Contents of this guide
Are the US and Canada on the list?
Yes. The Friendly Nations subcategory of permanent residency was created by Executive Decree 416 of June 13, 2012, and its list of eligible nationalities is rewritten each time the decree is amended. The text published in the Official Gazette with Executive Decree 16 of August 31, 2026 names Canada and the United States of America among the 51 countries now covered, together with Ecuador, which that decree added. Guides that still cite “Decree 343” are not following the instruments in force: the 2021 and 2026 decrees amend Decree 416.
The regime changed in 2021. Executive Decree 197 of May 7, 2021 and Executive Decree 226 of July 20, 2021 replaced direct permanent status with a two-year provisional residence permit, issued to carry out an economic or professional activity. After two years the holder can request permanent residence with the same requirements used at the start. Radar’s article on the Friendly Nations visa covers the country list and the changes in detail; this guide focuses on what matters for these two passports.
Entering Panama with a US or Canadian passport
Entry and residency are separate permissions. According to the visa page of Panama’s mission in the United States, US and Canadian citizens do not need a visa to enter as tourists. The National Migration Service (SNM) lists the general entry requirements in its frequently asked questions: a passport valid for at least three months, proof of economic solvency of at least B/.500.00 and a confirmed onward or exit reservation.
The length of the tourist stay is where sources disagree. The same mission page says that Resolution 22706 of September 2021 allows US and Canadian citizens up to 180 days as tourists, while the SNM tourist visa sheet reproduces article 16 of Executive Decree 320 of 2008, which caps tourist visas at 90 days without prejudice to international agreements and reciprocity. Some private guides state 90 days for everyone since 2025. No SNM document consulted resolves the point, so the number stamped at the airport is the one that counts, and any extension has to be requested before it expires. The article on entry, stay and residency permits explains the three layers.
Which route fits which profile
No single route is “the” residency for Americans or Canadians. The right one depends on what each person can document today. The table sets each profile against the route that usually fits and the official basis.
| Profile | Route that usually fits | What the official text requires | What follows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hired by a Panamanian company | Friendly Nations, employment | Employer letter on letterhead stating position and salary, company certificate from the Public Registry and operating notice (Decree 226) | Provisional permit for two years, then permanent residence |
| Owns or buys property | Friendly Nations, real estate | Public Registry certificate for a property worth at least B/.200,000.00, held personally, through a company where the applicant is the beneficial owner, or through a private interest foundation; bank financing is allowed | Provisional permit for two years, then permanent residence |
| Holds capital to deposit | Friendly Nations, fixed-term deposit | Certificate from a general-license bank in Panama: deposit of at least B/.200,000.00, free of liens, for at least three years | Provisional permit for two years, then permanent residence |
| Receives a lifetime pension | Pensioner | Pension from a foreign government, international body or private company of at least B/.1,000.00 a month, granted for life (SNM sheet PE2) | Indefinite permit, no renewal needed |
| Larger investor | Qualified Investor | Investment under Executive Decree 17 of 2026; the Ministry of Commerce reports B/.300,000.00 in first-sale real estate or B/.500,000.00 in a fixed-term deposit at a state bank (MICI) | Permanent residence |
| Spouse or parent of a Panamanian | Family reunification | A proven family link, not nationality | Provisional permit first; see the family reunification guide |
| Works remotely for a foreign employer | Remote worker short-stay visa | Foreign-source income of at least B/.36,000.00 a year and a letter stating at least B/.3,000.00 a month (SNM sheet PM18) | Nine months, extendable once. It is not residency. |
The pension route has details that matter for retirees. The sheet admits a pension from a foreign government, an international organization or a private company, lowers the minimum to B/.750.00 for someone who owns property in Panama worth more than B/.100,000.00, allows spouses to add their pensions to reach the minimum and asks B/.250.00 more per dependent. Radar’s pensioner visa article covers the discounts. Which document proves a particular US or Canadian pension is decided by the SNM when it reviews the file.
The firm Legal Solutions Panamá describes the Friendly Nations route, the investor permits and the retiree and pensioner permit on separate pages of its site. Its residence permits hub gathers every category it handles for foreigners and investors. For a comparison of money and time across routes, Radar’s eight residency routes and qualified investor articles are the reference.
Legal Solutions Panamá, a firm based in Panama City, handles residence permits for foreigners and investors, including the Friendly Nations category.
Documents: FBI, RCMP and the apostille
Article 247 of Executive Decree 320 of 2008 sets the rule for any document issued abroad: it must be apostilled, or authenticated by the Panamanian embassy or consulate in the issuing country and by Panama’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs; it must be in Spanish or translated by an authorized public translator; and amounts in foreign currency need a conversion to dollars issued by a competent entity. The SNM sheets ask for a criminal record certificate in nearly every category.
- United States. The criminal record is usually the FBI Identity History Summary. According to the FBI’s own questions and answers, results are authenticated with an FBI watermark and a signature, and the requester can send them to the US Department of State to obtain an apostille, as described on the State Department criminal records page. The United States has been bound by the Apostille Convention since October 15, 1981.
- Canada. Certified criminal record checks come from the RCMP, with fingerprints taken at a police service or an accredited agency. Canada joined the Apostille Convention, which entered into force there on January 11, 2024, so Global Affairs Canada now issues an apostille where it once issued its own authentication stamp, as its document authentication FAQ explains. Older advice that describes a chain of authentication followed by consular legalization predates that change.
- Panama. Panama has been bound by the Convention since August 4, 1991, according to the Hague Conference status table, which is why an apostille, and not consular legalization, is the normal path for both passports.
