Panama Friendly Nations Visa: Requirements & Application Guide

Scope, legal status and edition dates

The guide explains Panama’s residence programme for nationals of specified countries. The Spanish legislation, the requirements in force when an application is filed and the circumstances of the individual applicant remain decisive. General guidance cannot confirm eligibility, the sufficiency of a particular document, approval, processing time, bank acceptance, work permission, tax residence or naturalisation.

“Friendly Nations Visa” is the familiar international name. The more precise legal term is permiso de residencia: an initial two-year provisional residence permit, followed by a separate application and assessment for permanent residence. Immigration status, permission to work, tax residence, bank compliance and citizenship are separate legal questions.

Amounts in balboas (B/.) identify statutory or administrative amounts. Investment capital, deposits, government charges, professional fees and third-party expenses have different legal and financial characteristics. Obtain a current, itemised budget for the applicant, family and route before committing funds and again before filing.

Karen Dorcy is admitted to practise in Panama. This guide concerns Panamanian law and procedure. It does not advise whether leaving any country is personally or financially appropriate, or determine obligations under US, Canadian, UK or other foreign tax, social security, citizenship or reporting rules. Obtain advice from appropriately qualified professionals in every affected jurisdiction.

Sources: [P1], [P2], [P6], [P22].

About the original author

Karen Dorcy, LL.M. is an Abogada admitted in the Republic of Panama, Idoneidad No. 10179. Her professional profile records legal practice since 2011, with a focus on immigration and residence, property and corporate law. She completed her LL.M. at Leibniz University Hannover and advises in English, Spanish and German. Her professional profile and the official lawyer register are identified in the source register. [P19], [P20]

Sources: [P19], [P20].

Method and source hierarchy

The original commentary researched the Spanish primary sources. A statute, an official filing checklist, administrative guidance and a lawyer’s planning recommendation have different evidential weight. A convenient blog summary or historical programme description cannot override a current rule.

Table 1 · How to read the sources

Numbered references such as [P1] link to Appendix F. Original-source review dates are preserved there; newly added English-language document-authentication sources are separately dated. The English adaptation does not silently reset the original legal-review date. Where current guidance changes, the live authority document must be checked against the legislation and the case.

Sources: [P1], [P2], [P6].

How to use this guide

• For an initial decision, read the executive summary, Chapter 4 on the three routes and Chapter 9 on costs and timing.
• For an application, use Chapters 5–8 and the working templates in Appendices A–H.
• For employment, also read Chapter 10. For investment, read Chapters 4 and 11 before a purchase or deposit commitment.
• For dependants, start with Chapter 6. For longer-term citizenship plans, read Chapter 14 separately.
• Use the search above to find passages in the full guide. Search results locate text; they do not assess an individual case.

Executive summary: twelve points that matter

The programme offers a defined residence pathway for eligible nationalities. The practical question is whether the applicant can establish, document and retain a qualifying connection through the permanent stage.

Table 2 · The programme at a glance

Sources: [P1], [P2], [P6], [P9], [P13], [P15], [P16], [P22].

1 · Legal nature and the different permissions

1.1 The official categories

The SNM calls the first stage permiso de residente provisional for nationals of specified countries maintaining friendly, professional, economic and investment relations with Panama, abbreviated PPT-PE. The corresponding permanent category is PPP-PE. [P1]

Keep the relevant legal acts separate. An entry visa, visitor admission, residence resolution, work permit and identity document serve different purposes. They are not necessarily issued by the same authority or at the same time.

Table 3 · Five separate functions

1.2 Evidence and official discretion

A checklist is essential, but formal completeness does not remove the authority’s examination of identity, nationality, authenticity, background, health, the qualifying connection and inconsistencies. A credible account must be supported by the required register certificate, bank certificate, notarised employer letter, authenticated civil record or authorised translation.

1.3 The legal instruments operate together

Executive Decree 226/2021 supplies the programme-specific framework. Executive Decree 16/2026 adds Ecuador to the list. Decree Law 3/2008 and Executive Decree 320/2008 provide the wider immigration framework. Labour, property, corporate, tax and anti-money-laundering rules apply according to the facts. A residence checklist does not displace those rules.

