Countries › Panama › Guide › 8. Immigration › 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)

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)

Last verified: 2026-10-29 · Status: Changing

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 year time deposit, or a mix, plus B/.2,000 per dependent. The macro enterprise investor buys at least B/.160,000 of nominative shares in a company that employs at least five Panamanians at the minimum wage or more. Both start with a two year provisional permit; Decreto Ejecutivo 17 de 2026 lets solvency holders switch to the qualified investor category within 12 months.

Panama's currency, the balboa (B/.), is at par with the US dollar, which circulates as legal tender; the Superintendencia de Bancos states that the balboa's value is on a par with the US dollar (checked 29 October 2026). USD figures therefore equal the balboa figures.

Key facts

Own economic solvency: minimum investment	300000 PABDecreto Ejecutivo 320 de 2008 art. 191, as of 2026-10-29 · in force
Own economic solvency: minimum deposit term	3 yearsDecreto Ejecutivo 320 de 2008 art. 192, as of 2026-10-29 · in force
Macro enterprise investor: minimum share capital per applicant	160000 PABDecreto Ejecutivo 320 de 2008 art. 185, as of 2026-10-29 · in force
Macro enterprise investor: Panamanian employees per applicant	5 employeesDecreto Ejecutivo 320 de 2008 art. 188, as of 2026-10-29 · in force
Exchange rate used for USD conversions	1 PAB per USDBalboa at par with the US dollar (Superintendencia de Bancos), as of 2026-10-29 · in force

The rule

1. Own economic solvency: a foreigner who invests at least B/.300,000 in real estate, a time deposit, or a combination, and shows the funds come from abroad, may apply; dependents require additional solvency of B/.2,000 each.
Cost to do it: B/.300,000 investment plus B/.2,000 per dependent, and the B/.250 fee and B/.800 deposit of Decreto Ley 3 art. 28.
Example: Applicant and spouse: B/.302,000 of qualifying assets plus B/.2,100 of fees and deposits. / US$302,000 plus US$2,100.Decreto Ejecutivo 320 de 8 de agosto de 2008, art. 191, 2008-08-08 official text · verified 2026-10-29

2. Time deposit option: a bank certificate of a deposit in the applicant's name for at least three years, free of liens, of at least B/.300,000 or its equivalent, in any general licence bank in Panama, with a bank authenticated copy of the deposit certificate.Decreto Ejecutivo 320 de 2008, art. 192, 2008-08-08 official text · verified 2026-10-29

3. Real estate option: a Public Registry certificate showing personal ownership of property worth at least B/.300,000 free of liens. Property held by a private interest foundation qualifies if the applicant is founder and beneficiary; if the applicant paid B/.300,000 in cash for a property worth more, the balance may be financed by a local bank. A mixed option combining both is allowed.Decreto Ejecutivo 320 de 2008, arts. 193 and 194, 2008-08-08 official text · verified 2026-10-29

4. Macro enterprise investor: a foreigner who invests in a company with minimum share capital of B/.160,000 per applicant, as shareholder and officer, may apply; shares must be nominative and in the applicant's sole name; the company needs an Aviso de Operación for lawful activities not reserved to nationals; dependents add B/.2,000 each.Decreto Ejecutivo 320 de 2008, arts. 185, 186 and 187, 2008-08-08 official text · verified 2026-10-29

5. The company must keep a payroll of five full time Panamanian employees per applicant, paid at least the legal minimum wage for the region and activity, registered with the Caja de Seguro Social; the application includes Public Registry and accountant certifications of the B/.160,000, tax returns, social security payroll copies and proof of the transfer of funds from abroad.Decreto Ejecutivo 320 de 2008, arts. 188 and 189, 2008-08-08 official text · verified 2026-10-29

6. Holders or applicants of permanent residence for own economic solvency may, within 12 months of 16 September 2026, change to the qualified investor subcategory if they meet its amounts and requirements; investments made before 15 October 2020 are not eligible for the conversion.Decreto Ejecutivo 17 de 8 de septiembre de 2026, art. 18, 2026-09-08 official text · verified 2026-10-29 · changed: New 12 month conversion window opened by Decreto Ejecutivo 17 de 2026, published 16 September 2026.

Route	Minimum	Main condition	Norm
Qualified investor, new property	B/.300,000	Foreign funds, 5 year hold	Decreto Ejecutivo 17 de 2026
Own economic solvency	B/.300,000	Property, 3 year deposit or mix; foreign funds	Decreto Ejecutivo 320 de 2008 arts. 191 to 194
Friendly Nations, property or deposit	B/.200,000	Listed nationalities only	Decreto Ejecutivo 416 de 2012 (226 de 2021)
Macro enterprise investor	B/.160,000	Five Panamanian employees	Decreto Ejecutivo 320 de 2008 arts. 185 to 189

Investor residence options compared (amounts per main applicant)

Worked example

A family office executive puts B/.200,000 in a three year deposit and buys a B/.100,000 apartment in cash (B/.300,000 in total, US$300,000) under the mixed solvency option, adding B/.2,000 for a dependent child.
A restaurateur subscribes B/.160,000 (US$160,000) of nominative shares in a Panamanian company and hires five Panamanian cooks and servers at no less than the applicable minimum wage to use the macro enterprise route.

Step by step

Compare the solvency route with the qualified investor route, which has clearer annual checks and a faster deadline, and with Friendly Nations if your nationality is listed.
Bring funds from abroad by bank transfer and keep the transfer records.
For the macro enterprise route, incorporate, obtain the Aviso de Operación, issue nominative shares and register the five employees with the Caja de Seguro Social before filing.
File through a lawyer with art. 28 documents; apply for permanence after two years.

Common traps

Bearer shares are not acceptable; the macro enterprise shares must be nominative and in the applicant's name.
Payroll must be kept: the permanence application asks for social security payroll proof again.
The 12 month window to convert from solvency to qualified investor runs from 16 September 2026.
Requirement sheets of the Servicio Nacional de Migración describe these routes; check them against the decree before filing.

Sources

← 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 2026Retiring 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 benefits →

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