Where to seek help

UNHCR Panama

We work with the State to protect refugees and asylum seekers. We also engage with government, civil society, and the private sector so that these individuals can exercise all their rights. You can visit our offices to receive guidance about your rights and responsibilities as an asylum seeker and as a refugee, and about how to begin the refugee status recognition procedure.

Contacts

  • Phone: (507) 304-9696
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Facebook: ACNUR
  • Twitter: ACNURamericas
  • Website: https://www.acnur.org/pais/panama
  • Address: Building 171, Calle Gonzalo Crance, Ciudad del Saber (City of Knowledge), Panama City, Republic of Panama
  • Office hours: Monday to Friday – 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

How to get there: From the Gran Terminal de Transporte Terrestre located in Albrook, take a Metrobus marked “Ciudad del Saber.” When you arrive, get off at the bus station and then board the free internal shuttle. Pay attention to the route color and its path to take the correct bus.

ONPAR

ONPAR is the state office, under the Ministry of Government, where applications for recognition of refugee status must be submitted. It is responsible for receiving, admitting, and processing all refugee status applications, as well as other administrative procedures related to the process, such as the renewal of identity documents.

  • Email: [email protected]
  • Website: www.mingob.gob.pa/onpar
  • Address: Condado Business Center Building, Condado del Rey, Tower 100, 2nd floor
  • Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday to Friday
  • Phones: 512-7229, 512-7230, 512-7231, 512-7232
  • Mobile: 6353-155

How to get there:

  • By Metro:
    There is currently no direct metro station in Condado del Rey. The nearest station is San Miguelito, where you can connect to bus routes or take a taxi to Condado del Rey.

  • By Bus:
    Take a Metrobus or route bus that runs along Vía Ricardo J. Alfaro (Tumba Muerto).
    Ask to get off at the entrance to Condado del Rey, near McDonald’s or El Fuerte.
    From there, you can walk or take a short taxi ride to Condado Business Center, Tower 100.

  • By Car:
    Drive along Vía Ricardo J. Alfaro toward Condado del Rey.
    Enter via the main road into Condado del Rey, passing McDonald’s.
    The Condado Business Center is in this area, Tower 100.
    Parking is available, though it may be limited during peak hours.

Consejo Noruego para Refugiados

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is an international, independent, humanitarian, non-profit organization established in 1946. It is the only Norwegian organization specialized in international work with displaced and refugee populations.

What services do they offer?

  • Free information, guidance, and legal assistance for asylum seekers and refugees in Panama.

  • Promotion of effective access by asylum seekers to the refugee status determination (RSD) procedure led by Panama’s National Office for Refugee Assistance (ONPAR).

  • Ensuring that people in need of international protection can access Panamanian territory and are not returned to their countries of origin.

  • Filing timely legal remedies/appeals.

Phones: (507) 6020-1876, 6589-4875, 6020-2772, 6020-2786, 6589-5016, 6589-5017
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.nrc.org.co
Address: Banco Delta Tower, 3rd floor, Office 301. Corner of Calle Elvira Méndez and Vía España.
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

HIAS

HIAS is a global humanitarian organization with approximately 140 years of history that protects refugees whose lives are in danger because of who they are. As an organization of Jewish origin, HIAS brings over a century of experience to its work with refugees, helping them take control and rebuild their lives in safety and freedom, and advocating for the protection and dignity of all refugees and displaced persons.

What services do they offer?

Psychosocial support: We provide psychosocial assistance and guidance to refugees to support their emotional well-being and integration in the Panamanian communities that receive them.

Community social inclusion: We work with host communities to contribute to their development in favor of refugees and the Panamanian population, in an integrated and inclusive way.

Women’s empowerment: Through workshops and training sessions, we empower women and LGBTIQ+ persons to reach their full potential while building strong, safe support networks. Through community meetings, care and response pathways for gender-based violence cases are strengthened, while community strategies are developed to prevent violence against women.

Phones: (507) 391-5171 and (507) 6120-1915
Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.hias.org/tagged/panama

Address: Banco Delta Tower, 3rd floor, Office 301. Corner of Calle Elvira Méndez and Vía España.
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Instagram: @hiaspanama

How to get there:

By Metro: Get off at Iglesia del Carmen station and take the exit onto Calle Elvira Méndez.