Sources: [P1], [P2], [P6], [P7], [P22].

2 · How the programme changed: 2012–2026

Many inaccurate descriptions repeat rules from an earlier version of the programme. The filing date, transition provisions and applicable legislation matter more than the marketing name.

Table 4 · Legislative development

• New applications do not generally receive immediate permanent status under the historic model.
• A company formation or shareholding by itself is not a current qualifying connection.
• Employment, property or fixed-term deposit evidence must satisfy the relevant route.
• The permanent stage is a new application. The present checklist repeats the earlier requirements with stated exceptions for the criminal record certificate and “the cheque”.
• A country count must carry a legal date: the consolidated list includes Ecuador from 1 September 2026.

Sources: [P1], [P2], [P3], [P4], [P5], [P22].

3 · Nationality, eligibility and identity

3.1 Five questions before choosing a route

• Can the main applicant prove a nationality on the current list using a valid passport?
• Can one of the three qualifying connections be lawfully established and documented?
• Can identity, criminal record, health and family relationships be evidenced without unresolved contradictions?
• Will the qualifying basis remain demonstrable through the provisional stage and permanent application?
• Does the route fit the intended work, banking, tax, family and travel arrangements?

3.2 The 51 listed countries and territories

The list below follows the consolidated decrees, including Ecuador from 1 September 2026. The English readership is international: eligibility depends on nationality, not the language spoken, current address or country from which the website is visited. [P2], [P22]

Table 5 · Nationality list, including Ecuador

3.3 Multiple passports, names and residence history

Record current and former names, transliterations, previous nationalities, civil-status changes and residence periods before ordering documents. The authority must be able to identify the same person across every record. A new passport or a recently changed country of residence can alter the document plan.

Table 6 · Consistency checks

Sources: [P1], [P2], [P6], [P22].

4 · The three qualifying routes

The chosen route affects capital, evidence, external approvals, work permissions and the ability to apply for permanent status two years later. Set the route and its evidence plan before buying a product or ordering time-sensitive records.

Table 7 · Route comparison

4.1 Employment in Panama

The current checklist requires an employer letter on company letterhead, signed by the legal representative and notarised, stating position, salary and repatriation. Add the employer’s Public Registry certificate, a notarised copy of the Aviso de Operación or a properly supported exemption under Law 5/2007, and a copy of the power of attorney and work-permit application submitted to MITRADEL, signed by the employer’s representative and applicant. [P1]

The SNM checklist does not state a general B/.1,000 minimum salary for the main employment-route applicant. That amount appears in one dependant-support option. Salary, minimum-wage rules, social security, quotas, the appropriate work-permit category and protected professions still require separate checks.

Table 8 · Employment evidence chain

4.2 Property investment

The Public Registry certificate must show ownership of property with a minimum value of B/.200,000. The applicant may hold it personally, through a legal entity in which the applicant is the ultimate beneficial owner, or through a private-interest foundation of which the applicant is both founder and ultimate beneficial owner. The checklist expressly allows financing through a local bank. This is neither a loan approval nor a statement that suitable financing will be available. [P1]

Immigration suitability and property due diligence are separate. Before signing or closing, review title, encumbrances, cadastral and registry information, seller authority, taxes and charges, use restrictions and the certificate needed for the residence application. A reservation, valuation or off-plan promise does not itself establish the registered ownership required by the checklist.

Table 9 · Property due diligence

4.3 Fixed-term deposit

A bank with a general licence operating in Panama must certify a fixed-term deposit of at least B/.200,000, free of encumbrances, with a three-year term. It may be held personally, by a legal entity in which the applicant is the natural-person ultimate beneficial owner, or by a private-interest foundation of which the applicant is founder and ultimate beneficial owner. [P1]

The bank does not have to accept an applicant. Onboarding, tax information, source of wealth, source of funds, sanctions checks and the proposed account activity can determine whether this route is practical. A normal current or savings balance does not replace the prescribed fixed-term product.

