Panama offers several routes to live, invest or work, and each one has different requirements, timelines and documents. This page gathers Radar Panamá guides on visas, residency by investment, work permits and immigration procedures, with official sources and verification dates.
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Last verified: 19 October 2026. Every figure links to its official source.
How residency is obtained in Panama
Residency is not granted for having spent time in the country as a tourist. It is obtained by fitting a specific migration category, and the SNM publishes a requirements sheet for each one on its migration permits page. The sheets are grouped into permanent residence for economic reasons, special policies (such as retirees), labor reasons, demographic reasons (family) and special laws, besides the temporary resident categories.
In practice, investment and a lifetime pension lead to permanent residency from the first resolution. Friendly Nations, own economic solvency, marriage to a Panamanian and having a Panamanian child first give a two year permit. Radar’s article on the eight residency routes compared by profile, budget and timeline puts every option in one table.
One requirement is common to all routes: the application is filed by a legal representative, and documents issued abroad must arrive apostilled or authenticated and, if not in Spanish, translated by an authorized public translator in Panama, according to the procedure sheet on Panama Digital. For US and Canadian citizens, Radar detailed the routes, documents and common mistakes of residency for US and Canadian citizens.
Entry and stay visas
Entering the country, staying a few months and residing are three separate situations. The first depends on nationality: some nationals need a visa and others enter without one. The second is a stay as a non-resident. The third is residency itself. Radar’s article on Panama visas for entering, staying and residing explains which applies to each case.
The official sheet for the tourist visa (PM1) cites article 16 of Executive Decree 320 of 2008: a tourist visa is issued for a term of no more than 90 days. Among other requirements, it asks for a passport valid for three months and proof of economic means of no less than B/.500.00.
Anyone who needs more time has two options, both with an official sheet. The tourist visa extension (PM3) allows a total stay of up to 90 days and is requested before expiry. The extension for change of migration category (PM4) grants up to 60 more days to a tourist who will apply for residency and has not yet gathered every requirement. It is requested through a legal representative ten business days before expiry, with a payment of B/.250.00 and a guarantee deposit of B/.500.00 that is refunded if the application arrives complete and on time.
Lists of countries that need a visa change by decree, so the SNM page of 2026 decrees is the reference for recent changes.
The main residency routes
The table summarizes the most consulted routes with the requirement set by each official SNM sheet. The amounts come from the rules; apart from the qualified investor route, the rules do not set a resolution deadline.
| Route | Economic requirement or basis | Type of permit | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualified investor | B/.300,000.00 in a new property; B/.500,000.00 in a resale property, securities or a state bank; B/.750,000.00 in a private bank | Permanent residency from the first resolution | Executive Decree 17 of 2026 |
| Retiree or pensioner | Lifetime pension of B/.1,000.00 a month; B/.750.00 with an owned property above B/.100,000.00 | Indefinite permit, no renewal | Sheet PE2 |
| Friendly Nations | Job with a Panamanian company, B/.200,000.00 property, or B/.200,000.00 fixed term deposit for three years | Provisional for two years; then permanent | Sheet LE2 |
| Own economic solvency | B/.300,000.00 fixed term deposit for three years, funds from abroad | Two years; then option of permanence | Sheet RP4 |
| Married to a Panamanian | Marriage and stable cohabitation; proof of the marital home | Provisional for two years; then permanent | Sheet RD1 |
| Parent of a Panamanian child | At least one Panamanian child aged five or older | Provisional for two years; then permanent | Sheet RD3 |
| Remote worker | Annual income from abroad of B/.36,000.00 and health insurance | Non-resident: nine months, renewable once | Sheet PM18 |
The pensionado visa, with its requirements, legal discounts and mistakes that delay the process, requires the paying entity’s letter to prove the pension is for life. The Friendly Nations visa, with its country list and what changed, gained its provisional phase through Executive Decree 226 of 2021. The remote worker visa allows working from a distance without another permit, but with a sworn statement of not accepting work or services from companies or people in Panama. The full analysis is in the article on Panama for digital nomads, taxes and where to live.
