Panama travel guide for Australians

Panama's entry rules for Australian passport holders are set by Panamanian immigration, not by Australia. This page has not been field-verified, so treat any visa rule, stay length, fee or passport-validity figure you read elsewhere as unconfirmed until you see it on an official Panamanian government page or in Smartraveller's Panama advice.

Before booking flights, confirm three things at the source: whether a visa or an electronic authorisation is required for your length of stay, how long your passport must remain valid, and whether proof of onward travel and funds is checked at the border. Ask the Panamanian consulate or the migration service, and cross-check Smartraveller, which publishes the Australian government's current advice for Panama.

If you plan to work, study or stay beyond a tourist visit, a different permission applies. Confirm the category and the application route with the Panamanian authorities before you leave Australia.

Do not assume an Australian embassy or consulate in Panama City. Check Smartraveller's Panama page for the mission currently responsible for consular help and for how to reach it, and save those details before you fly.

For non-urgent questions, the embassy tool on this site points you to the right office. In an emergency in Panama, local services are reached on 911.

Panama uses the balboa, fixed at US$1, and US dollar notes circulate alongside Panamanian coins. Prices are therefore set in US dollars, and your Australian dollar budget moves with the AUD/USD rate rather than with a separate Panamanian currency.

This page has no verified AUD price list or daily budget. Treat any AUD figure you see quoted elsewhere as check, and confirm current costs on our Panama costs page and with your accommodation and tour operators before you commit.

Route, connection and total flight time from Australia to Panama are check: no flight data is confirmed in the sources supplied here. Compare options with the flight-time planner before booking, and confirm the routing with the airline.

Panama runs on UTC−5 all year with no daylight saving, so the gap to Australian states shifts with their own summer-time changes. Confirm the time difference before you book a same-day domestic connection.

Panama uses type A and B plugs at 120 V and 60 Hz. Whether your Australian plugs need an adapter, and whether your appliances need a converter, is check: confirm the plug shape and the input range printed on each charger before you pack.

In restaurants, add 10% if service is not already on the bill. Small tips for hotel staff and drivers are optional and left to your judgement.

General emergencies: 911. Police: 104. Fire: 103. Save these before you land, and keep your passport copy and travel insurance details separate from the originals.