Table 10 · Deposit certificate requirements

4.4 A company or foundation holds the asset; it is not a fourth route

Table 11 · Structures and the underlying route

Sources: [P1], [P9], [P10], [P12].

5 · The personal application dossier

The current provisional-stage checklist starts with eight elements, irrespective of the route. These establish a baseline; inconsistencies or special facts can require further explanation or evidence.

Table 12 · The eight basic PPT-PE items

5.1 Power of attorney and parents’ details

The express requirement to include both parents’ names and nationalities deserves early attention. Adoption, historic spellings, deceased parents or uncertain nationality should be resolved against the available records rather than guessed. The application and notarised authority must use consistent identity details.

5.2 Passport and lawful presence

The passport connects identity, nationality and current admission to Panama. Check validity, entry stamps, any extension and the document used across the file. Retain old and new passports if a replacement occurs during the procedure and coordinate the necessary updates.

5.3 Criminal records: the correct certificate first

Determine the competent issuing authority and required coverage before ordering. Nationality, multiple countries of residence, former names and recent moves may affect the evidence requested. Do not assume a convenient local police letter will meet the requirement. Discuss any record, rehabilitation or expungement question with counsel before making a sworn declaration; omission is not a solution.

5.4 Health certificate

Treat this as a separate local filing document. Confirm the issuer, form, date and appointment against the filing plan. Decree Law 3/2008 contains a three-month rule for the health certificate in its general requirements; this does not create a universal validity period for every other document. [P6]

5.5 Government charge and repatriation deposit

The B/.250 Tesoro Nacional cheque and B/.800 SNM cheque have different legal characters. Article 29 of Decree Law 3/2008 provides exceptions to the repatriation deposit, including children under twelve. The law contemplates return of deposits where legally appropriate, but that is not a basis for assuming an automatic refund or deducting it from the budget. Check applicability person by person. [P1], [P6]

5.6 The personal declaration

Cross-check the declaration with identity, criminal records, civil status, employment and prior immigration history. False or fraudulent documents may affect both a pending application and an already granted status under Article 31. Use a final independent review of the complete file.

Sources: [P1], [P6], [P7], [P8].

6 · Spouse, children and other family members

Dependants require their own eligibility and documents. Confirm the family structure before ordering civil records or making travel commitments.

Table 13 · Family evidence

6.1 Responsibility and relationship

The checklist calls for a carta de responsabilidad from the resident or Panamanian national and the applicable marriage, birth or judicial relationship evidence. Foreign records need the accepted authentication and Spanish translation chain. Each person’s personal requirements are assessed separately.

6.2 Adult children: age is not the only condition

For an adult applicant under 25, the checklist requires an educational institution’s certificate of regular full-time study and a sworn declaration of unmarried status. Do not assume part-time courses, an online programme, a gap period or a leave of absence satisfy those conditions without review. [P1]

6.3 Evidence of sufficient support

Table 14 · The two listed support options

6.4 Children’s travel

Residence applications and permission for a minor to leave Panama are different questions. Custody arrangements, travelling with only one parent and differing family names may require additional consents or court records. Recheck SNM’s current minor-exit guidance for the planned journey. [P18]

Sources: [P1], [P18].

7 · Foreign documents: US, Canada, UK and other countries

Much of the quality of the Panama file is determined before arrival. Confirm the correct original record, certification route, apostille or legalisation and accepted Spanish translation while the document is still usable at filing.

7.1 Authentication and translation are different steps

An apostille authenticates the relevant signature, seal or official capacity; it does not certify the truth of the document’s contents or establish immigration acceptance. The competent authority depends on the country and type of document. Where the Apostille Convention does not provide the applicable route, assess consular legalisation. Use the HCCH authority directory and the issuer’s current instructions. [P26]

Non-Spanish records require a translation accepted by Panama. SNM guidance refers to authorised public translators in Panama. The working sequence is normally: confirm the document → obtain the correct record → apostille or legalise → translate the complete final document, including seals and authentication pages. Confirm any alternative chain before using it. [P8]

7.2 Country-specific planning

Table 15 · Starting points for English-speaking applicants

These are issuing-country starting points, not a determination that every record from an authority will be accepted by SNM. Confirm the criminal-record certificate, coverage, form and destination requirements for the individual case. Do not apply one country’s notarial or apostille process to another country’s document.