Residency by investment after Executive Decree 17
Executive Decree 17 of 8 September 2026 was published in Official Gazette 30613 of 16 September 2026. It supersedes Executive Decree 722 of 2020 and its amendments, and takes effect on promulgation (articles 20 and 21). The Ministry of Commerce and Industries (MICI) presented it in its statement of 28 September. Radar summarized the change in its article on the new amounts, routes and timelines under the September decree.
| Type of investment | Minimum amount | Condition | Article |
|---|---|---|---|
| First sale property (new and unoccupied) | B/.300,000.00 | Transferred by the developer or its successor | 4, item a |
| Secondary market property | B/.500,000.00 | Property already sold, occupied, leased or transferred | 4, item b |
| Promise to purchase contract | B/.300,000.00 | Bank trust or payment to the developer with a bank guarantee; three years cumulative at most | 7 |
| Securities market, through a licensed broker | B/.500,000.00 | Uninterrupted commitment of five years | 8 |
| Fixed term deposit at Banco Nacional or Caja de Ahorros | B/.500,000.00 | Free of liens, five calendar years | 9, item b |
| Fixed term deposit at a private general license bank | B/.750,000.00 | Free of liens, five calendar years | 9, item a |
Under article 2, the funds must come from a foreign source, belong to the applicant and be traceable; donations do not count. For property, article 5 defines the computable value as the lower of the price paid and the proven commercial value, minus real liens. The difference between buying new or resale is analyzed in the article on how much to invest for new or resale property.
The steps and deadlines of the regime, under articles 3, 11, 12 and 15, are these:
- Investment certification. The MICI issues it within 15 business days of admitting the complete file (article 15), and it is valid for three months (article 3).
- Application at the SNM. It is filed through a special legal representative. Payments are B/.5,000.00 to the National Treasury and B/.5,000.00 as a repatriation deposit for the holder, and B/.1,000.00 plus B/.1,000.00 for each dependent (article 11).
- Migration resolution. The maximum term is 30 business days from receipt of the complete file at the Special Processing Desk (article 15).
- Maintenance. The investment must be held for five years, with an annual check before the MICI within the 30 calendar days before the anniversary of the resolution (article 12).
Article 14 allows applying for naturalization after five consecutive years of residency. If the investment ends before the term is complete, the holder has up to 90 calendar days to prove an equivalent reinvestment; otherwise the residency is cancelled (article 12).
The transitional regime has two rules. Anyone holding residency for own economic solvency, or with an application in process, may request the switch to qualified investor within the following 12 months (article 18). Applications filed before the decree took effect follow the earlier rules, and investments already completed may use the previous regime if the application is filed within six months (article 19). Radar developed the first case in its article on moving from economic solvency to qualified investor. To compare the regime with other countries, there is the analysis of residency by investment in Panama versus Paraguay, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Portugal and Spain.
Work permits and family residency
Residency and the work permit are handled by different institutions. The SNM decides residency; the Ministry of Labor and Labor Development (MITRADEL) decides authorization to work. MITRADEL’s Executive Decree 4 of 2023, published in Official Gazette 29736-B, regulates labor migration. The Friendly Nations sheet LE2 asks, when the basis is a job, for a copy of the permit application filed with MITRADEL.
For those who obtain residency through a family tie, Radar explained the procedure in its article on the work permit for foreigners with family reunification residency, and on who can apply for family reunification and what slows it down. The SNM sheets set out the requirements of each tie:
- Married to a Panamanian (RD1): marriage certificate, notarized letter of responsibility and repatriation, proof of the marital home and a certified check for B/.250.00. A person widowed or divorced during the provisional permit who has children from the marriage may opt for permanent status, although filing does not oblige the SNM to grant it. Radar’s article on residency by marriage, including the divorce case, develops it.
- Panamanian child (RD3): the child must be five or older, and the sheet asks for the birth certificate and certified checks of B/.250.00 and B/.800.00. The scope is covered in the article on residency through a Panamanian child.
- Dependents (RD2): spouse, children under 18, relatives with disabilities and dependent parents of the resident. Adult children, up to age 25, qualify if they study regularly.
When the provisional permit completes two years, permanence is requested with the same requirements, except the criminal record certificate and the checks, according to the three sheets. The ID card and the E card are explained in the article on permanent residency: from provisional to permanent.
Process, timelines and common mistakes
The process follows a fairly stable sequence across categories. A guide to verifying who files the case is in the article on how to verify an immigration lawyer, including licence, bar and scam warning signs.
- Choose the category and read its sheet at the SNM.
- Gather documents from the home country: criminal records, civil certificates and letters, apostilled or authenticated and officially translated where needed.
- Grant the notarized power of attorney to the lawyer, with the names and nationalities of the applicant’s parents, and gather the health certificate and photographs.
