Guide by profile
Working remotely from Panama
Living in Panama while working for clients or employers abroad: the remote worker visa, tax residency, taxes, banking and health insurance.
- 10 procedure guides
- 21 guides
- Backed by Panamanian lawyers
In short
Panama has a visa for remote workers who work for employers or clients abroad, a dollar-based economy and good international connections. Here is what you need to settle in.
The essentials
- The remote worker visa lets you live in Panama while working for employers abroad; it does not allow you to work for Panamanian companies.
- Your income must come from abroad and reach the minimum set by the regulations.
- Review your tax residency: living in Panama does not always end your tax ties with your home country.
Frequently asked questions
Do I pay tax in Panama for working remotely?
As a general rule, Panama taxes Panamanian-source income, and income from work performed for employers abroad is usually outside its scope. What usually matters most is your home country: under its law, you may remain a tax resident there. Review your case before you move.
What currency is used in Panama?
The US dollar, which circulates alongside the balboa, Panama's own currency, at the same value. If your income arrives in another currency, plan for exchange and transfer fees.
Do I need to speak Spanish to live in Panama?
Spanish is the official language and the one used in government procedures: foreign documents must be submitted in Spanish or with an official translation. In the capital and in areas with many foreign residents, services in English are common.
What you need to know, by topic
Immigration and citizenship
See allGuide
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 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 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 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 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 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 guide
Taxes
See allGuide
Panama Double Tax Treaties and Exchange of Information
What double tax treaties are, how they apply, what happens if your country has no treaty with Panama and what tax information Panama exchanges.
Read the guideProcedure guide
RUC and NIT in Panama: Registering with the Tax Authority as a Foreigner
How a foreigner gets a RUC or Taxpayer Number (NT) and the NIT to log in to the DGI's e-Tax 2.0: who needs it, requirements and steps. Free and online.
Read the guideProcedure guide
Panama Tax Residency Certificate: How to Apply
How to request Panama's tax residency certificate from the DGI to apply a treaty or prove your residency: requirements, e-Tax 2.0 and processing time.
Read the guideGuide
Tax Residency in Panama
The difference between immigration and tax residency, how tax residency in Panama is proven and what to check in your home country.
Read the guideGuide
Panama's Territorial Tax System
How territorial taxation and income tax work in Panama: which income is taxed, what other taxes exist and what changes if you move from another country.
Read the guide
Real estate
See allProcedure guide
Residential Lease Agreements in Panama: Registration and Deposit
How a lease is registered with the MIVIOT Leasing Directorate, how the security deposit is lodged and recovered, and where to go if there is a dispute.
Read the guideGuide
Renting a Home in Panama as a Foreigner
What landlords ask foreigners for, what a lease should include, how the security deposit works and how to avoid scams when renting a home in Panama.
Read the guide
Living in Panama
See allProcedure guide
Bank Reference Letter for Procedures in Panama
What the bank reference letter Panama's Immigration and banks ask for is, what «medium four figures» means, how long it is valid and how to legalize it.
Read the guideProcedure guide
Bringing Your Pet to Panama: Dogs, Cats and Ferrets
Requirements for entering Panama with a dog, cat or ferret: apostilled health certificate, vaccines, advance notice, airport inspection and costs.
Read the guideGuide
Cost of Living in Panama: Expenses to Plan For
Cost of living in Panama for foreigners: housing, health insurance, electricity, transportation, food, schools and taxes, and how it changes by area.
Read the guideGuide
Panama's Currency: The Balboa and the US Dollar
What currency is used in Panama, why the balboa and the US dollar circulate together and what a dollarized economy means for your income, savings and transfers.
Read the guideProcedure guide
Declaring Cash When Entering or Leaving Panama
When you must declare cash and other monetary instruments at Panama's border, how to fill in the traveler's sworn declaration and what happens if you don't.
Read the guideProcedure guide
Panama Driver's License for Foreigners: Converting Your License
How long you can drive in Panama on a foreign license and how to convert it at Sertracen once you are a resident: requirements, steps and cost.
Read the guideGlossary
Glossary of Panamanian Legal Terms and Procedures
What the Spanish terms in Panama's procedures mean: cédula E, paz y salvo, RUC, NIT, apostille, registered agent, possessory rights and more.
Read the guideGuide
Health Insurance and the Social Security Fund (CSS) for Foreigners in Panama
Who is covered by Panama's Social Security Fund, what options a foreigner who does not pay contributions has and what to check before buying health insurance.
Read the guideGuide
Living in Boquete, Panama: A Legal Guide for Expats
What expats should know before moving to or buying in Boquete, Panama: residency, homes and rural land, water rights, healthcare in David and daily life.
Read the guideGuide
Living in Coronado, Panama: What Expats Should Know
What expats should know before moving to or buying in Coronado, Panama: residency, condominiums and gated communities, public beaches and rentals.
Read the guideGuide
Moving to Panama from the US: A Legal Guide for Americans
What Americans need to know before moving to Panama: residency, documents from the US, US taxes and FBAR, Social Security, Medicare, banking and driving.
Read the guideGuide
Opening a Bank Account in Panama as a Foreigner
Which documents Panamanian banks ask foreigners for, what due diligence involves and what to consider before opening an account.
Read the guideGuide
Relocating to Panama: A Step-by-Step Checklist
A step-by-step checklist to relocate to Panama legally: choose your residency, prepare documents, file with a lawyer, then banking, housing and health.
Read the guideGuide
Is It Safe to Live in Panama? What You Should Know
What safety is like in Panama for people moving there, which areas need more caution, how to act in a crime or emergency and what natural risks exist.
Read the guideGuide
Where to Live in Panama: Boquete, Coronado, El Valle and Bocas del Toro
Where foreigners live in Panama: Panama City, Boquete, Coronado, El Valle and Bocas del Toro, and what to check before renting or buying in each area.
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