Panama residency for eligible nationals.
Three routes. Two stages.
Based on the legal analysis by Karen Dorcy · Attorney at Law, Panama · Registration No. 10179 · English adaptation updated 19 October 2026
Panama’s Friendly Nations Visa offers a route to residence through registered property worth at least US$200,000, a qualifying US$200,000 fixed-term deposit for three years, or genuine employment in Panama. The first stage is two years of provisional residence. Permanent residence requires a separate application and continued compliance.
Friendly Nations at a glance:
- Eligible citizenship: The United States, Canada and the United Kingdom are on the list, alongside other eligible countries and territories. Eligibility follows nationality, rather than the language you speak or where you currently live.
- Three qualifying routes: Registered property from US$200,000, a qualifying bank deposit of US$200,000 for three years, or documented local employment.
- Two stages: Apply first for Residencia Provisional for two years; then make a separate application for Residencia Permanente.
- Keeping your status: Do not rely on a “24 hours every two years” guarantee. For permanent residents, an absence exceeding two years can be a ground for cancellation.
- Family: Eligible spouses and children may apply as dependants. Adult children under 25 need additional evidence, including full-time study and unmarried status.
The framework was reformed by Executive Decrees 197 and 226 of 2021. Decree 16 of 31 August 2026 added Ecuador with effect from 1 September 2026. Eligible countries and territories · Official 2026 amendment.
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Eligible countries and territories
United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Uruguay.
List updated for Decree 16 of 31 August 2026, effective 1 September 2026. The principal applicant’s nationality and individual eligibility require confirmation. Official decree (Spanish PDF).
QUALIFICATION & ECONOMIC CONNECTION
Three routes.
Evidence comes first.
The familiar name “Friendly Nations Visa” can make the process sound simple. What matters is whether your chosen route can be supported with complete, current evidence that meets the immigration authority’s requirements.
01
PROPERTY
Minimum qualifying value: US$200,000
A certificate from Panama’s Public Registry must establish ownership and a minimum value of B/.200,000. Ownership may be personal or through a qualifying company or private interest foundation, with the required evidence of beneficial ownership.
Before you buy: A reservation or purchase promise is not the ownership certificate required by the checklist. Review registration, title and transaction timing with your lawyer. Property law services.
02
BANK DEPOSIT
Fixed-term: US$200,000 for three years
A bank with a general licence operating in Panama must certify a qualifying fixed-term deposit of at least B/.200,000, free of liens, with a three-year term.
Before you transfer: Bank onboarding, source-of-funds checks and any company or foundation ownership evidence must be planned before filing. The bank decides whether to accept the relationship. Bank account assistance.
03
EMPLOYMENT
Genuine employment in Panama
The employment route requires a documented local employment relationship, including position and salary, employer registration and operating evidence, and the work-permit application documents specified by SNM.
Separate permission: Residence does not automatically authorise work. The employment and work-permit position must be assessed with MITRADEL requirements in mind.
OFFICIAL FIGURES
An established category.
A separate decision in every case.
Approved residence procedures, 2022–2025
10,615
January–September 2026: 2,363 approvals through 30 September 2026
Historical administrative figures are not an approval probability.
Source: Servicio Nacional de Migración, annual statistics 2022–2025 and provisional statistics for January–September 2026 (as at 30 September 2026). Figures cover the Países Amigos category across qualifying routes and count approval procedures, not unique people. For 2023, provisional and permanent approvals are combined. Annual and provisional figures may be revised.
FAMILY & DEPENDANTS
Apply together.
Document each person.
The principal applicant must hold an eligible nationality. A spouse or child does not necessarily need citizenship of a listed country, but their inclusion depends on the applicable family relationship, age and supporting evidence.
For international and blended families, establish the document chain before ordering certificates. Parentage, parental responsibility, consent and any custody or guardianship decision may require separate evidence.
