Guide · Immigration and citizenship
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.
- Updated
In short
Panama has a residency visa for almost every profile: retirees with a pension, people living on savings, investors, nationals of friendly nations, remote workers and families. The right one depends on where your income comes from, whether you want permanent residency from the start and whether you plan to work in Panama. A tourist visa is not a residency: it only lets you stay for a limited time.
Pensionado Visa: for retirees with a lifetime pension
- Minimum: a lifetime pension of USD 1,000 a month, or USD 750 a month if you also own a home worth more than USD 100,000.
- Residency: permanent from the start, with retiree discounts.
- Work: not included.
- Details in the Pensionado Visa guide.
Retired investor (rentista retirado): for people living on savings
- Minimum: USD 850 a month in interest from a fixed-term deposit at Banco Nacional or Caja de Ahorros.
- Residency: temporary, 5 years, renewable for equal periods.
- Work: not included.
- Details in the retired investor visa guide.
Qualified Investor: permanent residency through a large investment
- Minimum: USD 300,000 in real estate, securities or a fixed-term deposit, depending on the option.
- Residency: permanent from the start, through a fast track.
- Work: requires a separate work permit.
- Details in the Qualified Investor visa guide.
Economic solvency: residency through a deposit or property
- Minimum: USD 300,000 in a fixed-term deposit, property or both.
- Residency: usually provisional first, then permanent.
- Open to: any nationality.
- Details in the economic solvency guide.
Friendly Nations: for nationals of countries on the official list
- Requirement: a job with a Panamanian company, or an investment of at least USD 200,000 in property or a fixed-term deposit.
- Residency: temporary, then permanent after 2 years of temporary residence.
- Open to: the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, most of the European Union and other countries on the list.
- Details in the Friendly Nations Visa guide.
Remote worker visa: for people working for employers abroad
- Minimum: foreign income of USD 3,000 a month, plus health insurance.
- Residency: temporary, 9 months, renewable for another 9; it does not lead to permanent residency.
- Work: only for employers or clients outside Panama.
- Details in the remote worker visa guide.
Family reunification: spouses, children and parents
- For: the spouse of a Panamanian, dependents of a resident and parents of Panamanian children.
- Residency: a provisional permit of 2 years, then permanent.
- Details in the family reunification guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest Panama visa to get?
It depends on your situation. For retirees with a lifetime pension, the Pensionado Visa is usually the simplest; for nationals of countries on the list who have a job offer or can invest, Friendly Nations; for people working remotely for employers abroad, the remote worker visa.
Which Panama visas give permanent residency from the start?
The Pensionado Visa and the Qualified Investor visa. Most others start as provisional or temporary permits (see permanent residency).
Do I need a visa to visit Panama first?
It depends on your nationality: many countries can enter as tourists without a visa (see entry visa). A tourist stay does not let you work or live in Panama.
Can I bring my family?
Almost every residency option lets you include your spouse and dependent children, with additional income or fees per dependent.