Contents of this guide
Three permits, three different questions
Much of the confusion about Panama visas comes from using one word for three different things. Each answers its own question and is governed by a separate sheet of the National Migration Service (SNM).
| Layer | Question it answers | Form | Limit set by the rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Entry | Can this person board the plane or cross the border? | Visa exemption, authorized visa or stamped visa, depending on nationality | It only authorizes entry. It gives no right to stay beyond the stay granted. |
| 2. Temporary stay | How long and for what purpose can someone stay without residing? | Tourist, short stay (business, family visit, remote work and others) and extensions, tourist visa sheet | A tourist visa is issued for a term of no more than 90 days. |
| 3. Residency | Can the person live in the country on a stable basis? | Temporary, provisional or permanent resident permit under a specific category | It depends on the category: some give a provisional permit that later allows an application for permanence. |
Layer 1: entering Panama
As a general rule, most nationalities enter without a prior visa. According to Panama’s mission in the United States, which publishes an outline of tourist visa types, the rest fall into two groups: those that need an authorized visa, which requires prior approval from Migration, and those that need a stamped visa, processed at a consulate. The same page records an exception for people who already hold a valid visa or residence from certain countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, Korea, Japan, the United Kingdom, Singapore and the European Union, with a maximum stay of 30 days.
The exact list of nationalities changes by decree and should not be copied from memory. A recent example: Executive Decree 12 of June 30, 2026, published in the Official Gazette and hosted on the SNM site, ended the stamped visa requirement for Dominican Republic nationals that Executive Decree 176 of 2015 had set. The SNM posts the year’s decrees on its 2026 decrees page.
For entry, the SNM’s frequently asked questions list a passport valid for at least three months, proof of funds of at least B/.500.00 and an onward reservation, plus the visa when the country of origin requires one. These requirements were checked on October 7, 2026.
Layer 2: temporary stay
Article 16 of Executive Decree 320 of 2008, transcribed in the official tourist visa sheet, provides that tourist visas are valid for a term of no more than 90 days, without prejudice to international agreements and reciprocity. A person granted fewer than 90 days can request an extension before it expires, up to a maximum of 90, with a valid passport, a paid ticket, a justification and proof of funds, according to the extension sheet.
A second extension exists for people who want to change to resident status. The sheet for extension to change category allows a tourist to request up to 60 more days when some requirement for the residency application is still missing. It must be requested through a legal representative ten business days before the stay expires, with a payment of B/.250.00 and a guarantee deposit of B/.500.00 that is returned if the application is filed complete and on time.
The non-resident short-stay category also sits within temporary stays. The SNM publishes sheets for business, family visits, medical treatment, merchants and investors, the banking sector, researchers and remote workers. The last one, created by Executive Decree 198 of 2021, is what is known as the digital nomad visa: it lasts nine months, can be extended once for the same period, and requires foreign-source income of at least B/.36,000.00 a year and health insurance valid in Panama, according to the remote worker sheet. It is not residency.
Layer 3: the residency routes
Residency is requested by category. The table summarizes the main ones; for routes already analyzed in depth on Radar, it points to the relevant article, and the rest are detailed in the next section. A money-and-time chart of eight routes is in the eight residency routes compared.
| Route | Who qualifies | What follows | More information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualified investor | Foreigners who invest under the 2026 decree’s options | Permanent residency by investment | Amounts and timelines |
| Friendly Nations | Nationals of countries on the official list who show employment or investment | Provisional permit, then permanence | List and requirements |
| Pensioner or retiree | People who receive a pension or retirement benefit | Permanent residency | Requirements and discounts |
| Family reunification | Spouse of a Panamanian, parent of a Panamanian child, dependents of residents | Provisional or temporary permit depending on the route | Who can apply |
| Professional | Foreign professional in a profession not reserved for Panamanians | Provisional permit, then permanence | See next section |
| Multinational Company Headquarters (SEM) | Staff of companies holding an SEM license | Permanence after five years | See next section |
| Student | People in regular full-time studies | Temporary permit with extensions | See next section |
| Technician or specialist (15%) | Foreigners hired as specialized or technical staff | Depends on the work permit and the applicable sheet | See next section |
| Foreigner within the 10% | Foreigners hired by a private company at the minimum salary set in the sheet | Provisional for two years, then permanence | See next section |
The SNM also lists less frequent categories, such as retired rentier, agricultural or forestry investment, Ciudad del Saber, the audiovisual industry, free zones and call centers. The full catalog with each sheet as a PDF is on the migration permits page. On timing, the article on immigration processing times separates those set by rule from estimates.
Legal Solutions Panamá, a firm based in Panama City, gathers on one page the residence permit categories it handles for foreigners and investors.
Five routes that are rarely explained
The SNM sheets make it possible to pin down five categories that are rarely detailed. The firm has a page for each: professionals, multinational company workers, students, technician within the 15% and foreigner within the 10%.
- Professional. The PPT-PROF sheet admits a foreign professional as long as the profession is not limited to Panamanians by the Constitution or by law. It asks for the university degree, apostilled or authenticated, and, if foreign, the validation certificate. It grants a provisional resident permit; permanence is requested later with the same requirements, except the criminal record and the check. It is based on Executive Decree 804 of 2012.
