Adriano Chiaretta
@adriano72
Italian expat in Panama
Forum posts
45
Contacts
12
About me
Italian
Lives in Panama City
Speaks English, Italian, Spanish
Registration: 07 February 2015
Roadblocks & Protests by Lee2022
Is there a website where I can keep up to date on current roadblocks? I need to drive across the country and would like to know where I might get held up.
I usually rely on Twitter for the latest news. Specifically to traffic and road issues https://twitter.com/TraficoCPanama and here's a Twitter list I'm keeping up tp date with a number of Panama news related sources ... Read More
New friendly visa law changes by annamariamarketing1
Looking to learn more about the implications of the recent law changes and if anyone has tips to share. I was going to apply for friendly visa by next summer but now it seems like w ended to invest a lot more money and even the residency ...
The changes which took place over the summer are summarized here: https://www.imidaily.com/program-updates/3-ways-panamas-friendly-nations-visa-became-less-friendly-over-the-summer/ Read More
Electricity "Voltage" In Panama & The Americas by Cousin_from_UK
Hi Everyone As you may have gathered I'm from the UK, so I do not have the up, as my American cousins do. I was always under the impression that in your part of the world Electricity is 110V and in Europe and other regions it's 240v. I ...
In Panama most appliances big and small run on 110V -- my Fridge, ACs, washer & dryer, etc. all run on 110V. Read More
News in Panama by Cousin_from_UK
Are there any news apps or website for Panama and Central America? The apps I have seen are useless. I have Loop app, but that is mainly for the Caribbean, just want an equivalent, even if it is only in Spanish.
TVN is one of the main news outlets in Panama -- comes with a pretty nice app for Android and iOS. https://www.tvn-2.com/app/app/ Read More
What is the process for citizenship after Permanent Residency? by wingman.ready
My Permanent Residency ends in 2023. What do I have to do to gain citizenship?
Yes you just need to renew it https://www.tribunal-electoral.gob.pa/tramite-de-renovacion-de-carne-de-residente-permanente/ Nationals' c茅dulas expire and need to be renewed as well. Read More
What is the process for citizenship after Permanent Residency? by wingman.ready
My Permanent Residency ends in 2023. What do I have to do to gain citizenship?
I'm not aware the permanent resident status expires... hence the name "permanent". The details of the naturalization process are outlined on the immigration's website ... Read More
Expats in Panama: Take part in our survey on the COVID-19!
Looks like she's in the editorial department of expat.com -- /forum/profile.php?id=2626397 Read More
We are making our first trip in June by lulu fowler
Hi, we are just starting to look into where we can retire. we are considering Panama and Ecuador, and maybe Mexico. We are making our first trip in June. I think we are going to Panama first. I would like the Caribbean side but worried about the ...
Have you even ever been to Panama? Most of the stuff you posted might be some other country, not Panama. Read More
Cell Phone Service by margaretdemichelis
Hello, I am hoping for recommendations on cell phone service for a 10-day visit. I've heard lots of different things, from "buy a phone" to "just set it up with my US Carrier" I want to be able to call, text, email, access ...
Digicel is pretty good. With $20 you can get 28 days of unlimited LTE. They are the only ones with a decent app where you can check balance, add credit, extend the plan, etc. Read More
Safety around Area Bancaria by dcracken1
Hello, I was planning a trip to Panama City and was going to stay at the Marriot in the financial district. Is that area safe to explore on foot during the day? How about at night? I am a white male in my late 30s, never been mugged in my life, and ...
Safe day and night. I used to live a couple of hundred feet from the Marriott you are referring to and walked around in that area pretty much at any time. Very nice spot btw. Great views and a long stretch of pedestrian walkways right across the ... Read More
Exercise equipment store
I'm looking to get a stationary bike (not the spinning type though). Any suggestion of exercise equipment stores in the city? Read More
Retiring and moving to Panama by spiritofdc
Hello everyone. My name is Don and my wife is Elsy. 8 to 10 years ago I was on this site and others. I eventually retired, moved to Cali Colombia, and married. My wife was a nurse for 23 years in Cali and when learned she was eligible for pension, ...
Panama is not an inexpensive place where to live. At least in the city prices are comparable to US, if not higher. And some items is even cheaper to buy them online in US and getting them forwarded than buying them in stores here. Read More
Are you happy in Panama? by Priscilla
Hello everyone! According to the 2016 UN World Happiness Survey, Denmark, Switzerland and Iceland are the happiest countries on earth. How about you? Are you happy in Panama? Do you feel happier today in your host country than before in your ...
I'm happy about the weather here. My ideal temperature all year long. That said, I'm not really sure if I'm happier here than where I used to live. Cost of living pretty much the same, people are just as happy as anywhere else. Perhaps ... Read More
Planning a move to Panama. Info about hospitals, schools, life?! by anna0902
Hi, everyone My name is Anna, my husband and i are planning to move to Panama. We are coming for a pre-relocation visit in January. We would love to meet people who moved to Panama and to hear a little bit more about the everyday life there, ...