7.3 Validity and sequencing

There is no single three- or six-month rule for the entire dossier. Criminal records, bank and registry certificates, health documents and historical civil records have different freshness and form requirements. Plan using the filing date and authority practice. Order short-lived items late enough to remain usable, with adequate time for authentication, courier and translation.

7.4 Quality review before shipping

• Match names, birth dates, birthplaces and nationality to the passport and name matrix.
• Include all pages, reverse sides, marginal notes, stamps, seals and apostilles.
• Ensure the apostille is visibly associated with the correct record.
• Translate all authentication pages and relevant handwritten notes.
• Do not detach bindings or seals that secure the certification chain.
• Keep a secure digital copy and recheck usability on the intended filing date.

Sources: [P1], [P7], [P8], [P23], [P24], [P25], [P26].

8 · Procedure: provisional and permanent residence

Treat the process as a sequence of decisions and evidence gates. This reduces the risk of binding capital or booking a filing trip before the chosen route can be demonstrated.

Table 16 · The application sequence

8.1 Build an evidence map

For each requirement, record the evidence, issuer, required form, expected procurement date, freshness check and responsible person. The route must have a workable plan for both the initial and permanent stages. Banking, employer and registry dependencies should be resolved before travel is fixed.

8.2 Attendance and filing

Local components commonly require personal steps in Panama. Identification, registration, filing, status documents and later cards can affect attendance. There is no legally reliable promise of exactly two journeys. Appointments, family cases and requests for further evidence can change the itinerary.

8.3 Requests for correction

Article 34 of Decree Law 3/2008 provides a 15-working-day period from notification to remedy incomplete or defective applications. Record the exact request, distinguish legal and factual issues, contact the issuer, preserve proof of response and meet the applicable deadline. [P6]

8.4 Manage the two-year stage actively

An employer change, property sale, beneficial-owner change, deposit pledge or withdrawal, passport replacement, divorce or change in a child’s study status may affect the file. Review material changes before implementing them. A provisional permit is not a two-year interval in which evidence can be ignored.

8.5 Permanent residence is a new application

The current PPP-PE checklist calls for the previous requirements again, except for the criminal record certificate and “the cheque”. This does not support automatically adding both initial cheques to a second-stage budget. Confirm the checklist and payment practice then in force. Time passing alone does not issue permanent residence. [P1]

Sources: [P1], [P2], [P6].

9 · Timing and costs: a defensible budget

9.1 Statutory time and total project time

Article 34 of Decree Law 3/2008 states a maximum of 60 working days for decisions on the residence applications it addresses and 15 working days to remedy notified deficiencies. The exact application and enforcement of these provisions in a PPT-PE or PPP-PE case require assessment. They are not a promise that document collection, banking, closing, travel and card procedures all finish within 60 working days. This guide does not infer automatic approval from the article’s transitional paragraph. [P6]

Table 17 · Separate the time blocks

9.2 Five cost categories

Table 18 · Costs, deposits and capital

9.3 Initial-stage formula

For a main applicant without dependants, the transparent starting formula is B/.250 government application payment + B/.800 repatriation deposit + any route-specific qualifying capital + third-party costs + professional fees. It is a budget structure, not a complete quotation. Work permits, subsequent cards, cédula procedures and the permanent stage need their own current treatment.

9.4 Family costs are assessed person by person

Check government amounts and exemptions individually. Children under twelve are exempt from the repatriation deposit under Article 29; do not turn this into an assumption about every other charge. Civil records, translations, personal documents, travel and appointments may multiply. The B/.100-per-dependant support calculation is not a government charge. [P1], [P6]

Table 19 · Family budget: what actually scales

Sources: [P1], [P2], [P6], [P11].

