Legal services
People ask for “the Panama visa” and mean five different things. This is an orientation so the first meeting with a licensed attorney is specific. It is not the application, and it is not advice.
Usually forRetirees with a lifetime pension
What it leads toPermanent residency is the usual result once approved
Figure people quotePublic summaries describe a lifetime pension of about $1,000 a month, or about $750 if you also own Panamanian property above $100,000.
Usually forCitizens of designated countries who build a real tie to Panama
What it leads toTypically provisional residency, then permanent residency
Figure people quotePublic summaries describe a tie through a local job, real estate of about $200,000, or a three-year bank deposit of about $200,000.
Usually forPeople making a larger investment in Panama
What it leads toPublic summaries describe immediate permanent residency if the investment is kept
Figure people quoteCommonly discussed as about $300,000 in qualifying real estate, about $500,000 in listed securities, or about $750,000 on deposit. Hold periods are part of the rule.
Usually forPeople who can show they will support themselves in Panama
What it leads toA residency path based on means, often discussed as provisional residence first
Figure people quotePublic discussions often cluster around a bank deposit, real estate, or a mix near $300,000, sometimes with an income showing. Confirm the current mix.
Usually forRemote workers and founders paid from outside Panama
What it leads toA short stay, commonly nine months and renewable once, up to about 18 months
Figure people quotePublic rules describe foreign-source income of about $3,000 a month ($36,000 a year), plus insurance and a clean background check.
| Route | Usually for | What it leads to | Figure people quote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pensionado visa | Retirees with a lifetime pension | Permanent residency is the usual result once approved | Public summaries describe a lifetime pension of about $1,000 a month, or about $750 if you also own Panamanian property above $100,000. |
| Friendly Nations visa | Citizens of designated countries who build a real tie to Panama | Typically provisional residency, then permanent residency | Public summaries describe a tie through a local job, real estate of about $200,000, or a three-year bank deposit of about $200,000. |
| Qualified Investor visa | People making a larger investment in Panama | Public summaries describe immediate permanent residency if the investment is kept | Commonly discussed as about $300,000 in qualifying real estate, about $500,000 in listed securities, or about $750,000 on deposit. Hold periods are part of the rule. |
| Self-economic solvency visa | People who can show they will support themselves in Panama | A residency path based on means, often discussed as provisional residence first | Public discussions often cluster around a bank deposit, real estate, or a mix near $300,000, sometimes with an income showing. Confirm the current mix. |
| Digital nomad visa | Remote workers and founders paid from outside Panama | A short stay, commonly nine months and renewable once, up to about 18 months | Public rules describe foreign-source income of about $3,000 a month ($36,000 a year), plus insurance and a clean background check. |
The retiree route for people with a guaranteed lifetime pension. It is one of the clearer ways to settle, and it is not a short tourist extension.
Read the routeA path for people from countries Panama treats as friendly, once they show a professional or economic connection: work, property, or a deposit.
Read the routeThe larger investment route. Real estate, securities, or a substantial deposit, aimed at permanent residency rather than a trial stay.
Read the routeFor applicants who are not using a pension or a friendly-nations shortcut, and can demonstrate the means to live here.
Read the routeA legal way to live here while you work remotely for foreign clients or an employer. It does not, by itself, become permanent residency.
If you are still choosing a town, do that in parallel. A visa strategy that ignores where you will actually sleep is how people buy the right asset in the wrong life. Read the longer guide.