01
Spouse
Marriage certificate and the required supporting documents
02
Minor children
Birth certificates and any custody or consent evidence
03
Adult children under 25
Evidence of full-time study, unmarried status and dependency
04
Financial support
Additional solvency evidence under the current checklist
Karen Dorcy
Attorney at Law, Republic of Panama
LEGAL ANALYSIS & LOCAL REPRESENTATION
Panamanian law.
Explained in English.
Karen Dorcy is an attorney admitted in the Republic of Panama. This page adapts her detailed German-language Friendly Nations analysis for international English-speaking applicants.
- Direct case responsibility
Legal assessment, application preparation and communication
- English-language guidance
Clear explanations of Panamanian requirements and your document sequence
- Local professional registration
Registration No. 10179 · Republic of Panama
DOCUMENT PLANNING
Complete documents.
Correctly issued.
Your final checklist is individual. These four layers help structure the review.
PERSONAL
- Passport and certified copies
- Criminal-record certificate
- Health certificate issued in Panama
- Declarations and power of attorney
QUALIFICATION
- Public Registry ownership certificate
- Qualifying fixed-deposit bank certificate
- Employment and employer documents
- Beneficial-ownership evidence where relevant
FAMILY
- Marriage and birth certificates
- Student and unmarried-status evidence
- Custody and consent documents
- Additional financial-support evidence
FORM & TIMING
- Apostille or legalisation as applicable
- Certification where required
- Accepted Spanish translation
- Validity at the filing date
Plan backwards from filing: Foreign public documents need authentication and, where required, Spanish translation in a form accepted in Panama. Validity depends on the document. Article 28 of Decree Law 3 requires the health certificate to be issued within the three months before filing. Confirm issuers and deadlines before ordering time-sensitive certificates.
PRACTICE NOTES FROM KAREN DORCY
Two cases.
Two document chains.
These examples come from the German legal analysis. They illustrate why citizenship alone does not determine the complete evidence required for an application.
01 · A BLENDED FAMILY
Citizenship was not the obstacle.
Authority to represent the child needed review.
A German principal applicant wished to include his wife and her minor child. Neither held citizenship of a Friendly Nations country; the child’s biological father was also a national of a country outside the list.
Their different nationalities did not by themselves exclude dependant applications. Before ordering and apostilling documents, the review had to establish whether marriage and birth certificates also needed to be supported by the biological father’s consent or a court decision on custody, care or guardianship.
Practical lesson: Review parentage and the authority to act for the child before spending money on the document package. The same issue can arise in families with US, Canadian, British or other eligible principal applicants.
02 · LONG-TERM RESIDENCE IN URUGUAY
The Austrian passport established nationality.
Residence shaped the document route.
An Austrian citizen had lived legally in Uruguay for five years and wanted to apply for residence in Panama through Friendly Nations.
Her nationality met the country criterion. That did not automatically make Austria the correct starting point for the criminal-record certificate: the general Panamanian requirements contemplate evidence from the country of origin or residence, subject to the applicable conditions.
Planning therefore focused on a nationwide Uruguayan criminal-record certificate, its apostille and evidence of her lawful five-year residence. The issuing authority, spelling of names and validity were reviewed together before filing.
Practical lesson: Your passport country and the country issuing personal evidence may differ. International applicants need a coherent document chain based on their actual residence history.
FROM PRACTICE
Where applications run into difficulty
01
Names that do not match
Passports, birth certificates and marriage certificates may record the same person differently: accents, compound surnames, former names or transliteration. Identify differences early and establish how they will be reconciled before translation.
02
A certificate ordered too early
There is no single three- or six-month rule for every document. Confirm the issuer, form and validity first; then coordinate authentication and translation around the planned filing date.
03
An authentication chain that breaks
An apostille authenticates a signature and official capacity, rather than the underlying facts. Check that it belongs to the correct document and that attachments remain intact before dispatch.
SEPARATE THE COSTS
Government charges.
