Immigration denies fraudulent Visas

Panama’s National Immigration Service will cancel 500 Immigration Visas after detecting foreigners used fraudulent documents to obtain the regularization of their status.

The Social Security Fund (CSS) confirmed Tuesday that documents of some 500 Immigration Visas had been altered. Incorrect information included the number of worker-employer quotas, the detailed salaries not matching those of the individual account and inscriptions on the payroll with companies in which there was no employment relationship. And finally, some certifications signed by CSS officials were lacking authenticity.

La Prensa reported Tuesday, May 2nd at midnight that their investigation revealed that officials from the CSS, Migration and the Directorate General of Revenue used their positions to collect bribes for procedures that in some cases were free. Furthermore, individuals charged up to $ 3,000, offering foreigners fraudulent documents in order to obtain their status which would have otherwise been denied. 

After the country’s National Immigration Service was informed many provisional permits for general migratory regularization, temporary and permanent residents were canceled. The administration has released the names of the people whose permits will be denied following the investigation. These names have been published on the government website - www.migracion.gob.pa.