Are you looking to immigrate to Panama in 2021 or beyond? You have plenty of options to do so with Panama’s unique 9 types of visas, including one new one! Here’s a list of each one, and how they work:
1. Pensioner Visa:
Anyone over 18 years of age with a lifetime pension or annuity paying a minimum of $1,000 USD per month qualifies. Another $250 must be paid per month by the annuity or pension for each dependent. The annuity or pension can be paid by a private company, military, government agencies, corporations, a bank, an insurance company, or a Trust. This Panama visa provides several discounts from movie theaters, restaurants, hotels, pharmacies, concerts, and domestic airlines along with other products or services.
2. Friendly Nations Visa:
Citizens from any of the 50 nations considered “friendly” to Panama can move here with their immediate family and acquire a faster permanent residency visa than any other Panama visa. To qualify, the friendly citizen can either buy an existing Panama business or create a new business here or be employed in a professional capacity for a Panama professional services company. See the full list of countries that fall under the Panama Friendly Nations Visa program.
3. Professional Employment Visa:
Foreigners working for a Panama company in a “professional” capacity paying social security taxes and holding a college degree and a professional license (if required by his or her country) can become a permanent resident after two years of being a temporary resident. The term “professional” is not limited to the definition in Panama’s Constitution or the laws defining a professional for citizens.
4. Panama’s Reforestation Investor Visa:
A minimum investment of US$80,000 in a reforestation project certified by the government including purchasing a minimum of five hectares of titled land with an additional investment of $2,000 for each dependent.
Learn more about Panama Reforestation Visa.
5. Panama’s Self Economic Solvency Visa:
Three options exist to qualify for this visa created to attract wealthy foreigners:
Minimum US$300,000 investment of equity in any Panama real estate with an additional $2,000 USD for each dependent.
Combining the first 2 options by investing in both a Panama bank CD and Panama real estate where the cash and equity total a minimum of US$300,000 (or foreign currency equivalent). An additional $2,000 USD must be invested for each dependent.
6. Panama’s Business Investor Visa:
A minimum US$160,000 investment in capital stock of a Panama corporation. The foreigner can be a shareholder and/or an officer. An additional $2,000 must be invested or each dependent.
Learn more about Panama Investor Visa.
7. Married to a Panama Citizen Visa:
This must be a valid marriage to a Panama citizen. If legal, any foreigner can apply for a permanent visa via this method. Learn more about getting married in Panama.
8. Parents of Child Born in Panama Visa:
The parents of a child born in Panama who is over five years old can apply for this permanent visa. The parents of future children born in Panama can apply for this permanent visa after the child’s fifth birthday.
9. Qualified Investor Program:
The Qualified Investor program offers international investors an “expedited” (30 day process) opportunity to obtain legal permanent residency status in Panama, leading to citizenship in Panama (and a Panama passport). Applicants must choose one of the three available options: 1) Invest $300,000 in real estate; 2) Invest $500,000 in the purchase of securities on the Panama Stock Market; 3) Invest $750,000 in a time deposit at a bank in Panama (the bank must have a general banking license), for a term of five (5) years. Learn more about the Qualified Investor Program from our website!
