Exporting Goods from USA to Panama

Are you exporting goods from the USA to Panama because you will be residing there temporarily? Are you a Panama native who is coming home after a few years abroad? No matter what your circumstances are, the guidelines below should make shipping goods into the country less difficult for you.

Household removals

For all used household items which need to be shipped from the USA to Panama, the following documents are necessary:

i. The consignee’s original passport
ii. A copy of the shipment papers (waybills)
iii. Two original copies of landing/express release bills
iv. Detailed packing lists

The rest of the documents required will depend on the consignee’s stature. If s/he is a diplomat, an accredited permit or letter from the consignee’s embassy and an entrance permit from Panama’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs are necessary. Usually, used items and personal effects are transferred duty-free, from the USA to Panama, as long as the diplomatic protocols have been met.

Non diplomats need to provide a residential visa, a letter from his/her attorney confirming the categorization of the goods being shipped and his/her present employment/visa stature, and an employment certificate from the Panama company.

Citizens who are returning to Panama after more than 12 months abroad may also import personal effects from the USA as long as they can prove their stay in the country of origin. These can be utility bills.

Foreign investors may import used household items and personal effects as long as they can provide the following documents:

i. Social contract of the company, deed of their investments and proof of properties they have bought in Panama
ii. A bank reference letter detailing their assets
iii. A copy (notarized) of their resident card
iv. A letter from their attorney.

Panama is also home to a lot of retired foreign citizens. These documents are necessary if they wish to bring in their personal effects from the USA:

i. A notarized copy of their passport, with the notarization done in Panama
ii. Notarized copy of their Turista Pensionado ID
iii. Bank reference letter of account opened in Panama
Temporary residents who are not staying permanently in Panama, and whose sources of income do not originate from the country may enjoy dity-free importation of their household items and personal effects as long as these are not worth more than USD 3,000,000. These items must also arrive in Panama no later than six months after the consignee’s arrival.

Panama also has very specific rules and regulations regarding the shipment’s packaging. Wooden packaging and furniture shipped to the country must first be treated for pests. Untreated wooden items and/or shipping materials may be subject to quarantine and forced exportation if deemed unfit for entrance.

To avoid any delays in the clearance, specify the nature of the items in the waybill. For example, categorize them as “used household items and personal effects” instead of just “household items and personal effects”. Do not misrepresent shipments.

Shipping motor vehicles

Unless the consignee is an accredited diplomat, a member of an international organization, a holder of a retiree visa, or a U.S. contractor, all imported motor vehicles are subject to duties and taxes. These documents are also necessary for the entry of these vehicles into the country:

i. Original certificate for ownership
ii. Original invoice
iii. Property letter
iv. Pollution certificate
v. Certificate of environment control

Since 2008, the issuing of temporary circulation permits for vehicles even for retirees have been prohibited in Panama. ITBM duties which are 5% of the vehicle’s worth and its freight charges must be paid fully before the vehicles can be released. Retention and bond fees will also be applied. The clearance can take up to five months.

There is no information online about the importation of boats and industrial machinery from the USA to Panama. If you need to import these items into the country, get in touch with the Panama Embassy in the USA for specific details. Prepare the proof of ownership and other pertinent details about the special vehicle before making your inquiry.