#Panama 🇵🇦 #BDS_Migration Alert:  Modification to the Stay Permit for Foreign Nationals with SEM Visas Whose Employment Relationship Has Ended

Desde el año 2011, se estableció, en nuestro país, el derecho para los ejecutivos extranjeros de Sede de Empresas Multinacionales (SEM) de mantener su carné de residencia por un periodo de hasta seis (6) meses, una vez terminada la relación laboral, siempre que su empleador, es decir, la Sede de Empresa Multinacional, lo solicitara mediante un escrito al Servicio Nacional de Migración.

This right remains in effect; however, Resolution No. 4887, published in the Official Gazette on February 27, 2025, establishes new rules for exercising this right, as follows:

• The maximum permitted stay in the national territory remains at six (6) calendar months after the termination of the employment relationship with the SEM. However, if the residency card has a shorter validity period, the stay will only be granted until the card’s expiration date.
• This application must be submitted through the company’s Legal Representative via the Infosem V.2 platform.
• The application for the six (6)-month stay must be submitted within five (5) business days following termination of the employment relationship.
• Applications for this stay modality will not be accepted if they are submitted after the established timeframe.
• The stay permit will have a cost of $100.00 per person, and a new residency card must be issued, which will be valid for the period granted by the company.
• Upon expiration of the authorized stay period, the foreign national will have five (5) calendar days to apply for another immigration process or leave the country.

These changes became effective on February 27, 2025.

We remain at your disposal if you require legal advice or have questions regarding immigration matters.

I have a question