MarieElaine

Thanks for clarification.  30 days and back.

My understanding is you have to stay out of the country for 6 months to get another 6 months as a tourist.  Wrong?

Per the U.S. ambassador, there are 4500 expats (mostly all retirees)  in the Boquete area.  If each spends $1,000 per month that is 4.5 million going into the local economy monthly.

I have to agree with you in principal Jim however, I came here to retire and, while doing business here is a nightmare (I have a friend who started a business in David and after 1.5 years, still does not have a bank account) it is impossible to be here as a retiree these days as well.  We don't work so we are not taking jobs, we contribute millions to the Chiriqui economy monthly and we are responsible for many charitable organizations that help so many groups but we are still caught up in the recent legislation.  If they are doing this to retirees I can only imagine how much harder it will be in the future for people wanting to start businesses here.  

I am considering Spain as an alternative.  Until I sell my house in Florida, I cannot afford 2K to get my pensionado.  There are also retirees out there that do not have fingerprints.  Everyone's situation is different.  The Ambassador told us in his meeting that there are approximately 4500 expats in the Boquete area and, if everyone of those expats spends a minimum of $1,000 per month (there are a lot of us who spend more) you are looking at $4,500,000 dollars per month in this area alone.  If we all left, it would cripple the local economy.  Not to mention the charitable work we do here would be missed.  Why is Panama ignoring the contributions of the retirees?  To me it is obvious they do not want us here.

Friends of mine had the fire come right up to their back wall in Alto Boquete.  The bomberos told them to keep watering everything in the back of the house including the propane tank on their neighbors property.  The bomberos never showed up even though the entire field behind their house was ablaze.

Does anyone know how easy it is to immigrate to Spain?  Cost of residency?

Attended Ambassador Feeley's town hall this morning at the Boquete library.  One needs to be away 30 days to reset the 180 day tourist period but the US Embassy was on the phone with the person who heads Panama's migration yesterday and they were informed that the present situation is a way to keep Venezuelans from living permanently in Panama without applying for residency.  There is the assumption that the situation will be resolved but for now they are sticking to the "letter of the law" in order to control the situation.  I do feel badly for those expats who do not have fingerprints though and there are quite a number of them.  They fall through the cracks.  They cannot get an FBI report without finger prints and can no longer reside as a tourist for 2 years and use the Panamanian Police report.  Our new ambassador is very nice and seems to really care about the situation.  

Apparently US citizens are being told they cannot leave Panama at this point at Paso Canoas.

Legal status is expensive for some of us so the tourist situation was ideal.  I believe the check points set up around Chiriqui were for the crime wave we had a year or so ago.  That was the intended purpose and, as far as I know they have been somewhat successful in keeping the break ins down.  

I take the bus to David and Paso Canoas and they never stop us.

I have a friend who also ate there and highly recommends it.  I will have to give it a try myself.  Nice to have inexpensive alternatives.

I too have a friend whose finger prints no longer exist.  She has "finger wrinkles" but no swirls.  The lawyer she consulted told her she should not have chosen to come to Panama if she has no prints and there is nothing he can do for her.

I am thinking of flying out of David for a few days in Columbia.   Want to travel and see more of Central/South America anyway.  I was fingerprinted at Paso Canoas in early February and we went to see Gulfito and stayed for a few days at the Marina there.  It was a trip, not just a border hop.

With all that is going on it is probably going to be packed.  I'll RSVP.  Thanks Bonnie

If the relatives are visiting from New Zealand and the parents have Pensionado/Friendly Nations status, they just need to walk through one the stores and go home.  Have you heard of any Americans/Canadians that have been refused?

Fortunately we have been getting a little more rain this dry season.  Is it against the law to clear a field by fire this time of year?

A wonderful gift!!!!!  Our children are our future and it is so heart warming to find foundations/companies that give freely to them.

They felled two trees outside Casa Esperanza and there is lots of dry tree limbs and stumps to collect for free if this is the kind of wood needed.  FYI

Can we not just show up?

44 minutes ago, Siempre Soluciones said:

Tell that to the Brits denied entry.

"Among the rejected are 77 Venezuelans, five Hondurans, three Salvadorans, two Nicaraguans and the rest are of several European nationalities, according to the institution."

Were there actually Brits refused entry?  Does anyone know this for a fact?

Law 591 states that Americans, Canadians, Brits and Australians need to leave the country every 180 days and all others only get 30 days.  It would be devastating to this area if they boot out all retirees living as tourists.  We bring employment and spend our pensions here without taking jobs from Panamanians.  Think of the trades people alone who would be out of work.  Most Central and South American countries encourage retirees to live in their countries and bring money into their economies.  Am I wrong?  Too much logic?

I learned after moving here that the heaters have a lot of build up after a year or so and, while a lot of plumbers will replace them, they often only need to be cleaned to work again.

It states in the original post that "Fondas" do not have to honor the Jubilado providing they do not serve alcohol and have only 6 or less tables so do not ask for it at these low cost establishments.  Secondly, if I owned a restaurant, I would enter the gross sale and the discount as a cost of sale just to keep track.  A business owner can never have too many analysis'.  

PS:  Now I know a Spanish curse word proving you are never too old to curse in any language.  LOL

These bags and plastic water bottles are the scourge of the earth.  I also hate those plastic rings they put on six packs of soda/beer.  Birds get caught in them and starve to death.  Please cut the rings so birds are not harmed.

13 hours ago, TwoSailors said:

Don't go to them, and tell all your friends!! They will either get the message or go out of business. That brunch price of $35 is sure pushing the envelope!! Shame on them!!

No matter what is included I think $35 eliminates a lot of us and also our Panamanian friends.  I have experienced a lot of beautiful gardens that cost me nothing to tour.  I agree with you TwoSailors.  I can sit on the patio at Big Daddies, have a glass of wine and a great meal for under $15.  

I think that a lot of restaurants frequented by expat seniors raise their prices in order to account for giving the Jubilado discount.