I have a question I hope someone can help me with. I retired to Panama a few years back. My son is now in Norfolk. I was hoping to buy him a ticket to come down to see us but was wondering if it is possible for a sailor to visit a foreign country like Panama?
If so what would he have to do to arrange such a trip.
Replies
Jim is correct. For travel on Leave your sailor is just like any other citizen and will need a passport and any appropriate travel visas. (The DoS page on Panama says that one is not needed for says of less than 180 days)
As to any possible security concerns, your sailor can always make an appointment with the local legal department to ensure that there are NO issues. Typically, if there are no Department of State travel warnings for a country/region there should be no issues with traveling to them on leave.
Hello,
Thanks for the info my son is plainning to visit the Phiippines in the near feature.
Thank you very much for the information and advice. Its good news.
Thanks for getting back to me. I just talked to heim. He has a passport but was concerned that because of his security clearance that he would have problems leaving the country. He is in the computer field IT tech I guess is the closest I can understand. He is stationed on a ship in for retrofit for the next few years. What little he has told me it doesn't sound very sensitive. He thinks that he would have to get clearance way up the ladder. I can't help but think he is getting the wrong information about this. Any Ideas or thoughts?