support to the media industry who may be able to assist.

Film Location Permits

The government agencies in Panama are very film friendly.

Most public locations are free but require a permit that usually takes up to 48 hours to process.

Permits for filming in national parks can be quite expensive, depending on the type of production.

Customs

For productions looking to bring in film equipment, Panama is not an ATA carnet country.

Standard camera, lighting and grip equipment is available locally. Local production companies have their own equipment and share when necessary. The overall stock of equipment is rather small. All specialised equipment and operators are required to be brought in from abroad.

Miami is the closest major production centre. Mexico and Colombia also have a range of equipment, and are cheaper alternatives than bringing equipment from the US.

When to Film

When to Film

Panama has a tropical climate.

Temperatures in mountain areas and on the Pacific side tend to be lower than on the Caribbean.

The dry season runs from December to May and is the best time to film. The rest of the year is rainy, with the greatest intensity of rain during the months of October and November.

Panama is a predominately Christian country, so those holidays are observed.

Public Holidays

Public holidays may affect timing, availability and costs. See here for public holiday dates in Panama.

Costs & VAT

Panama is slightly more expensive than other Central American countries, but less expensive than Costa Rica.

The greatest cost is the need to bring in specialised equipment and key crew, but that is offset by the relatively low cost of locations, talent, supporting crew, transportation, accommodation and meals.

The standard VAT rate in Panama at the time of writing is set at 7%.