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The most popular permanent residency Visa in Panama is the Pensionado Visa. It is ideal for retirees because you only need to prove $1000US monthly in lifetime income plus an additional $250 for each dependent. Lifetime income must be a government-issued pension, such as Social Security or military retirement, or a pension from a job. Unfortunately, rental income, business income, annuities, 401(k) s, or IRAs do not qualify for a Pensionado Visa. A Pensionado Visa is also the most affordable visa because the Panamanian government waives its fees ($1050 each) for getting a Pensionado visa.
There is a special temporary visa available for U.S. citizens that allows you to live in Panama for up to 5 years. It’s the perfect solution for those who want to move to Panama before they qualify for a pension or Social Security. See details here.
Friendly Nations Visa
A Friendly Nations Visa may be a good option if you don’t qualify for a Pensionado Visa. To get the Friendly Nations Visa, you either need to get a job in Panama, or you need to buy real estate worth at least $200,000, or you can deposit $200,000 into a 3-year CD earning 3.5% at Banco Nacional.
For the Friendly Nations Visa, there is also an option to set up a corporation that hires you to work in Panama. You will need a legitimate business (it can be an online business), a work permit, and to pay yourself a monthly salary. In the Online Complete Panama Relocation Guide, we have more details about what you need to qualify and an attorney who can help you set this up.
See this article about getting a job in Panama. I know some tour clients who have gotten six-figure jobs working for multinational companies in Panama. A US citizen could be exempt from paying US taxes on the first $120,000 (2023 limit) in income under the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion.
We at Panama Relocation Tours have always recommended that you live in Panama for at least 6-12 months before considering buying real estate. Twelve months give you time to realize you like living in Panama and the area you have selected. You get to experience both the rainy and dry seasons, which can be dramatically different. Twelve months also gives you time to better understand the real estate market, so you don’t pay too much when/if you buy.
For many people, it makes more sense to “just rent” the whole time you live in Panama because buying is fast and easy, but selling real estate in Panama can take many years. Renting allows you to move anytime or even leave Panama anytime you want. If you own real estate in Panama, you may need to wait for it to sell before you can move on with your life.
With the Pensionado Visa, renting is possible. Don’t be rushed into buying just to get a visa; there are plenty of other options.
What are some other options for living in Panama?
Other options are available for those who do not qualify for a Pensionado Visa and don’t want to get the Friendly Nations Visa. Keep in mind that this information is subject to change. We do our best to stay up to date with the latest requirements and laws.
Professional Residency Visa
Panama offers a visa program for foreigners who hold a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or PhD in any profession that is not a protected profession for Panamanians.
You will need to submit a national criminal report and a certified copy of your degree or diploma that has been apostilled or authenticated. It can take 6-12 months for your degree to be approved by immigration. Once it is approved, you can apply for a residency visa.
You will initially be issued a two-year temporary visa. After two years, your attorney can help you apply for a permanent visa.
In addition to the attorney fees, a $ 1,250 fee must be paid to immigration.
These are some of the protected professions. If your degree is in one of these professions, you will not qualify:
1.Nursing
2.Barbering and Cosmetology
3.Odontology
4.Engineering and Architecture
5.Agricultural Sciences
6.Pharmacy
7.Chiropractors
8.Nutrition
9.Engineer
10.Psychology
11.Medical Assistant
12.Accounting
13.Journalism
14.Chemical Laboratory Technicians
15.Public Relations
16.Speech Therapy, therapists and similar
17.Economy
18.Social Work
19.Medicine/Doctor
20.Veterinary
21.Physiotherapy
22.Medical radiology
23.Law
24.Dental assistant
25.Sociology
26.Chemistry
27.Professor
28.Computer Science
29.Health Visitor
Short Stay/Digital Nomad/Remote Worker Visa
Executive Decree No. 198 of May 7th, 2021 (hereinafter, the “Decree”), published in the electronic Official Gazette on May 20th, 2021, creates the Short Stay Visa as a Remote Worker.