Where are you planning to move to? Read More
Changing banks in Panam谩 by Do65
Hello all I thought I found a good bank which is the Credicorp bank but that was a very wrong thought. It's reliable yes and they won't steal yr money but the service is terrible and since I am having a house built and the money transfers ...
When it comes to bank here you'll have to lower your expectations. The online services for most of them are way below what one comes to expect these days from a bank, and they charge fees even for debit cards. Read More
Changing banks in Panam谩 by Do65
Hello all I thought I found a good bank which is the Credicorp bank but that was a very wrong thought. It's reliable yes and they won't steal yr money but the service is terrible and since I am having a house built and the money transfers ...
I've been making international wire transfers to accounts at Banco General and *so far* the funds have been received within days (hopefully it's going to continue this way). That said, I've always made them in USD. Usually the sending ... Read More
Best / recommended banks in Panama?
Hi, I'm considering opening up another bank account since the one I currently have I opened it when I wasn't a resident and I grabbed what I could (i.e. one of the few banks that didn't show me the door the moment I was telling them I ... Read More
Looking for a reliable insurance broker by adriano72
Hi, I'm trying to get a local health insurance here in Panama and from my understanding the best way to do so is through an insurance broker. Anyone can recommend a reliable one? Thank you!
Just a quick note here -- last week I got in touch with Gonzalo de la Guardia. Impressive service and super fast replies. Haven't decided yet but so far really impressed. Definitely a reliable person. Read More
Looking for a reliable insurance broker by adriano72
Hi, I'm trying to get a local health insurance here in Panama and from my understanding the best way to do so is through an insurance broker. Anyone can recommend a reliable one? Thank you!
Thank you for all this info! Very helpful. I currently have an international (AXA Int.) health insurance but is accepted nowhere... so any expense is out of pocket and then need to submit reimbursement claims. Not that I have used it much so far ... Read More
Looking for a reliable insurance broker
Hi, I'm trying to get a local health insurance here in Panama and from my understanding the best way to do so is through an insurance broker. Anyone can recommend a reliable one? Thank you! Read More
Moving to Panama by Falankuk
Hi All, I am planing to relocate to Panama, I have good language skills in Spanish, I am graduate in pharmacology. I need to know what you need to do in order to obtain a permanent residence in Panama, it is difficult? what is the timescale, ...
Rod, In order to obtain a Cedula you need to first have a permanent residency Visa. As Canadian (or American for that matter) you can actually stay in Panama for up to 180 days with just the tourist visa. At any rate, best is if you check on ... Read More
1st visit planning help by CynthiaE
Hello Expats in Panama! Where do I begin? Well, first I am grateful to have found this forum as I am exploring places outside the US to live in retirement. I would like to visit a few places over the next few months, and be in a new place before ...
Hi CynthiaE, Quick replies for you here... - Panama's climate is more tropical than temperate... especially towards the coast is definitely tropical. Warm and relatively humid. If you enjoy warm weather all year long then you'll have no ... Read More
Looking to move to Panama or living in Panama, maybe i can help. by pgiamos
Im not a newbie but its been a long while since i have been here on the forum. My name is Pantelis. I have been living in panama for 2 years now. I have roots in Panama and can help anyone who is wanting to move here and is looking for property. I ...
Massimo, In regards to the lawyer, I had a good experience with Pedro at Panama Offshore Legal services (easy to find through a Google search). In regards to the documents, you'll need: - Criminal Record (Certificato Generale del Casellario ... Read More
Postal Service (Correo Nacional) Service in Panama?>? by Hidalgo49
Although I don't know which forum to apply this question but does anyone know how well (or not) does the Panamanian Postal Service works if I were to send a package from the U.S. to the province of Veraguas? I've heard the horror stories, ...
One time I had a regular sized envelope (just a birthday wishes card) sent me from Italy to my P.O. Box in Panama, and another time a small packet. They both arrived... after a very long time (about a couple of months). I have no idea how it can ... Read More
panama and syrian refugees
There was some news about it back in September, but I didn't see anything recent. http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/panama-opens-doors-to-syrian-refugees Read More
What do you like the most in Panama? by Christine
Hi, Living abroad, expats discover and enjoy a new environment. What do you like the most in Panama? What seduced you when settling and living here? Share with us your favorite part of living in Panama and the reason why you enjoy your ...
Weather, people, mangos and papayas. I hardly ever had the chance to taste mangos and papayas till I got in Panama. And since then they made for 70% of my diet. :) Read More
Bus from Allbrook to Miraflores -- any idea about its schedule?
Here's a quick update on the topic if anyone was following it. I tried the MiBus experience last Monday -- turns out the "Allbrook - Miraflores Locks" bus departs from the very last pick up location (marked as "D") at the ... Read More
Bus from Allbrook to Miraflores -- any idea about its schedule?