Professional fees.
Qualifying capital.
The current SNM provisional-stage checklist identifies two certified cheques. They are only part of the application budget, and must not be confused with the qualifying investment.
| Budget item | Amount / treatment |
|---|---|
| Provisional stage: National Treasury cheque | B/.250 |
| Provisional stage: SNM cheque | B/.800 |
| Cards, certification and other official items | Confirm per person and stage |
| Legal fees and third-party costs | Separate written scope and quote |
| Property / deposit route | US$200,000 qualifying capital, separate from fees |
| Permanent-stage charges | Confirm current checklist and applicable exceptions |
Amounts shown are the two standard cheques listed for the principal applicant’s provisional stage, not an all-inclusive quote. Confirm charges and any exemptions for each person and stage. Cards, notarial work, translations, authentication, travel, banking costs and legal fees are additional where applicable. The permanent-stage checklist repeats requirements with specified exceptions; do not assume the same cheques are paid twice.
THE APPLICATION PROCESS
Six steps.
Two residence stages.
A workable schedule identifies dependencies, prepares documents backwards from filing and leaves room for official requests. It does not promise one processing time for every applicant.
Personal attendance may be needed at several points. Agree the number and duration of visits against your document readiness, chosen route and current appointment arrangements.
1. PREPARATION · QUALIFYING ROUTE
Assess eligibility before committing funds
Review nationality, family circumstances, immigration history and the evidence available for your chosen route. Plan the investment or employment steps only once the legal and practical basis is clear.
- Current country list and individual eligibility
- Documented employment; registered property from B/.200,000; or an unencumbered B/.200,000 fixed deposit for three years
- Company formation alone is not a fourth qualifying route
Basis: current SNM checklist
Attendance: initial assessment can usually be remote
2. PREPARATION · COMPLETE FILE
Prepare certificates, authentication and translation
Plan personal documents and qualification evidence together. Review issuers, names, validity, authentication and Spanish translation against the intended filing date. Agree the Panama visit when the file is ready.
- Passport, criminal-record and family evidence; health certificate within its statutory three-month window
- Registry certificate, bank certificate or employer and MITRADEL application documents
- Certified cheques required by the current checklist; allow time for banking and document checks
Basis: Article 28 and PPT-PE checklist
Attendance: remote preparation plus case-specific local appointments
3. STAGE I · FILING
Submit the application to SNM in Panama
A Panamanian lawyer presents the residence application. Registration, photographs, signatures and other personal steps follow current procedure. Before travelling during a pending application, check your documented authority to leave and re-enter Panama.
- Check acceptance, file reference and evidence of the pending application
- Confirm any multiple-entry visa requirement before departure
- Do not treat a filing receipt as unrestricted permission to travel or work
Basis: Decree Law 3, Articles 28, 34 and travel provisions
Attendance: plan for personal steps in Panama
4. STAGE I · PROVISIONAL RESIDENCE
A decision.
Then two years of provisional residence.
Article 34 provides a decision period of up to 60 working days. Preparation, appointments, notification and requests to correct the file can affect the overall calendar. A positive decision grants the two-year provisional stage; it is not yet permanent residence.
- Article 34 provides 15 working days after notification to remedy an incomplete or defective application
- Check the decision, names, numbers and validity dates
- Maintain the qualifying basis; review work permission, tax and travel separately
Basis: Articles 21 and 34; Executive Decree 226/2021
Attendance: document collection and appointments as required
5. STAGE II · PERMANENT APPLICATION
After two years, apply for permanent residence
Prepare the updated file before the provisional period ends. Permanent residence requires a separate application. The current SNM checklist repeats the earlier requirements, with exceptions for the criminal-record certificate and the cheques specified there.
