Professional Services & Technology

In short: Panama is still used for international structures, but under transparency rules that no longer fit the opaque image of a decade ago. The country left the FATF grey list in October 2023 and is not on the June 2026 update. On October 9, 2026, EU finance ministers removed Panama from Annex I, the list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions. Territoriality still applies, now with an economic substance test for certain passive income from 2027. Checked on October 6, 2026. Contents of this guide The short answer What still holds and what changed The international lists, with dates Myths and…

In short: Friendly Nations residency is the route by which citizens of more than 50 countries can live in Panama with an employment contract, a 200,000 dollar property or a fixed-term deposit of the same amount. Since 2021 it is no longer permanent from the start: applicants first receive a two-year provisional permit and then permanent residency. On 1 September 2026 Ecuador joined the list. In the first half of 2026 Immigration approved 1,011 permits under this route, the country's fifth most used category. What it is and who can apply Panama created this subcategory in 2012 with Executive Decree…