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8. Immigration: Panama

Immigration in Panama: the four migration categories of Decreto Ley 3 de 2008 and the B/.250 fee plus B/.800 repatriation deposit, visitor stays and extensions, the qualified investor residence rewritten by Decreto Ejecutivo 17 de 2026, Friendly Nations residence (Ecuador added in 2026), economic solvency and macro enterprise investors, pensioners and rentistas, the remote worker visa, work related permits with their fines, and naturalization, each tied to the official text.

Investor view. Clear, published investment thresholds, a two year path from provisional to permanent residence and a dollarized economy make Panama one of the region's most predictable places to relocate founders, executives and capital, and the 2026 reforms channel that inflow into new construction and local banks.

• Panama's immigration system: non resident, temporary and permanent categories, the two year provisional permit, and the B/.250 fee plus B/.800 repatriation depositPanama sorts foreigners into four categories under Decreto Ley 3 de 2008: non residents (tourists and other short stays), temporary residents (up to six years), permanent residents and persons under p
• Visiting Panama for business: the 90 day tourist stay, visas for restricted nationalities, the 60 day extension to change status and fines for overstays and unauthorized workTourists may stay up to 90 days under Decreto Ley 3 de 2008, and nationals who need a visa pay B/.50 and show at least B/.500 of means. A tourist who is preparing a residence application can ask for o
• Panama's qualified investor residence (golden visa) under Decreto Ejecutivo 17 de 2026: B/.300,000 new property, B/.500,000 resale property or securities, B/.500,000 to B/.750,000 depositsSince 16 September 2026 the qualified investor permanent residence is governed by Decreto Ejecutivo 17 de 2026, which replaced Decreto Ejecutivo 722 de 2020. The minimum investment, made with traceabl
• Friendly Nations residence in Panama: who qualifies, the job, B/.200,000 property or B/.200,000 deposit tests, the two year provisional permit, and Ecuador added in 2026Nationals of a closed list of countries, which includes Argentina and since 1 September 2026 Ecuador, can obtain permanent residence in Panama by showing a job offer from a Panamanian employer, a prop
• Other investor residences in Panama: own economic solvency (B/.300,000 in property or deposits) and the macro enterprise investor (B/.160,000 plus five Panamanian employees)Besides the qualified investor route, Decreto Ejecutivo 320 de 2008 keeps two older investor residences. Own economic solvency asks for B/.300,000 of foreign funds in Panamanian real estate, a three y
• Retiring to Panama: the pensionado residence with a B/.1,000 lifetime pension, the rentista retirado with Banco Nacional deposits, and the Ley 9 de 1987 import benefitsA foreigner with a lifetime pension of at least B/.1,000 a month from a foreign government, international organization or private company can obtain indefinite permanent residence as a pensionado, add
• Panama's remote worker visa: B/.36,000 of foreign income, nine months renewable once, B/.250 fee and no local workDecreto Ejecutivo 198 de 2021 created a short stay visa for remote workers employed by a foreign company or self employed through a foreign business, whose work takes effect abroad and who earn at lea
• Working in Panama as a foreigner: matching a residence permit to the job, the professional residence, international company executives, SEM staff and employer finesForeign employees need both a migration status and, in most cases, a MITRADEL work permit, while employers must respect the 90 percent Panamanian staff rule. Routes include the Friendly Nations employ
• Becoming Panamanian: naturalization after five years of residence (three with a Panamanian spouse or child), the qualified investor path and the 2026 electronic procedureUnder Constitution art. 10, adult foreigners may seek Panamanian nationality after five consecutive years of residence, or three years if they have Panamanian born children or a Panamanian spouse, pro

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