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  #1  
Old 12 Mar 2009
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Expired Panama Permit
Hi
My bike permit for panama has expired and I am planning to try crossing the border into Costa Rica tomorrow. Does anyone have any experience dealing with this?
The permit expired march 3. I was unable to return to panama before march 10th.
Let me know

Thanks

Matt
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  #2  
Old 12 Mar 2009
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I don't know about Panama, but i left both Colombia and Ecuador with an expired permit. In Colombia, i told the guy that i crashed and had to return to Canada (it was 7 months overdue) and asked him to please cancel it for me. He wouldn't , returned my paper and told me to just leave, but NEVER return with THAT bike or they will take it away. I asked if i could enter again with another bike in the future, he said yes :confused1:
in Ecuador, crossing into Peru, i drove by Aduana before the bridge. some crusty old fellow tried to stop me and asked for my permit. I asked for what country, just to be sure. After he said Ecuador, i told him i don't need to and drove on into the crowd of people. My bike had been in Ecuador for 15 months.
I would suggest using a busy border, not the one up in the mountains, and just get caught up in the crowd. Aduana is usually volentary. Not sure if you need a cancelled paper though, like you do leaving Mexico for Guatamala, although some people have been known to enter Guat. without cancelling their permits in Mex (right Dirty??). Either way, you won't be able to enter that country again with that bike, or possibly any bike.
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  #3  
Old 12 Mar 2009
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I've had some similar lucky experiences to Mr Ron, including riding around Colombia for 3 months with no import documents. However, from what I recall about that border, they are quite hot on exiting imported vehicles and I think it is unlikely you will be allowed to leave without being stopped. I would expect, though, that they are likely to be open to "regalitos". Dunno, but good luck anyway.
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  #4  
Old 12 Mar 2009
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exporting
I think you can easily put a moto on one of the sailboats heading for panama....something tells me the Kuna indians will "import" the bike into Panama without export papers from Colombia for a couple of 6 packs or maybe 25 bucks...
then you have imported into panama more or less legally and on your way !

Zig
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  #5  
Old 13 Mar 2009
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I crossed the Panama-Costa Rica border The other morning. After I got my passport stamped to exit I had the Inspector guy stamp the expired permit. He was to busy to look at the bike, so he just stamped it and handed it back. At the customs window, I think the lady noticed the date, because she hesitated to give back my passport and asked if I spoke Spanish. When I replied "no" in English she just handed me my passport and waved me away.
I was through the border and into Costa Rica in 45mins!

Matt
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  #6  
Old 13 Mar 2009
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Awesome! Nice work! Those moments when you need to decide if you speak spanish or not can be the most difficult.
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