For its renewal, the foreigner must meet the same requirements submitted with the first application.This is not a good visa option for two reasons:
1. It is not a permanent visa. You can stay in Panama for 9 months, then renew once for another 9 months.
2. If you are from North America, just as a tourist, you can stay in Panama for 180 days without jumping through all the hoops to get a digital nomad visa.
This visa will be granted to those foreigners who intend to work remotely within the Republic of Panama for a period of nine (9) months, renewable once for the same period. The foreigner who applies for this Visa must meet, in addition to other applicable specific requirements, the Health Certificate, Criminal Record, etc. with the following prerequisites:
To have a work contract with a foreign transnational company, or be a self-employed worker, in the remote working model.
Perform duties that have effects abroad.
Receive income from a foreign source and with an annual amount not less than USD 36,000.00 or equivalent in foreign currency.
Have a valid medical insurance policy, with coverage in Panama.The requirements to apply for the visa include:
*Completed application form, which includes the commitment of
the applicant to assume the costs to return to their home
country or destination,
*Three passport photos,
*Certified passport copies,
*Criminal record certification,
*Good health certificate,
*Health insurance policy which must include coverage for the
period of stay in Panama,
*Affidavit of personal background,
*Affidavit of non-acceptance of any work or service offer to
carry out business in Panama,
*Certification of proof of registration of the foreign company
where the applicant is employed,
*Letter of employment stating the position and functions
exercised, monthly income, work modality, and commitment to
assume the costs of return to their country of origin.Self-employed applicants must prove ownership of a company registered outside of Panama and a sworn statement describing the business activity, services, clients, and revenue. All documents issued abroad must be apostiled or legalized.
The website for registering for this visa online has not yet been established so you’ll need to use an attorney to apply. A $250 fee is paid to immigration plus whatever your attorney charges.
Citizenship for Zonians
Panama provides citizenship to those born in the former Panama Canal Zone between 1904 and 1979. This group of people, Zonians, must prove that they were born in Panama. An immigration lawyer can help you get Panama citizenship and a passport.
Married to a Panamanian
Just because you are married to a Panamanian, it does not grant you residency in Panama. You can apply for temporary residency. Immigration will visit your home, unannounced, several times to verify that you are really married. Two years after you apply for temporary residency, you can apply for permanent visa.
Self Economic Solvency Visa
Another residency visa option for those who do not qualify for a Pensionado Visa or a Friendly Nations Visa is a self-economic solvency Visa. To qualify, you will need a minimum $300,000 investment in one of 3 investment options:
-$300,000 in a 3-year CD in a Panama bank. Plus $2,000 per additional dependent.
-$300,000 in titled real estate in Panama. Plus $2,000 per additional dependent. *The titled property CANNOT be in the name of a corporation. The titled property must be in the applicant’s name.
-Combination of a 3-year CD and Real Estate amounting to $300,000. For each additional dependent, there is a $2,000 investment.
Once approved, the Panamanian government will issue a 2-year temporary residency visa. After two years, you can apply for permanent residency.
You can also apply for a work permit (so you can be employed under a labor contract) under the Self-Economic Solvency visa.
Business Investor Visa
If you plan to start a business in Panama to obtain permanent residency, there is a $160,000 minimum investment per applicant in a legitimate new business or a new corporation.
As the applicant, you must prove that this is your own capital and that you will start a legitimate business. To process this type of business visa, you will also need to obtain a business license and register with the Panama Social Security (Caja de Seguro Social, or CSS). Hire at least 5 Panamanian employees, paying their social security benefits, and at least pay the minimum wage.
Remember that there are “protected” professions exclusive to Panamanians only, such as: Lawyers, Doctors, Accountants, and Retail Sales, among others. The best way to learn the specifics of this and any other type of residency visa, you should contact an immigration attorney.
