Immigration procedures arriving in sailboat

All standard immigration and agent fees costs are included in the price.

Passports

The immigration process is quite different when crossing borders by boat compared to overland or air. It is a normal procedure to collect all passports and let a certified agent bring them to the immigration authorities for processing. Often you will not even meet an immigration officer. This is a normal procedure for sailboats entering and departing the port of a country.

When the procedure is completed the agent till return all passports back to the captain who will keep them all together and guard them until arrival in the next country.

The agent will return all passports directly back to the captain who will keep them all together until arrival in Panama. This is standard procedure and nothing to worry about. This is standard procedure and necessary in case one is stopped by coast guards on open seas.

Proof of onward travel

In most countries in Latin America, it is required to be able to provide proof of onward travel. Please be sure to have this on paper when you board the sailboat for departure.

Visas & other fees not included in the price

If your particular country requires a special fee, tax or visa in addition to the standard immigration processing fees this will not be covered by the cost of the trip.

Travelers from UK, New Zealand, USA, UK, and EU normally do not have to pay any fees, but the Panamanian government has in the past made abrupt and unannounced changes in tourist policy, such as additional tax, restriction on travel days or other changes. In the case of such changes resulting in increased cost to process immigration it will not be covered by the price.

Panamanian and Colombian immigration officials and port authorities have the final decision in all matters of entering and departing the countries and their decisions cannot overruled, changed or in other ways be influences by the captain, agent or travel agency. Any additional costs or inconveniences resulting from their decisions is not covered by the price.

Last addition to relevant tourism regulations in Panama (03/2017)

After a traveler has visited Panama one time a second entry is only granted when 30 days have passed. If the traveler has already been issued two standard free tourist entries into Panama, one cannot be issued a third tourist entry in the next 12 months.

If the captain is unsure if the traveler can enter Panama on the accounts of previous visits they reserve the right to refuse passage to any passenger or nationality, even if they can provide a valid visa for entry.

These trips are exclusively reserved for standard tourist passengers