10 · Work permits, companies and regulated professions

10.1 Residence does not authorise every activity

SNM decides residence; MITRADEL decides work permission. The employment route connects the two applications but does not merge them. The SNM checklist already requires evidence of the MITRADEL application. Plan the lawful start date, employment contract, social security and permission together. [P1], [P9]

10.2 Identify the labour category

MITRADEL’s published system places investment-based Friendly Nations cases within Type 4A and work-based cases within Type 6A. Type 6A distinguishes work on one’s own account and employment by another person. The actual activity, immigration basis and employment arrangement determine the appropriate analysis; a company title alone does not. [P10], [P21]

Table 20 · Five labour-law checks

10.3 Regulated and protected professions

Article 40 of Panama’s Constitution allows statutory restrictions on certain professions. Professional laws may add nationality, licensing and qualification-recognition requirements. A foreign degree, Panama company or residence card does not remove them. Confirm the precise intended activity before promising a job or choosing the route. [P15]

10.4 Ownership and work are different roles

Table 21 · Separate the roles

Sources: [P1], [P9], [P10], [P11], [P15], [P21].

11 · Banking, fixed-term deposits and AML/KYC

A route recognised by immigration law does not give an applicant a right to a bank account. Banks apply regulatory due diligence and their own risk assessment. Immigration suitability and bank acceptance must be evaluated independently.

Table 22 · A bank’s evidence chain

11.1 Wealth and funds are distinct

Source of wealth explains the accumulated financial position. Source of funds explains the particular transfer. A recent account statement may show where money is held without explaining its economic origin. Build a continuous evidence chain from the originating transaction to the remitting account.

11.2 Confirm the product and certificate

For the deposit route, confirm onboarding, transfer arrangements, product terms and the certificate wording before a filing trip is fixed. The certificate must identify the general-licence bank, qualifying amount, fixed-term product, three-year term, absence of encumbrances and applicant or qualifying entity. A balance confirmation alone is insufficient. [P1]

11.3 Transparent transfers and declarations

The sending account, beneficial owner, payment purpose and documents should tell a consistent story. Do not split transfers to evade review. Foreign reporting, capital movement and tax obligations need advice in the relevant jurisdictions. The bank may request additional information beyond this planning list. The current supervisory due-diligence framework is identified at [P12].

Sources: [P1], [P12].

12 · Maintaining status, absences and cancellation

12.1 Preserve the provisional-stage evidence

The permanent application generally calls for the underlying requirements again. Retain a lawful, documentable route and review changes early. A status card is the record of a legal position, not a substitute for continuing compliance.

Table 23 · Changes that need review

12.2 Read the two-year absence provision accurately

Article 31(3) of Decree Law 3/2008 identifies absence from Panama for more than two years by a permanent resident as a possible cancellation ground unless justified and authorised by the Director of SNM. It does not promise that a 24-hour visit every two years guarantees status in all circumstances. Do not apply this permanent-resident provision indiscriminately to the provisional PPT-PE stage; review that stage’s conditions separately. [P6]

12.3 Other cancellation risks

Article 31 also addresses matters including incompatible activities, false or fraudulent documents, loss of the underlying grounds and certain criminal situations. Preserve original records, make complete disclosures and check the relevant permission before starting work. A travel diary, change log and reminders are useful controls; they do not replace legal advice.

Table 24 · Risks to status after approval

Sources: [P1], [P6].

13 · Tax residence: a separate assessment

Immigration permission does not determine where a person is tax resident, which income Panama taxes or which obligations continue elsewhere. Plan actual days, homes, family, employment, management activities, assets and reporting separately.

13.1 Panamanian tax residence

DGI’s guidance on Article 762-N of the Fiscal Code refers to individuals present for more than 183 days, continuously or intermittently, in the same tax year or the immediately preceding year. Other applicable criteria and evidence still require analysis. A tax-residence certificate has its own application process and documentary requirements. A residence card is not that certificate. [P13], [P14]

13.2 Income source and the territorial system

Calling Panama a territorial tax system does not resolve a specific income item. Analyse the activity producing the income, where it takes place and applicable rules. Remote work from Panama, management functions, local customers, property income, dividends and disposals can raise different questions. Do not describe all overseas payments as automatically untaxed.