- Multinational Company Headquarters. Law 41 of 2007 created the regime and Law 57 of 2018 set in its article 27-A that foreign staff can opt for permanent residency once five years have passed since the approval of the permanent staff visa. For technicians or entertainment personnel, the SEM temporary staff sheet provides a permit of up to three months, extendable for three more months once.
- Student. The temporary permit for education sheet requires regular full-time studies at centers recognized by the Ministry of Education, with all the term’s subjects enrolled in daytime hours. The permit is exclusively for studying: work is prohibited, except internships the school requires. An extension asks for the official approved grades of the previous year.
- Technician within the 15%. Article 17 of the Labor Code sets that at least 90 percent of ordinary staff must be Panamanian and that specialized or technical foreign staff may not exceed 15 percent of all workers, with prior authorization from the Ministry of Labor. Article 18 requires the employer to replace the foreign technician with a Panamanian within a maximum of five years from the authorization. Within the Panamá Pacífico area, the specialized staff sheet sets the 15% limit and a permit for the period of the special laws, up to five years, renewable yearly.
- Foreigner within the 10%. The PPT-6 sheet covers foreigners hired by a private company at a salary of no less than B/.850.00 a month. The provisional permit lasts two years and permanent status can then be requested. Documents include the contract endorsed by the Ministry of Labor, the company’s operating notice and Social Security Fund enrollment.
For all cases with dependents, the kinship and age requirements are explained in the article on family reunification.
Myths, common mistakes and what to check
| Myth | What the official sources say |
|---|---|
| A visa exemption allows living in Panama | It only authorizes entry. The tourist stay has a 90-day cap in the official sheet and residency requires a category. |
| The digital nomad visa is residency | It is a nine-month short-stay visa, extendable once, within the non-resident category. |
| A student permit allows working | The sheet prohibits it, except the internships the school requires. |
| A provisional permit is permanent residency | In the professional and 10% sheets, the provisional permit is followed by a separate application for permanence. |
Before deciding, these points are worth confirming with the SNM:
- Nationality and entry visa. Check whether the country is among those requiring a visa under the decree in force.
- Residency category. Choose by the criterion the sheet requires (investment, family link, employment, studies, pension) and not by the name of the visa.
- Foreign documents. Criminal record certificates and other foreign documents must be apostilled or legalized; the health certificate is valid for three months when the application is filed, according to the SNM sheets.
- Notarized power of attorney. Most sheets ask for a power of attorney and application through a lawyer, stating the applicant’s parents’ names and nationality.
- Legal fees. The sheets cite a certified check of B/.250.00 to the national treasury and another of B/.800.00 to the SNM as a repatriation deposit in several categories.
- Stay dates. Request any extension before the term expires, with the advance notice the sheet sets.
What moves the cost of a residency process most is the category and the number of dependents. Before hiring a lawyer, the article on how to verify an immigration lawyer explains licensing and scam signals, and the one on what a lawyer does in a residence permit details the phases. The information in this guide is general and does not replace the advice of a qualified lawyer for the specific case.
Frequently asked questions
What types of visas does Panama have?
Three levels are distinguished: the entry visa or exemption, the temporary stay (tourist or short stay) and the temporary, provisional or permanent residence permits. The National Migration Service publishes a PDF sheet for each category.
Which countries do not need a visa to enter Panama?
Most nationalities enter without a prior visa; those that need one are listed in the decrees in force, with an authorized or stamped visa. The list changes by decree, as happened with the Dominican Republic in June 2026, so it is checked with the Foreign Ministry or Migration before traveling.
How long does it take to get residency in Panama?
It depends on the category and on the file being complete. The only deadline set by rule among the known routes is the 30 days for the qualified investor under the 2026 decree; for the others, times are estimates. A breakdown by procedure is in Radar’s article on processing times.
What is the best visa to live in Panama?
The one matching the reason the sheet requires: investment, pension, employment, studies, family link or a nationality included in Friendly Nations. No visa is better in the abstract; the criterion is which document can be proven today and which rights are needed later, such as working.
How does someone apply for a visa or residency in Panama?
A lawyer starts the process with a notarized power of attorney before the National Migration Service, with a certified passport copy, criminal record and health certificate apostilled, and the documents specific to the category. The sheets also cite a B/.250.00 check to the national treasury and another of B/.800.00 to the SNM.
Related articles
- The eight residency routes in Panama compared
- How long each immigration procedure takes in Panama
- Family reunification in Panama: who can apply and what it requires
- Pensionado visa in Panama
- Friendly Nations visa in Panama
- Qualified investor visa in Panama
- Work Permit for Foreigners with Family Reunification Residency in Panama
- Panama Residency for US and Canadian Citizens: Routes, Documents and Common Mistakes
Sources
All sources were checked on October 7, 2026. Official sources are in Spanish.
- National Migration Service, migration permits and PDF sheets and frequently asked questions.
- SNM, tourist visa requirements, tourist visa extension, extension for change of category and remote worker visa.
- SNM, foreign professional, education reasons, staff within the 10%, Panamá Pacífico specialized staff and SEM staff.
- Law 57 of October 24, 2018, Gaceta Oficial 28641, amending Law 41 of 2007.
- Labor Code, articles 17 and 18 (text compiled by the Judicial Branch).
- Executive Decree 12 of June 30, 2026 and SNM 2026 decrees.
- Panama’s mission in the United States, tourist visa types.
- Firm pages: residence permits, professionals, multinational headquarters, students, technician 15% and foreigner 10%.
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