Reforestation Visa
The reforestation visa was put in place as an incentive to grant foreigners residency by enabling them to restore much of the land destroyed by humans.
To qualify, you must invest at least $100,000 in land and purchase at least 5 hectares. The National Environmental Authority (ANAM) states that the land shall be used in activities of reforestation, authorized forest plantation, or any other activity authorized by the National Environmental Authority.
There is an additional $2,000 investment per dependent. Once the visa has been approved, a 2-year temporary visa is issued before you can apply for permanent residency.
There is also a provision that if you spend $350,000 on a reforestation program, you get instant permanent residency.
You need to be careful with the Reforestation Visa. There are a lot of scam operations claiming to be the reforestation visa for about $25,000 but they are illegal. Your immigration attorney can verify if a Reforestation Visa program is legit.
Golden Visa or Qualified Investor Visa
The Executive Decree 722 of October 15, 2020, created a new permanent residency category for economic reasons. Through this program, the applicant can become a permanent resident by making a qualified investment in Panama, including the following options:
Buy real estate worth $300,000
Investment in the Panamanian Stock Market: Purchase securities through a qualified and licensed brokerage firm for $500,000 or more.
Fixed-term deposit in Banco Nacional for $750,000 – must be free of liens.
You can apply for this visa without coming to Panama (not advised) and get instant (less than 30 days) permanent residency.
Note that the government fees are about $10,000 for this visa, plus lawyers are charging about $10,000 for this visa, so it makes it one of the least attractive visas to apply for.
Panama Free Trade Zone Investor Visa
To qualify for a free zone investor visa, you must show that you are investing in a business in one of the designated free trade zones to operate a business from Panama that exports its products or services. Your immigration attorney may have information about investments in the free trade zone.
To qualify, you have to prove that you have an agreement to rent a plot of land in the free trade zone with a contract for a minimum of 10 years. The visa encourages foreigners who can generate revenue from Panama to the rest of the world.
The designated tax-free zones in Panama offer distinct tax advantages for businesses such as assembly lines, software development facilities, call centers, and other operations that export their products or services. These businesses also get tax breaks on a certain percentage of their products or services sold locally.
Italian Passport
The visa for Italian citizens was created in Law 15 of 1966 – called the Friendship, Business, and Navigation treaty between the Republics of Panama and Italy – with the objective to encourage Italians to establish economic and professional activities in Pa
With this visa, you will still need proof of economic ties with Panama through a corporation, ownership of titled property, or a job offer. This visa does NOT require you to purchase real estate in Panama; you can simply set up a corporation to show economic ties. It costs about $1200 to set up a corporation.
This is a great visa option because the applicant’s spouse and dependents do NOT have to be Italian citizens to be included in the application.
Agriculture Investor Visa
Panama also has an agricultural investor visa program that allows foreigners to become permanent residents through land investments. To qualify, the applicant must invest at least $60,000 in an agricultural business in government-approved areas.
Once approved, the visa is valid for six years and can be renewed every two years. It is important to note that an investor on this visa program does NOT qualify to become a permanent resident, but it could be an option if you were planning to get involved in agriculture anyway.
What’s The Next Step?
We love living in Panama, but realize it’s not right for everyone. So, we highly recommend that you visit to see if Panama “feels” right before you decide to move to Panama or get a visa.
Since 2010, Panama Relocation Tours has offered all-inclusive 6-day, 7-night relocation tours to show you the most popular places to live, meet experts and expats, see rentals, and learn everything you need to know for a smooth, hassle-free move to Panama.
Another way to check out Panama is a Private Tour of the area(s) you are most interested in. Our Private Tour guides know the area well and will give you the inside scoop about living there. Our Private Tours start at as little as $250 a day for a couple. See details about Private Tours here
Once you move to Panama, unless you qualify for the Pensionado Visa, you may want to be a tourist for 6-12 months before you spend money on any of the other visa options we mentioned above.