Table 25 · Questions for the relevant tax advisers

For US, Canadian, UK and other applicants, obtain country-specific advice before making a departure, tax-residence or reporting assumption. This guide does not provide foreign tax advice. Document the actual current position and proposed life arrangements, then align the Panamanian and foreign analyses.

Sources: [P13], [P14].

14 · Naturalisation: a separate long-term project

Permanent residence and Panamanian nationality are different legal positions. Article 10 of the Constitution refers, for the ordinary category, to five consecutive years of residence and additional language, knowledge and declaration requirements. A three-year period can apply in specified cases involving a Panamanian spouse or Panama-born children. The current SNM naturalisation checklist describes a separate dossier. [P15], [P16]

Table 26 · Citizenship is not a card upgrade

14.1 Document actual residence

Anyone considering citizenship should keep reliable records of presence, absences, home, integration and other relevant connections. Do not equate continuous legal status with every factual element of consecutive residence. Obtain advice on the applicable rules and starting point before planning around a five-year date.

14.2 Multiple nationality and renunciation

The declaration required in Panama and the effect of that declaration in another country are distinct legal questions. Rules differ between nationalities and may change. Assess them with qualified advisers before beginning naturalisation, rather than assuming that a residence permit preserves every future option.

Sources: [P6], [P15], [P16].

15 · Risk matrix and common claims

The controls below are planning recommendations, not measured probabilities or government statistics. Their purpose is to identify a problem while it is still possible to change course.

Table 27 · Twelve recurring risks

Table 28 · Claims to challenge

15.1 Warning signs in an offer

• No dated Spanish primary source for the proposed route.
• A guaranteed decision, bank acceptance or overall completion date.
• Fees, deposits, investment capital and professional services mixed into one unexplained number.
• No plan for the permanent stage or continuity of the qualifying basis.
• Instructions to omit a criminal record, nationality, name change or other material fact.

Sources: [P1], [P2], [P6], [P9], [P12], [P13], [P15], [P16].

16 · When another residence category may fit better

Friendly Nations is not a universal solution. Nationality, pension income, investment objectives, family ties, employment and the intended stay may point elsewhere. This is an initial routing framework; other categories need their own current legal and document review.

Table 29 · Alternative screening

17 · Four illustrative cases

These examples are hypothetical planning situations. They are not client stories, approval statistics or promises of an outcome.

17.1 A UK specialist joining a Panama employer

The first gate is whether the activity, employer and labour category are lawful and viable. The employer letter, Public Registry certificate, operating notice and MITRADEL application are coordinated only after that assessment. The two-year plan includes a procedure for job loss or a change of employer.

Table 30 · Employment-case gates

17.2 A Canadian couple buying property

Before purchase, they align ownership, beneficial-owner evidence, minimum value and any local financing with the immigration requirement. Closing is not treated as equivalent to an available registry certificate. Their marriage record follows the correct Canadian authentication route and is translated in full. A later sale or restructuring is reviewed before it affects the permanent application.

17.3 A US entrepreneur choosing a deposit

Without a local employment plan or a property purchase objective, the applicant first checks whether a bank will accept the profile and funds. A business sale is documented with transaction records, tax information and statements connecting the proceeds to the remitting account. The proposed certificate is reviewed against the SNM requirements. Other expenditure and contingencies are funded separately from the qualifying deposit.

17.4 A family with a 22-year-old child

Financial dependence alone is insufficient. The file needs the regular full-time study certificate and sworn unmarried-status declaration, together with the family and support evidence. A proposed study break is assessed before filing because it may change the qualifying facts.

Sources: [P1], [P9], [P12].

18 · Frequently asked questions

Is Friendly Nations still available?

SNM continues to publish PPT-PE and PPP-PE requirements. Use the current checklist and applicable decrees before filing. [P1], [P17]

Is Ecuador included?

