Panama removes visa requirement for Dominican Republic citizens after a decade of restrictions

Executive Decree No. 12 scraps the consular visa that Dominican travelers have been required to obtain since 2015, citing that the original security justifications no longer apply

Dominican Republic citizens no longer need a consular visa to travel to Panama, ending a restriction that has been in place for more than a decade. The Panamanian government published Executive Decree No. 12 in the Digital Official Gazette on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, removing the requirement with immediate effect, according to a notice in Panama's Official Gazette.

The decree was signed by President José Raúl Mulino and Minister of Public Security Frank Ábrego. It officially nullifies Executive Decree No. 176 of November 23, 2015, which had added Dominican nationals to the group of travelers who could not board a flight to Panama without first getting a physical visa stamp from a Panamanian consulate.

Why the restriction existed

Panama originally imposed the visa requirement in 2015 on the basis of concerns about border management and threats to national safety. The decision came during a period when several countries in the region were tightening border checks and strengthening verification systems for incoming travelers.

Why it has been lifted now

In the new decree, Panamanian authorities stated that after conducting the relevant assessments, they concluded that the original basis for keeping Dominicans under the visa requirement has fallen away, both from a security standpoint and on technical grounds. The document also pointed to the diplomatic and commercial ties between Panama and the Dominican Republic as context for the decision.

The repeal marks the biggest reversal in how Panama handles Dominican travelers at the border since the restriction was first put in place over ten years ago.

What Dominican travelers can now do

Under Panama's immigration framework, tourists are permitted to enter the country for holidays, leisure travel, and other purposes that fall within the scope of Panama's current entry rules, with an authorized stay of up to 90 days. Dominican nationals now fall back under these standard terms rather than being singled out for additional consular processing.

The change is expected to make travel between the two countries considerably easier for Dominicans, whether they are visiting for tourism, business, or trade.