The sheets do not say whether the SNM prefers a fingerprint-based or a name-based Canadian check, nor how recent a certificate must be in every category. Those points are confirmed against the sheet for the chosen route before ordering a certificate that could expire during the process. Birth and marriage certificates for dependents follow the same article 247 chain.
Residency and the right to work
Residency status and the right to hold a job are separate. Under the employment option of Executive Decree 226, both the applicant and the employer must process a work permit with the Ministry of Labor. The preamble of Decree 16 of 2026 restates the point for the whole subcategory: the status does not exempt the holder from the work permit and does not grant the right to practice professions regulated by special laws. The remote worker visa works differently: its sheet says the holder needs no further permit from another state entity to work remotely in Panama. A property or deposit applicant who later wants to take a local job therefore plans the permit separately.
Common mistakes and what to verify
| Myth | What the official texts say |
|---|---|
| Being on the list gives permanent residency on arrival | Since 2021 the first permit is provisional for two years; permanent status is requested afterward. |
| A Panamanian bank account is enough | The decree lists three reasons: employment, property or a fixed-term deposit of at least B/.200,000.00 for three years. |
| The tourist stamp lets the holder apply later without a rush | An extension must be requested before the stay expires; the SNM sheet for changing category allows up to 60 more days when documents are missing. |
| Canadian documents still need consular legalization | Since January 11, 2024 Canada issues apostilles, and Panama is a party to the Convention. |
| Residency lets the holder work in any profession | The 2026 decree preamble excludes regulated professions and keeps the Ministry of Labor permit. |
Before choosing a route, these points are worth checking:
- The route’s economic basis. Employment contract, property title or deposit certificate, each with the characteristics the decree sets.
- The vehicle. Personal ownership, a company with the applicant as beneficial owner, or a private interest foundation, as the Friendly Nations text allows for property and deposits.
- Certificates. Criminal records from the right authority, apostilled and translated if needed, ordered close to the filing date.
- Dependents. Spouse and children follow the rules for dependents of permanent residents; kinship certificates are apostilled.
- The tourist stay. Dates stamped on entry and the deadline for any extension.
- Work plans. Whether a Ministry of Labor permit will be needed.
Timing is estimated, not set by rule for most routes; Radar’s article on immigration processing times separates the two. Costs depend on the route, the number of dependents and the professionals involved, and the firm gives a proposal after reviewing the case. Before hiring anyone, the guides on verifying an immigration lawyer and on what a lawyer does in a residence permit explain licensing and the stages. For buyers, buying property as a foreigner covers the purchase side. This guide is general information and does not replace the advice of a qualified lawyer for the specific case.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Panama residency requirements for US citizens?
US citizens qualify for the Friendly Nations route if they prove one of three bases: a job with a Panamanian employer, a property of at least B/.200,000.00 or a fixed-term deposit of the same amount for three years. They also provide a passport copy, an apostilled FBI criminal record and the other documents on the SNM sheet. Pensioners, investors and family members follow separate routes.
What are the Panama residency requirements for Canadians?
Canadians meet the same requirements as US citizens, because Canada is named in the same Friendly Nations list. The difference is the criminal record: it comes from the RCMP and, since Canada joined the Apostille Convention on January 11, 2024, it is apostilled by Global Affairs Canada.
How does an American get residency in Panama?
An American picks the route that matches a document already in hand: an employment offer, a property, a deposit, a lifetime pension or a family tie to a Panamanian. A lawyer files the application with a notarized power of attorney before the National Migration Service, and the first permit is provisional for two years under Friendly Nations.
What are the Panama permanent residency requirements?
Permanent residency comes in two ways: directly, for pensioners and qualified investors, or after a two-year provisional permit, as in Friendly Nations and the family routes. The pension must be at least B/.1,000.00 a month and for life; qualified investment starts at B/.300,000.00 in first-sale real estate under the 2026 decree.
Does the Panama Friendly Nations visa apply to US citizens?
Yes, the United States of America is named in the Friendly Nations list of Executive Decree 416 of 2012, as amended up to Decree 16 of 2026. Being on the list does not by itself grant residency: it only allows applying, and the applicant still has to show employment, property or a fixed-term deposit.
Related articles
- Friendly Nations visa in Panama: country list, requirements and changes
- Pensioner visa in Panama: requirements and discounts
- Qualified investor in Panama: amounts, routes and timelines
- The eight residency routes in Panama compared
- Panama visas: entry, stay and residency
- Family reunification in Panama: who can apply
- How long each immigration procedure takes in Panama
Sources
All sources were checked on October 7, 2026. The official ones are in Spanish.
- Executive Decree 16 of August 31, 2026, Gaceta Oficial 30601-B (Friendly Nations list, with Ecuador).
- Executive Decree 226 of July 20, 2021, Gaceta Oficial 29335 and Executive Decree 197 of May 7, 2021, Gaceta Oficial 29290-A.
- SNM, pensioner sheet, remote worker visa sheet, tourist visa sheet, frequently asked questions and migration permits.
- Gaceta Oficial 30613, Executive Decree 17 of September 8, 2026 (qualified investor) and Ministry of Commerce and Industries, note of September 28, 2026.
- Executive Decree 320 of 2008, article 247.
- Panama’s mission in the United States, visas and stay.
- Hague Conference, Apostille Convention status table, Global Affairs Canada, document authentication, FBI, Identity History Summary FAQs and US Department of State, criminal records.
- Firm pages: residence permits, Friendly Nations, investor, retirees and pensioners.
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