Panama
Get information, make an appointment, and submit your application
Apply for a visa for France in Panama
Visa applications for residents in Panama are processed by appointment only at the visa department of the consular section of the Embassy of France in Panama, which has exclusive competency in visa matters.
You may submit your visa application at the earliest 3 months (for long stay visas) or 6 months (for short stay visas) before your date of departure. Due to the required processing time, we recommend that you apply at least 1 month before the date you wish to travel. Processing times vary depending on the type of visa, the applicant’s situation and the volume of applications processed by the visa department.
When submitting your application, you will be informed when and how you can collect your passport. Expect an average of 15 days once the application is complete. In some cases, response times may be longer, especially for visas for overseas territories.
Who should I contact?
To submit your visa application to the visa service of the French Embassy in Panama, you must first make an appointment.
Panamanian nationals do not need a visa for short stays in the Schengen area.
However, to reside in the Schengen area for more than 3 months per period of 6 months, they will need to apply for a long-stay visa.
Residents in Panama of a nationality subject to visa will need to apply for a short visa.
What are the application fees?
Application fees are collected by the French administration for the processing of your application. Fees are paid on the day of the appointment in cash, in Balboas (PAB) or American dollars (USD), according to the current consular exchange rate. Payments by check, debit or credit card cannot be accepted.
These fees do not correspond to the price of the visa itself, but rather to the cost of the application process. The visa application fee will not be refunded, not even partially, if the visa is refused.
Book an appointment
Please read this page carefully before making an appointment. When you are certain to be able to assemble the necessary documentation for your visa application file, you can start your application online and book an appointment with the visa department of the Consulate of France in Panama, online only.
At the end of the appointment booking procedure, you will be issued a receipt. This receipt will be requested from you when entering the embassy.
Should you have to cancel the appointment, the visa department would appreciate it if you could cancel it through the link in your appointment confirmation email to free up the slot.
Appointment times fluctuate depending on the volume of requests; for example, there is a considerable influx of requests around the school vacations. We recommend that you make an appointment well in advance of your scheduled departure date. Applications can be submitted from 3 months (for long stay visas) or 6 months (for short stay visas) before the date of departure.
Service des visas de l'ambassade de France à Panama
Plaza de Francia
Las Bovedas, Apartado postal 0816-05868
San Felipe
Panama
consulat.panama-amba@diplomatie.gouv.fr
NA
(Appointment only)
| Tuesday | 08:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. |
| Thursday | 11:00 a.m. - 03:30 p.m. |
NA
Practical information
For security reasons, luggage, suitcases, backpacks, and any other large bags are not allowed on the premises of the Consulate of France. Please make the proper arrangements before visiting the Consulate, since there is nowhere to store bags in the building.
You will not be allowed to enter the Consulate with any of the aforementioned bags under any circumstances. The Consulate allows no guns on its premises, whether carried openly or concealed, under any circumstances.
Closed on Saturdays and Sundays
Public holidays in 2026 :
- Thursday, January 1st
- Friday, January 9th
- Friday, April 3rd
- Friday, May 1st
- Thursday, May 14th
- Tuesday, November 3rd
- Thursday, November 5th
- Tuesday, November 10th
- Tuesday, December 8th
- Monday, December 21st
- Friday, December 25th
Personal appearance
Visa applicants must show up personally for their visa application at the Consulate general, at the date and time of their appointment.
Biometric data collection
All visas issued by France are biometric. The following biometric data will be collected during the meeting: one photograph, according to the OACI format, and 10 digital prints, collected on a flat hand and scanned.
Children below 12 are exempted from biometric enrolment. The visa application must be presented by one of the two parents or by the legal guardian of the child. However, the child’s presence is compulsory during the visa application.
After your appointment and submitting of your file to the consulate, you can track the progress of your application via your France-Visas account. The passport will be collected upon presentation of the receipt, on the day and at the time agreed upon with the consular service.
Diplomatic or official passports
Appointments are assigned individually by mail, please write to : consulat.panama-amba@diplomatie.gouv.fr.
Visas issued to holders of diplomatic or official passports as part of their duties are free of charge.
Long-stay visas for Overseas Territories
For long-stay visa applications for French Overseas Territories, such as French Polynesia, expect 4-6 weeks for processing from the time of your appointment at the embassy. We therefore invite you to make an appointment well in advance of your scheduled departure date.
After your arrival in French Polynesia you must apply for a residence permit. For more information on this subject, please contact us by email : consulat.panama-amba@diplomatie.gouv.fr.
Visas for Monaco
Citizens of countries subject to a short-term visa for the Schengen area and who wish to travel to Monaco must apply for a short-term visa at the French Embassy in Panama.
Nationals and residents of Panama who wish to settle in Monaco must apply for a long-stay visa at the French Embassy in Panama. This visa requires the agreement of the Monegasque authorities, the processing time can be two months.
If you have any problems with your visa application, please contact the Consular section of the French Embassy in Panama for assistance by email.