U.S. State Department Maintains Level 2 Travel Advisory for Panama: Exercise Increased Caution Due to Crime, Updates Sum

Current rules

The U.S. State Department advises U.S. citizens to 'Exercise Increased Caution' in Panama due to crime. Specific 'Do Not Travel' warnings are issued for the Mosquito Gulf and parts of the Darién Region due to crime. The advisory notes that crime occurs in Panama, including theft and residential break-ins, with crimes of opportunity like pickpocketing and purse snatching happening in tourist areas. Occasional residential break-ins are reported, especially during the holiday season. The advisory also includes a new 'Unrest' risk indicator, noting that large-scale demonstrations related to the local political situation may occur with little notice and could disrupt transportation and essential services. U.S. government employees require special authorisation to travel to the Mosquito Gulf and the Darién Region, and the U.S. government has limited ability to offer emergency services in these areas.

Overview

The U.S. State Department has updated its travel advisory for Panama, maintaining the Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution designation. The update clarifies that the primary concern for the overall advisory level is crime, removing the explicit mention of 'unrest' as a general factor. However, it specifically advises against travel to the Mosquito Gulf and parts of the Darién Region due to increased crime risks, where U.S. government services are limited.

What changed in the latest version

This updated travel advice means that United States (U.S.) citizens travelling to or living in Panama must now also consider the risk of political unrest. This is in addition to the existing crime worries. Travellers should be ready for possible problems with transport and services. This is because of protests, which might happen with little warning. For U.S. government employees, the need for special permission to travel to the Mosquito Gulf and Darién Region is a new administrative step. It confirms the higher safety risks in these areas. This affects official work and planning. The focus on common crimes like pickpocketing and house break-ins means travellers need to be more aware of their personal safety. This is especially true in tourist areas and during holidays.

Explained simply

Imagine you're planning a trip to Panama. The U.S. government is telling you, 'Be a bit more careful than usual' (that's 'Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution'). The main reason is because of things like stealing, not because of big protests like before. They're also saying, 'Definitely don't go to these two specific places called the Mosquito Gulf and parts of the Darién Region because it's too dangerous there, and if you get into trouble, it will be hard for us to help you.' So, for the rest of Panama, just keep your wits about you, but those two places are a no-go.

Frequently asked

Version history

1. v59Effective 19 Aug 2026PublishedMedium impact
   U.S. State Department Maintains Level 2 Travel Advisory for Panama: Exercise Increased Caution Due to Crime, Updates Summary

   Follows v52 · U.S. State Department Updates Panama Travel Advisory Summary, Removes 'Unrest' Indicator, Maintains Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution Due to Crime

   The United States (U.S.) State Department has updated its travel advice for Panama. This advice remains at 'Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution'. This is mainly because of crime. The updated advice now includes an 'Unrest' risk warning. This warning means that large public protests might happen. These protests could stop transport and important services. The advice still tells people not to travel to the Mosquito Gulf and parts of the Darién Region. This is because of crime there. The advice mentions common crimes. These include theft, house break-ins, pickpocketing, and bag snatching. U.S. government employees must get special permission to travel to these high-risk areas.

2. v52Effective 19 Aug 2026EffectiveMedium impact
   U.S. State Department Updates Panama Travel Advisory Summary, Removes 'Unrest' Indicator, Maintains Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution Due to Crime

   The U.S. State Department has updated its travel advice for Panama. Panama stays at 'Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution'. The advice previously included a warning for 'Unrest'. This warning is now removed from the summary. However, the advice still says that large public protests might happen without much warning. These protests could stop transport and necessary services. The specific 'Do Not Travel' warnings for the Mosquito Gulf and parts of the Darién Region are still in place because of crime. The advice now gives more geographical details for these high-risk areas.