By Bus: Take a Vía España route Metrobus and get off at the Hotel El Panamá stop (in front of the Calle Elvira Méndez exit). Cross to the opposite sidewalk, enter Calle Elvira Méndez, walk about 50 meters, and you’ll find the entrance to Banco Delta Tower.

By car: Calle Elvira Méndez is one-way. Enter from Calle 50 and turn left at the corner where Tower Bank is located. Banco Delta Tower is at the end of the street (just before it meets Vía España). Parking spaces are limited and paid.

Hogar Luisa

The Comprehensive Support Center (CAI) – Hogar Luisa is a Catholic Church shelter for refugees and migrants.

What services do they offer?

  • Provides a dignified and safe space for temporary accommodation.

  • Comprehensive support (social, psychological, legal, and pastoral).

Phones: (507) 203-7600 and 224-0970
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.movilidadhumanapanama.org
Address: Parque Lefevre, Calle 92 and Ave. 3 Sur (also known as Calle 8va, Parque Lefevre), in front of Gimnasio Gringo De La Guardia, House No. 11, Panama City, Republic of Panama.
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

How to get there

  • By Metro:
    The nearest metro station is Fernández de Córdoba (Line 1).
    From there, you can take a taxi or a bus to Parque Lefevre (approximately 10–15 minutes by car).

  • By Bus:
    You can take Metrobus routes that run along Vía España or Vía Cincuentenario.
    Routes V201, V480, V500, V531, and V541 have stops near Avenida 3 Sur in Parque Lefevre.
    Once in the area, use Gimnasio Gringo De La Guardia as a landmark. House No. 11 is right in front.

  • By Car:
    From Vía España, take Avenida Santa Elena and then turn onto Calle 92.
    The address is directly in front of Gimnasio Gringo De La Guardia, in a residential area.
    Parking may be limited, as it is a house in an urban area.

Ciudad del Saber Foundation

City of Knowledge Foundation, located in Clayton, Panama City, is a collaborative ecosystem that drives humanitarian action, social innovation, and sustainable development in the region. Its mission is to facilitate cooperation among UN agencies, NGOs, international organizations, and local actors to improve quality of life in Panama and Latin America.

What services do they offer?
Through the Creciendo Juntos (Growing Together) Program, a partnership between UNHCR and the City of Knowledge Foundation, comprehensive support is provided to refugees and asylum seekers in Panama, with the goal of facilitating their economic and social inclusion.

The program offers training, mentoring, and personalized guidance in three key areas: continuing education, employability, and entrepreneurship. In continuing education, workshops are delivered to strengthen soft skills and essential technical skills for self-reliance.

In employability, refugees receive support in their job search, including targeted training, one-on-one counseling, and connections to employment opportunities. In entrepreneurship, those with business ideas or existing ventures are supported through training, mentoring, participation in fairs, and access to funds to strengthen their initiatives.

This comprehensive approach seeks to empower refugees, strengthen their sense of belonging, and contribute to the development of sustainable livelihoods.

Email: [email protected]
Address: House 137, City of Knowledge, Clayton, Panama
Phones: 6829-8128 / 6391-3846
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Website: https://ciudaddelsaber.org
Instagram: @ciudaddelsaber

How to get there

  • By Metrobus: From Albrook, take routes to Clayton.

  • By car: Access via the road to Clayton, across from the Panama Canal.

  • By bicycle or on foot: There are bike lanes and paths from nearby areas.

Healthcare services

In Panama, there are health centers in every corregimiento (district) where refugees and asylum seekers can go. You can search online for the list of health centers and find the one closest to your location.

Care at public health centers has a fee (USD). Services are free for children up to five (5) years of age. Refugees and asylum seekers must pay the same fees as Panamanian nationals, without discrimination. If a person cannot pay, the hospital’s social work department will conduct an assessment and allow the debt to be paid in installments. You may continue receiving care at the hospital even if you have an outstanding balance.

Adults: Hospital Santo Tomás, Calle 37 Este, Panama City, (+507) 507-5600
Children and adolescents: Hospital del Niño, Ave. Balboa & Calle 34, Panama, Republic of Panama, (+507) 512-9801 / 512-9808
Colón: Hospital Amador Guerrero, Calle 11, Barrio Sur, Colón, Panama, (+507) 475-2207