Bonnie Posted May 30, 2017 Share Posted May 30, 2017 We are not likely to learn more about this situation. I received the following message from the Embassy: Just so you are aware, in these cases, there is nothing the Embassy can do other than recommend that the person get a lawyer to help her clear her record. On our website it explains that Panama immigration reserves the right to deny entry to anyone with a criminal record: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/country/panama.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheila Posted May 30, 2017 Share Posted May 30, 2017 It does say criminal conviction in that link, not arrest record. Those can be two entirely different things. I wonder if the people detained and sent back had actual convictions. Are you able to contact the person that sent you the email to get any more information? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted May 30, 2017 Author Share Posted May 30, 2017 3 hours ago, Sheila said: It does say criminal conviction in that link, not arrest record. Those can be two entirely different things... ..not necessarily through the eyes of a justice system which presumes a person to be guilty until proven innocent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 The Embassy prefers that wardens not pursue cases that have been taken over by the Embassy. I'll see what I can do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted May 31, 2017 Author Share Posted May 31, 2017 Under the current administration 7,877 people have been deported, expelled, or returned to their home country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted June 1, 2017 Share Posted June 1, 2017 On 5/29/2017 at 8:11 PM, Uncle Doug said: Something doesn't quite sound right. An arrest is quite different than a criminal conviction. It also seems odd that Panama is now capable of running a complete criminal background check on American tourists arriving at Tocumen and returning all those who who ever ran afoul of a policeman at any point in their lives. Did they hack into the FBI? We all know the scrutiny on permanent visa applications as well as the effort to end "permanent tourism." But that is far different than turning away every American businessman or tourist with an arrest from long ago. I'm am only guessing here, but putting lots of stuff together, how about this scenario? The U.S. Embassy wrote, in a March 7 email, that the following information had been obtained from Panamanian authorities: " According to the Duty Chief at Migracion-Paso Canoas, the PNM Immigration Director is enforcing these migratory requirements across Panama. This means that if an Immigration Official determines that a foreigner is using tourism status to reside in Panama, the entry will not be allowed." This appears to open the door to denying re-entry to anyone with multiple re-entry stamps on their passport. But I've heard no reports of persons being denied re-entry based on this. But it's possible that long-term "tourists"--like the citizen above who admits to having lived here for 10 years on a tourist visa--were singled out for scrutiny when they sought to return to Panama. If, as reported by Siempre Soluciones, some Panamanians were schooled in accessing and interpreting FBI crime records, it's possible that those persons re-entering as tourists with lots of "border hopping" stamps on their passports could have been flagged and checked. Criminal records checks have never been required for a tourist visa, so any criminal record would not have been an issue previously. The first-time discovery of such a criminal record could lead to a refusal to grant re-entry. (I realize that this doesn't solve the question of arrest vs. conviction, but I'm thinking that the petitioner may have misspoken in the email to me.) This may be just another futile effort on my part to apply logic to governmental decisions. And I confess to being obsessed with understanding exactly how Panama intends to interpret this new approach to tourism visas and what's its effect will be on U.S. citizens residing here. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted June 1, 2017 Author Share Posted June 1, 2017 Panamanian law sees an arrest as a conviction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted June 1, 2017 Share Posted June 1, 2017 8 minutes ago, Keith Woolford said: Panamanian law sees an arrest as a conviction. Wow. Someone can be arrested for most any reason. Does he then have to prove that he wasn't convicted to clear his name? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted June 1, 2017 Author Share Posted June 1, 2017 Under Napoleonic law I believe a person is Guilty until proven Innocent. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted June 1, 2017 Share Posted June 1, 2017 I guess my question is how this would apply to someone with a U.S. arrest? Would he have to prove to Panama that the case was dropped or that he was found innocent after a trial in order to be eligible for a residency visa? I'm still trying to understand this stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted June 1, 2017 Author Share Posted June 1, 2017 2 hours ago, Bonnie said: how this would apply to someone with a U.S. arrest? If the arrest shows up on the FBI background report, they're out of luck. This is why some people have been staying in country for two years and then obtaining a clean Panamanian Police check, but that workaround is probably not going to be viable any longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheila Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 Also you have to wonder if someone used this workaround in the past to get residency, could they be subject to a random FBI check when traveling and re-entering Panama, and then denied entry? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Doug Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 Arrests can (but may not always) show up in a criminal background check. It depends on the local jurisdiction where the arrest occurred, and when or if the data was shared on a national level. But an arrest can have severe consequences even if the person is found not guilty or the charges dropped as completely bogus. For example, if you are charged with statutory rape in Texas, you automatically are a registeted sex offender for life. It doesn't matter that the cop misread the age on a Drivers License. Depending again on the local jurisdiction, it might be possible to get something expunged from your criminal record but not if you were found guilty. It would take a Presidential pardon, or from a state governor to accomplish that in nearly every case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger B Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 On 5/29/2017 at 8:11 PM, Uncle Doug said: Something doesn't quite sound right. An arrest is quite different than a criminal conviction. It also seems odd that Panama is now capable of running a complete criminal background check on American tourists arriving at Tocumen and returning all those who who ever ran afoul of a policeman at any point in their lives. Did they hack into the FBI? We all know the scrutiny on permanent visa applications as well as the effort to end "permanent tourism." But that is far different than turning away every American businessman or tourist with an arrest from long ago. I do agree with Uncle Dog. Something smells fishy.... There is no way that people at immigration in the airport have that kind of information or police record. Unless.... yes there is always a chance that the US authorities had release the immigrations officers that information. Remember that a week ago an US Citizen was arrested and deported to the US because he was being wanted by US authorities with case of pedophilia. You should understand that Panama will never be out of the US influence. Panama always do what is being required by the US Government. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger B Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 On 6/1/2017 at 9:07 AM, Keith Woolford said: Panamanian law sees an arrest as a conviction. Keith It depends on the felony. I could be arrested because I did have a trouble - fight with a neighbor. Also arrested because I insulted a policeman or any other minor felony . Even that I wont go to La Joya or La Joyita this case was attended by a Municipal Judge and probably fined it will reflect in my police records. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted August 17, 2017 Moderators Share Posted August 17, 2017 Quote Nearly 3,000 illegals detained Posted on August 16, 2017 in Panama Post Views: 227 PANAMA’s National Migration Service (SNM) netted, 2,935 foreigners in operations conducted from January 1 to July 31 this year. An SNM document said that the detentions occurred for multiple reasons, including verification of criminal history, working without permission, stay or leave expired, evasion of acheckpoint and residing without documents The operations were executed throughout the country. Men made up 75% of those detained. The countries with the most illegal residents were Colombia, USA, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic. http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/nearly-3000-illegals-detained Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.