- File the application with the certified checks the category sets (for example, B/.250.00 to the National Treasury and B/.800.00 to the SNM under Friendly Nations).
- Wait for the resolution and, once approved, process the migration ID card.
On deadlines, the rules set only those of the qualified investor: 15 business days for certification and 30 business days for the resolution. For the other categories, the sheets consulted set no resolution time. Estimates in circulation come from private firms; Radar collects them, together with what lengthens a file, in the article on regulated and estimated timelines of immigration procedures.
The mistakes that repeat most, according to the sheets and Radar’s articles, are these:
- Filing a pension letter that does not say the pension is for life, a requirement of article 200 of Executive Decree 320 of 2008 reflected in sheet PE2.
- Reaching the end of the tourist stamp without requesting extension PM3 or PM4 in time.
- Submitting foreign documents without an apostille or with translations by someone who is not an authorized translator.
- Choosing a lawyer without verifying their licence.
On law firms, there are a ranking of ten immigration firms by Google reviews and a study of which lawyers AI recommends.
Myths and facts
- Myth: years as a tourist lead to residency. The rules allow only 90 days as a tourist (article 16 of Executive Decree 320 of 2008) and an extension of up to 60 days to complete a residency application (PM4).
- Myth: the digital nomad visa is residency. Sheet PM18 creates it within the non-resident category, lasting nine months and renewable once.
- Myth: the investment amount is a single figure. Executive Decree 17 of 2026 sets B/.300,000.00, B/.500,000.00 or B/.750,000.00 depending on the type (articles 4, 8 and 9).
- Myth: residency by investment is obtained once and kept. Article 12 requires holding the investment for five years and proving it every year before the MICI.
- Myth: being on the Friendly Nations list gives immediate permanence. Sheet LE2 sets a provisional two year permit and requires a job, a B/.200,000.00 property or a deposit of that value.
- Myth: marrying a Panamanian gives permanent status right away. Sheet RD1 provides a provisional permit, and permanence is requested after two years.
This guide is informational and does not replace professional advice.
Frequently asked questions
How can someone get residency in Panama?
By meeting the requirements of one of the categories regulated by the National Migration Service, such as qualified investor, pensioner, Friendly Nations or a family tie to a Panamanian. The application is filed through a legal representative with the documents each category’s sheet sets.
How much must be invested for residency by investment?
It depends on the type: B/.300,000.00 in a first sale property, B/.500,000.00 in a resale property, in securities or in a fixed term deposit at Banco Nacional or Caja de Ahorros, and B/.750,000.00 in a fixed term deposit at a private bank. Articles 4, 8 and 9 of Executive Decree 17 of 2026 set these amounts, and the investment must be held for five years.
Is a lawyer needed to apply for residency?
Yes, the SNM sheets require a notarized power of attorney in favor of a representative, and the qualified investor decree provides for filing through a special legal representative (article 16).
How many days can a tourist stay in Panama?
Up to 90 days at most, under article 16 of Executive Decree 320 of 2008, which the official tourist visa sheet cites. The extension must be requested before expiry, and someone about to apply for residency can request up to 60 more days to complete the file.
Does the remote worker visa give residency?
No, it is a short stay visa in the non-resident category, lasting nine months with one possible renewal for the same period. It requires income from a foreign source of at least B/.36,000.00 a year and health insurance valid in Panama.
Sources
All sources were consulted on 19 October 2026.
- Official Gazette 30613 of 16 September 2026, Executive Decree 17 of 2026.
- SNM, Executive Decree 17 of 8 September 2026 and SNM 2026 decrees.
- MICI, statement on the new qualified investor decree (28 September 2026).
- SNM, migration permits and requirements sheets.
- SNM, sheet PM1, tourist visa, PM3, extension and PM4, change of category.
- SNM, sheet PM18, short stay visa as a remote worker.
- SNM, sheet PE2, retiree or pensioner.
- SNM, sheet LE2, Friendly Nations and RP4, economic solvency by fixed term deposit.
- SNM, family reunification sheets: RD1, married to a Panamanian, RD2, dependent and RD3, Panamanian child.
- SNM, frequently asked questions.
- Panama Digital, application for permanent resident permit as married to a Panamanian.
- Executive Decree 320 of 8 August 2008, Official Gazette 26104 (Legispan).
- Official Gazette 29736-B, MITRADEL Executive Decree 4 of 2023.