- Review the qualifying route, passport, health certificate and updated supporting evidence
- Coordinate the filing date and any personal attendance under current procedure
- Review the consequences before selling the property, ending the deposit or leaving employment
Basis: Article 21 and PPP-PE checklist
Attendance: current filing and appointment requirements apply
6. COMPLETION · PERMANENT STATUS
Complete permanent residence and identity documentation
After a positive permanent decision, complete the SNM documentation and the separate identity-document procedure for permanent foreign residents at the Tribunal Electoral. This is not the activation of a permanent identity card issued during the provisional stage.
- Check SNM documents for correct names, numbers, status and validity
- Arrange the permanent-resident identity document separately
- Naturalisation remains a later, separate process
Basis: Decree Law 3, Articles 139–140
Attendance: allow for personal document-issue appointments
BEYOND THE RESIDENCE PROCESS
Citizenship is not a seventh application step
Naturalisation is a separate, discretionary procedure with its own conditions. Article 126 counts the relevant continuous residence from the decision granting permanent residence, rather than the start of the provisional stage. Language and knowledge requirements, personal circumstances and a separate decision must be considered. Friendly Nations does not guarantee citizenship or a passport date.
Travel planning: Attendance can be required at several stages. Plan visits around your file, family circumstances, document issue and official appointments. There is no universal two-trip or seven-day guarantee.
Preparation checklist
Plan your documents. Explore the evidence.
Select your intended route, ownership structure and family. The detailed guide will prepare your checklist, with links to the relevant chapters and a PDF copy.
Free, with no registration. Your selection opens the detailed guide. This preparation aid does not establish eligibility or replace your lawyer’s final document plan.
Read the full master checklist · Explore the technical guide
REALITY CHECK
Four distinctions that matter
Keep the legal framework, official checklist and case-specific practice separate.
01
Provisional is not permanent.
The first positive decision grants two-year provisional residence. Permanent residence requires a later application.
02
Residence is not permission to work.
Immigration status does not automatically authorise employment. Work permission needs separate review.
03
Two years is not a “24-hour rule”.
An absence exceeding two years can be a ground for cancellation of permanent residence. A brief visit is not a universal guarantee of retaining status.
04
A purchase promise is not proof of ownership.
The property route calls for a Public Registry ownership certificate. Off-plan transactions need particular care over registration and timing.
Considering another route? Compare the main Panama residency programmes, including Pensionado and Qualified Investor.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What applicants need to know
Answers distinguish the published requirements from points that depend on your route, family and document history.
No. Do not rely on old blogs describing a company plus a small bank balance as sufficient. The current framework has three qualifying routes: documented employment, registered property from B/.200,000, or a qualifying B/.200,000 fixed deposit for three years.
These nationalities are on the eligible-country list, but nationality alone does not establish approval. The principal applicant must meet a qualifying route and the personal and documentary requirements. Nationals of other listed countries can also apply. Speaking English or living in the US, Canada or UK does not substitute for eligible citizenship.
The property route requires registered ownership worth at least B/.200,000. The deposit route requires an unencumbered B/.200,000 fixed deposit for three years with a general-licence bank in Panama. The employment route requires genuine local employment and the prescribed employer and MITRADEL documents.
Company formation alone does not qualify you. Employment must be genuine and supported by the required employer and work-permit application evidence. Arrangements involving your own company need individual immigration and labour-law assessment before you rely on them.
The SNM checklist calls for a Public Registry certificate establishing qualifying ownership and value. It does not list a reservation or uncompleted purchase contract as an equivalent. Certain company or foundation structures are possible if the required beneficial-ownership position is documented.
The deposit route requires the qualifying deposit to be certified by a general-licence bank operating in Panama, so onboarding and source-of-funds checks come before filing. A bank account is not a universal qualifying requirement for every route. Bank acceptance is a separate decision.
No. The first stage is two years of provisional residence. Permanent residence requires a separate application and the applicable updated evidence. Conversion is not automatic.
Plan on maintaining your qualifying basis. The permanent-stage checklist calls again for the earlier requirements with specified exceptions. Selling the property, ending the deposit or leaving employment can affect eligibility; obtain advice before changing the basis of your application.
