Topic
Immigration and citizenship
Visas, residency, work permits and naturalization in Panama: requirements, documents, timelines and costs for your situation.
- 13 procedure guides
- 8 guides
- Backed by Panamanian lawyers
In short
To live in Panama you need a residency option that fits your situation: a pension, an investment, savings, remote work or the nationality of a friendly nation. Applications are filed in Panama with the National Immigration Service, almost always through a Panamanian lawyer.
Which residency visa is right for me?
- If you receive a lifetime pension: the Pensionado Visa.
- If you live on your savings rather than a pension: the retired investor residency, with a fixed-term deposit in a state bank.
- If you make a significant investment and want permanent residency straight away: Qualified Investor.
- If you have savings or property but no pension: residency through economic solvency.
- If you are a national of a country on the official list and have a job or an investment in Panama: the Friendly Nations Visa.
- If you work for employers or clients abroad: the remote worker visa, which is temporary.
- If your partner is Panamanian or you are joining a family member who is a resident: family reunification.
Compare them side by side in Panama visa options. We explain how an application is filed and what to expect in the guide to the National Immigration Service; the documents you need to prepare in your home country are covered in embassies and consulates.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa to enter Panama as a tourist?
It depends on your nationality: many countries do not need one for short stays, while others must apply before traveling at a Panamanian consulate. We explain it in do you need a visa to enter Panama?.
Can I apply for residency from my home country?
You prepare the documents in your country (criminal record, certificates, apostilles), but most applications are filed in Panama with the National Immigration Service through a Panamanian lawyer.
Can I work in Panama with any residency?
No. Several residency options do not include a work permit: to work in Panama you usually need a separate permit.
Can I get Panamanian citizenship?
Yes, through naturalization, after several years of legal residence and meeting the requirements of the Constitution. We explain it in Panamanian citizenship and dual citizenship.
Panama or Costa Rica? Panama or Portugal?
We compare requirements, taxes and healthcare in Panama or Costa Rica for retirement and in Panama or Portugal.
Procedure guides
Procedure guide
Panama Residency by Economic Solvency
Requirements and steps to get residency in Panama by proving economic solvency with a fixed-term deposit or a real estate investment.
Read the guideProcedure guide
Panama Residency Through Family Reunification: Spouse, Children and Parents
Panama residency through family reunification for the spouse of a Panamanian, dependents of a resident and parents of Panamanian children: rules and fees.
Read the guideProcedure guide
Panama Friendly Nations Visa
Which nationalities qualify, what economic tie it requires (a job or an investment), requirements, documents and steps for Panama's Friendly Nations residency.
Read the guideProcedure guide
Naturalization in Panama: How to Apply for Panamanian Citizenship
How to apply for Panamanian citizenship by naturalization: years of residence for your case, renunciation, solvency, the Electoral Tribunal exam and oath.
Read the guideProcedure guide
Panamanian Passport for Naturalized Citizens
How naturalized citizens get a Panamanian passport: Passport Authority requirements, cost, retiree discount and expedited processing.
Read the guideProcedure guide
Panama Pensionado Visa (Retirement Visa)
Requirements, documents, costs and steps to get permanent residency in Panama as a retiree or pensioner with a lifetime pension.
Read the guideProcedure guide
Permanent Residency in Panama: From Provisional Permit to Foreigner ID Card
How to move from provisional to permanent residency in Panama, which documents you submit, how to get the foreigner ID card and what needs renewing.
Read the guideProcedure guide
Panama Permanent Resident ID Card (Cédula E): How to Get and Renew It
What the permanent resident ID card issued by the Electoral Tribunal is, when you can apply, what it is for, how to renew it and what to do if you lose it.
Read the guideProcedure guide
Panama Police Record (Récord Policivo) for Foreigners
What Panama's police record is, why a foreign resident may need it, which documents the DIJ requires, how to apply and how long it is valid.
Read the guideProcedure guide
Panama Qualified Investor Visa
Requirements, investment options (real estate, securities or deposits), minimum amounts and steps for permanent residency by investment in Panama.
Read the guideProcedure guide
Panama Remote Worker Visa (Digital Nomad Visa)
Requirements, documents and steps to live in Panama while working remotely for employers or clients outside the country.
Read the guideProcedure guide
Panama Retired Investor Visa (Rentista Retirado)
Panama's retired investor residency: interest income from a fixed-term deposit at Banco Nacional or Caja de Ahorros, documents, duration and requirements.
Read the guideProcedure guide
Panama Work Permit for Foreigners
Which work permit a foreigner needs to work in Panama based on their residency, which documents MITRADEL requires, how to apply and how long the card lasts.
Read the guide
Guides
Guide
Getting Your Foreign Degree Recognized in Panama
How to get a foreign university degree recognized in Panama: revalidation and graduate degree recognition at the University of Panama, costs and timelines.
Read the guideGuide
Panamanian Citizenship and Dual Citizenship for Foreigners
How a foreigner becomes a Panamanian citizen, what naturalization requires, whether you keep your original citizenship and how it compares to residency.
Read the guideGuide
Panama Embassies and Consulates: What to Do Before You Travel
What Panama's embassies and consulates do, when you need a visa and how to prepare your residency documents at home: apostille, legalization, translation.
Read the guideGuide
Do You Need a Visa to Enter Panama? Requirements by Nationality
Which nationalities can enter Panama without a visa, which need a stamped or authorized visa, how long you can stay as a tourist and what the visa requires.
Read the guideGuide
Panama Immigration: Dealing with the National Immigration Service
How immigration works in Panama: what the National Immigration Service handles, how to apply for residency and what to expect during the process.
Read the guideGuide
Panama Visa Options: Which Residency Visa Fits You?
Every main Panama residency visa side by side: who it is for, the minimum income or investment, whether it is permanent and whether it lets you work.
Read the guideComparison
Panama vs Costa Rica for Retirement: Residency, Taxes and Healthcare
Panama vs Costa Rica for retirement: residency requirements, type of permit, taxes on your pension, social security, retiree benefits and currency.
Read the guideComparison
Panama vs Portugal for Retirement or Living on Your Income
Panama vs Portugal for retirees and passive income: visas, type of residency, pension taxes after the end of NHR, currency, mobility and healthcare.
Read the guide