🇵🇦 Panama Investor Residency Checklist

🏡 Minimum Investment

Panama offers multiple investor residency routes, with thresholds depending on the program:

• Qualified Investor Visa (QIV):
  - Minimum investment: USD $300,000 (extended until Oct 15, 2026).
  - Increases to $500,000 after that unless extended again.
  - Investments can be made in:
    - Real estate (personal or through a Panamanian corporation)
    - Stock market via licensed broker
    - Fixed-term deposit (Panamanian bank, minimum 5 years)

• Friendly Nations Visa:
  - Requires economic or professional ties (employment or company ownership).
  - Often used in conjunction with property purchase or business formation.

• Reforestation Investment Visa:
  - Minimum investment: USD $100,000 in certified forestry projects.

📋 Required Documentation

Personal Documents:
• Valid passport (6+ months validity)
• Birth certificate (apostilled)
• Criminal background check from home country (apostilled)
• Health certificate from Panamanian doctor
• Proof of address and income (bank statements or employment letter)
• Passport-sized photos

Investment Proof:
• Real estate title or investment certificate from Public Registry or broker
• Bank certificate confirming transfer of investment funds from abroad
• Evidence of compliance with QIV or reforestation requirements
• Corporate documents (if investment is made through a Panamanian company)

⏱ Process & Timeline

1. Application filed through an authorized Panamanian lawyer with the National Immigration Service.
2. Temporary residence permit issued (valid 6 months to 2 years, depending on program).
3. Permanent residency typically granted within 3–6 months for QIV applicants.
4. Citizenship eligibility after 5 years of continuous residence.

💡 Key Benefits

• Right to live full-time in Panama with dependents.
• Access to Panama’s tax advantages (territorial system; foreign income untaxed).
• Option to work, operate businesses, or rent property.
• Pathway to citizenship after 5 years (dual nationality not formally recognized but widely tolerated).
• Easy global banking access and U.S. dollar economy.
• Strong expat infrastructure and stable property laws.

⚠️ Responsibilities & Tips

• Maintain the qualifying investment throughout residency.
• Keep immigration status current by renewing cards and visas as required.
• Report address changes or major investment alterations to Immigration.
• Use a reputable local attorney familiar with QIV or Friendly Nations procedures.
• For property-based QIV, ensure the title is free of encumbrances and registered properly.
• Maintain a local bank account to simplify renewals and payments.

📜 Recent Legal Updates

• QIV Threshold Extension: The $300,000 real estate investment threshold remains in effect until October 15, 2026 (Executive Decree 109/2024).
• Mortgage Incentive Law 252: Offers a 2% interest rate incentive for homes under $300,000 to encourage residential purchases.
• Property Title Clarifications: Emphasis on titled (freehold) ownership for foreigners—same rights as Panamanians.
• Processing Modernization: Immigration digitization initiatives have shortened average QIV approval times to under 6 months.

🧾 Typical Costs (Estimates)

Legal Fees: $2,000–3,500
Translation & Notarization: $250–400
Residency Application Fee: $1,000–2,000 (includes government fees)
Medical Exam & Local Processing: $150–250
Total Typical Cost: $3,500–6,000 (excluding investment)