How to Get Residency in Panama in Just 5 Days

Relocating to a new country often seems like a long, complicated process, but it doesn’t have to be. With the proper preparation and support from a qualified immigration attorney, you can get legal residency in Panama in just 5 business days.

Whether you’re looking to retire, work remotely, or simply enjoy a more affordable lifestyle, Panama offers two of the easiest and most popular visa options for foreigners: the Pensionado Visa and the Friendly Nations Visa.

Two Popular Visa Options:

🎯 1. Pensionado Visa (Retiree Visa)

Panama’s Pensionado Visa is ideal for retirees and offers legal residency in only 5 days! It’s also packed with benefits like discounts on healthcare, travel, dining, and more. You even get a 25% discount on airfare to anywhere in the world!

To qualify, you must show:

A lifetime pension income of at least $1,000 USD/month for one person or $1,250/month for a married couple

Accepted pensions include Social Security, military pensions, or other government-verified retirement benefits. Military lifetime disability payments also qualify. You can also buy a lifetime annuity to meet the requirements.

✔️ There is no age requirement to apply, as long as you meet the income qualifications.

✔️ You’ll receive a provisional/temporary visa within 5 days. Your permanent visa is ready is less than six months. You can live in Panama while you are waiting for your permanent visa or you can leave Panama then come back when it’s ready.

🎯 2. Friendly Nations Visa

If you’re not retired, the Friendly Nations Visa is your go-to option. It offers a two-year temporary residency with the option to upgrade to permanent residency later.

You must be a citizen of one of the 50+ “friendly nations” (including the U.S., Canada, and much of Europe), and qualify in one of these four ways:

🟡Get a job in Panama (must include a formal labor contract)

🟡Buy real estate worth at least $200,000 USD (cash or financed)

🟡Invest in a 3-year Certificate of Deposit at a Panamanian bank for $200,000

🟡Set up a Panama corporation that issues you a labor contract (ideal for online business owners or remote workers)

🟡You must have a passport from one of these Friendly Nation countries.

🎯 3. Other Visa Options

If you don’t qualify for the Friendly Nations Visa or the Pensionado Visa, don’t worry—Panama offers several other visa options to fit a variety of situations. For example, if you have an Italian passport, you can take advantage of a special treaty between Italy and Panama that makes it easy to get residency. If you’re an entrepreneur, Panama also has visa options specifically designed for those who want to start or invest in a business. Whether you’re seeking residency through international agreements or by contributing to the local economy, Panama provides flexible pathways to make your move possible. See Other Visa Options Here.

How Can You Get Residency in Just 5 Days?

If you work with an experienced immigration attorney who prepares everything in advance, your application can be submitted and processed quickly once you’re in Panama.

Here’s what the 5-day fast-track process looks like:

✅ Before You Arrive:

Before you arrive in Panama, you must collect all required documents, such as a national criminal report, proof of income, and a certified copy of your marriage certificate. These documents must be authenticated at the Panama Consulate in your country or apostilled by your federal government.

Scan your documents and email them to your attorney in advance. They can translate everything into Spanish before you arrive in Panama, which will help expedite the visa application process.

✅ Day 1 in Panama:

You meet with the attorney, sign papers, and submit your passport for registration

✅ Days 2–3:

Your attorney submits all documents electronically to Immigration, so your temporary residency card can be processed.

✅ Day 4-5:

You go to immigration with your attorney or their representative to sign more documents, get your photo taken, and receive your temporary residency ID, which gives you the legal right to live in Panama indefinitely.

Easy Peasy!

Fly to Panama on Sunday evening, and you’ll have your Panama residency visa by Friday! It’s that easy. You may want to stay extra days to go on an all-inclusive 6-day, 7-night Panama Relocation Tour or a Private Tour, or to explore on your own.

BONUS: Once you receive your visa, you are not required to live in Panama. So, Panama’s residency visa is ideal for a “Plan B“! To maintain your visa, you are only required to come back to Panama for at least one day every two years.

Get Trusted Help with the Online Panama Relocation Guide

Navigating Panama’s immigration process can be confusing and time-consuming—unless you have the right tools and connections. Knowing which immigration attorney to pick can be scary. That’s where the Online Panama Relocation Guide comes in.

This comprehensive resource includes:

✔️Step-by-step instructions for every visa

✔️A checklist of required documents and where to get them

✔️Tips on apostilling and authentication of documents – the easy way

✔️Regional insights into where to live in Panama

✔️Recommendations for vetted and very affordable immigration lawyers who can help you get residency in just 5 days

✔️And so much more, including health insurance options, car brokers, getting pets to Panama, finding a rental, real estate agent recommendations, and more!

Thousands of people have used the Online Guide to relocate to Panama smoothly and confidently, without the stress of figuring it out on their own.

Ready to Make the Move?

Whether you dream of beachfront living, mountain views, or a vibrant city lifestyle, Panama offers an easy path to make it happen—with legal residency in just 5 days.

If you’re serious about starting your new life in Panama, let the Online Panama Relocation Guide be your roadmap. It’s the fastest, safest, and most cost-effective way to move to Panama the right way.

👉 Click here to learn more about the Online Panama Relocation Guide.