Thank you for the tip -- I'm familiar with the Hop-on Hop-off buses since I see them around through the city streets pretty often. Thing is I visited already most places they go to, and I'm trying to figure out how the MiBus works. Read More
Bus from Allbrook to Miraflores -- any idea about its schedule?
Hi, I was thinking of taking a bus trip from the Allbrook Mall to the Miraflores locks, and I found out there's actually a MiBus route which connects the two. http://www.mibus.com.pa/albrook-esclusas-de-miraflores/ Thing is, there's no ... Read More
Things to do in Panama during the weekends by Christine
Hi, What do you usually do on your weekends in Panama? Are there any places to visit, any activities, any events or festivals regularly organized you would like to recommend? What are your top tips for the weekend in Panama? Thank you ...
Agree with PacificaMaryAnn -- Cinta Costera is a great place where to hang out over the weekend (or any day of the week really). If you enjoy cycling in addition to the bike lane all along the hiking trail every Sunday from 6 AM to noon the whole ... Read More
LAWYERS ????WOW.....can I avoid them ? by wannamovetopanama
I am moving to Panama in the next 2-3 months. Everything I read says I need lawyers to "make it happen".... and the fees quoted amount to thousands of dollars.....for example I need to pay a lawyer $700 to facilitate opening a time savings ...
I totally agree with this based on my experience so far. You don't need a lawyer to open a bank account, but be ready to walk into many banks before succeeding. You do need a lawyer to handle immigration matters, such as a permanent residency ... Read More
Need to rent an accommodation and a car - share your experience
Hi Benjamin, I live in Punta Paitilla (where the rent is a bit less expensive than in Punta Pacifica -- although this much depends on the specific tower / number of bedroom / amenities / etc.). There are two shopping malls at walking distance with ... Read More
Going to the doctor in Panama by adriano72
Naive question here -- but I just couldn't find a clear answer so far and I figure better to know beforehand just in case. If one needs to visit to the doctor for something minor like sore throat, or cough, or pain somewhere, etc. what is the ...
Thank you so much for all the feedback! Very helpful :) Read More
Going to the doctor in Panama
Naive question here -- but I just couldn't find a clear answer so far and I figure better to know beforehand just in case. If one needs to visit to the doctor for something minor like sore throat, or cough, or pain somewhere, etc. what is the ... Read More
El Carnaval de Panama 2015 in Panama City by PacificaMaryAnn
*Carnival is spelled Carnaval in Spanish but you will see is spelled both ways. "In Panama City, the festivities begin on Saturday 14 February, on the Cinta Costera, next to the Bay of Panama, just off of Balboa." "On Friday, ...
Thank you for these reports -- very interesting and useful. As far as myself, I wish I had known the parade was going to be late afternoon. Instead I thought was going to be mid day / early afternoon so I showed up around 1pm. There was already lots ... Read More
Moving to Panama
You could start by getting a few quotes from international insurance providers. I recently shopped for insurance and here are the ones I got in touch with. They all have an online quote tool which gives an idea of what the monthly insurance premium ... Read More
Places to visit in Panama by Julie
Hi, For the ones living in Panama, what would you suggest to discover the country? When you have friends or family visiting you, where do you go with them? What are the must-see places in Panama, the tourist sites? How to visit the country ...
A good place to start looking for placing to visit is Tripadvisor: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g294480-Activities-Panama_City_Panama_Province.html You can drill down by type of activity and they are sorted by ratings / visitors so you ... Read More
Health insurance options in Panama
Hi, First off sorry if I'm asking a question that has been answered over and over already -- I did read around on the net a number of articles about health insurance in Panama, which from my understanding comes down to the government provided one, ... Read More
Getting letters and small packages mailed from overseas by adriano72
Hi, I might need to get a few small packages (1 - 2 lb) shipped from overseas, and I'm not sure the best way to go for this... I got a P.O. box at a local post office in Panama City, so I guess a way would be to have items mailed there. ...
Thank you PacificMaryAnn, when I stopped by at a mailboxes etc they told me about the $27/month one, but I didn't quite understand whether or not could also be used to receive letters and packets from overseas. I'll probably get one with ... Read More
Getting letters and small packages mailed from overseas by adriano72
Hi, I might need to get a few small packages (1 - 2 lb) shipped from overseas, and I'm not sure the best way to go for this... I got a P.O. box at a local post office in Panama City, so I guess a way would be to have items mailed there. ...
Thank you so much! This is very helpful. What I'm planning to get mailed over is something of hardly any value, so I'll just go for having it marked as "gift" on the customs declaration form. - Adriano Read More
Getting letters and small packages mailed from overseas
Hi, I might need to get a few small packages (1 - 2 lb) shipped from overseas, and I'm not sure the best way to go for this... I got a P.O. box at a local post office in Panama City, so I guess a way would be to have items mailed there. ... Read More