Eligible family members may be included as dependants with relationship, responsibility and solvency evidence. Adult children under 25 need additional proof, including regular full-time study and unmarried status. Different nationalities, custody arrangements and document-issuing countries require individual review.
Agree the accepted issuing authority, document form and validity before ordering criminal-record, birth or marriage evidence. Authentication may involve an apostille or legalisation, depending on the document and jurisdiction; Spanish translation must meet Panama’s requirements. Residence history can affect the appropriate criminal-record evidence.
Separate document preparation from official processing. Article 34 provides a decision period of up to 60 working days, but appointments, correction requests and notification affect the overall calendar. Provisional residence lasts two years before the separate permanent application. A fixed approval date cannot be promised.
There is no single number that applies to every case. Personal steps may be required at filing, registration, document issue and later stages. Agree your itinerary against the current procedure, document readiness and family circumstances before booking.
The provisional-stage SNM checklist lists certified cheques of B/.250 to the National Treasury and B/.800 to SNM. These are not an all-inclusive fee. Professional fees, cards, authentication, translation, notarial work, banking and travel costs may also apply. Qualifying investment capital is separate; request a written case-specific budget.
No. Residence and permission to work are distinct. Even on the employment route, the work-permit procedure requires separate attention. Remote work, self-employment and work for your own company may raise additional labour, immigration and tax questions.
Do not treat a short visit every two years as a legal guarantee. For permanent residents, an absence exceeding two years can be a cancellation ground unless justified and authorised. Review your travel and residence plans against the conditions of your status.
Immigration residence does not by itself determine tax residence or end obligations in your current or former country. US citizens and other international applicants should obtain appropriate advice on their own cross-border position, reporting and any departure consequences. This page does not provide foreign tax advice.
No. Naturalisation is a separate procedure with its own conditions and discretionary decision. Under Article 126, the relevant continuous residence is counted from the decision granting permanent residence. Provisional residence is not a guaranteed passport timetable.
Friendly Nations Visa is the usual English name. The official Spanish category is Países Específicos. It is a residence category, rather than a guarantee of immediate permanent residence, employment rights or citizenship.
Questions and answers
Find the detail behind your question
Search the full English technical guide: qualifying routes, document evidence, family, work permission, banking, tax and permanent residence.
Read the complete technical guide. Results open in the guide and link to the relevant chapters.
For an assessment of your circumstances, request a consultation. See also the official sources.
PRIMARY SOURCES
Read the official Spanish sources
Panamanian immigration law and SNM’s current requirements guide the application. The following official publications support the information on this page:
- Current SNM checklist
Provisional and permanent residence — Países Específicos (Spanish PDF)
- Executive Decree 197
2021 reform, Official Gazette 29290-A (Spanish PDF)
- Executive Decree 226
2021 framework, Official Gazette 29335 (Spanish PDF)
- Decree Law 3 of 2008
General immigration framework, including absence and naturalisation provisions (Spanish PDF)
NEXT STEP
Does Friendly Nations fit your circumstances?
Start with your nationality, country of residence, family members, preferred route and intended timing. Agree a suitable channel before sending identity documents.
Compare Panama residency options · Diese Seite auf Deutsch
Advice and representation under Panamanian law · approval and processing times are not guaranteed
SCOPE OF THE INFORMATION AND SERVICES
This page explains Panama’s Friendly Nations residence category and the related advice and representation under Panamanian law. It does not recommend a relocation or assess whether Panama is the right place for you to live. Immigration residence, tax residence, permission to work and citizenship are separate matters. Advice on US, Canadian, UK or other foreign law, tax, pensions, reporting, departure obligations or nationality requires appropriately qualified advisers in the relevant jurisdiction. Requirements, official practice and charges can change. Your application needs an individual review against the rules and evidence applicable at filing.