Executive Decree 16 of 31 August 2026 added Ecuador with effect from 1 September 2026. The consolidated list contains 51 countries and territories. [P22]

Do US, Canadian and UK nationals qualify automatically?

No. Listed nationality is an entry condition; the route, personal dossier and formal requirements remain to be satisfied.

What are the three routes?

Employment in Panama, qualifying property from B/.200,000, or an unencumbered three-year fixed-term deposit from B/.200,000. [P1]

Is forming a company sufficient?

No. A company may be the genuine employer or hold qualifying assets under the required conditions, but incorporation alone is not a fourth route.

Must property be bought entirely with cash?

No. The checklist expressly permits acquisition finance through a local bank. Confirm the certificate, value evidence and closing structure before committing. [P1]

Can a company own the investment?

The checklist permits qualifying legal-entity ownership with the applicant as ultimate beneficial owner. A private foundation requires founder and beneficial-owner status under the stated wording. [P1]

Can the deposit be pledged?

The required deposit must be free of encumbrances. A pledge or security assignment can conflict with that condition. [P1]

Is B/.1,000 a general salary requirement?

The figure appears in one dependant-support option, with B/.100 per dependant. The current SNM employment-route checklist does not state it as a general main-applicant salary minimum. [P1]

Does the residence card let me work?

Not automatically. The appropriate MITRADEL permission and any quota or professional restrictions require separate assessment. [P9], [P10]

How long does it take?

Article 34’s statutory decision period is not a guarantee for the whole project. Documents, external approvals, corrections and follow-up procedures affect time. [P6]

How many trips are necessary?

There is no universal number. Personal steps, scheduling, family circumstances and card procedures determine the itinerary.

What are the initial government payments?

The PPT-PE checklist states certified cheques of B/.250 to Tesoro Nacional and B/.800 to SNM. The latter is a repatriation deposit; assess statutory exemptions individually. [P1], [P6]

Is the B/.800 returned?

Do not assume automatic repayment. Confirm the applicable conditions and procedure; budget it as a cash requirement. [P6]

What is repeated at the permanent stage?

The present checklist repeats the previous requirements with exceptions for the criminal record certificate and “the cheque”. Recheck the rule and practice at that stage. [P1]

Does a short visit every two years guarantee status?

No such blanket guarantee follows from Article 31. The over-two-year absence provision concerns permanent residents and includes justification and authorisation conditions. Provisional-stage consequences need their own review. [P6]

Does the permit establish tax residence?

Not automatically. Tax residence and its certificate have separate criteria, evidence and procedures, alongside any continuing foreign obligations. [P13], [P14]

Will I receive a passport after five years?

No automatic passport follows. Naturalisation has separate residence, language, knowledge, declaration and dossier requirements. [P15], [P16]

What should happen first?

A documented eligibility and route assessment, followed by an evidence, budget and timing plan. Use that plan before binding capital or ordering short-lived documents.

Sources: [P1], [P6], [P9], [P10], [P13], [P14], [P15], [P16], [P17], [P22].

19 · Conclusion for a residence plan

The programme provides a defined residence framework for listed nationalities with a qualifying connection and a properly evidenced personal dossier. The 2021 reform changed the programme: the historical company-only or direct-to-permanent logic is not a reliable plan for a new application.

The route should remain lawful and provable throughout the two-year provisional stage and at the permanent application. Sound preparation separates immigration from work permission, banking, tax and citizenship, and connects each relevant legal fact to a specific acceptable document.

Appendix A · Initial-application master checklist

This working template combines the listed filing requirements with quality controls. It does not replace an applicant-specific document plan.

Table A1 · Master checklist

Sources: [P1], [P6], [P7], [P8].

Appendix B · Route-specific evidence maps

B.1 Employment

Table B1 · Employment

B.2 Property

Table B2 · Property

B.3 Fixed-term deposit

Table B3 · Deposit

Sources: [P1], [P9], [P10], [P12].

Appendix C · Family and document planner

Table C1 · Family worksheet

Table C2 · Support worksheet

The support calculation is not a government fee. The employment-evidence option has its own documentary requirements.

Sources: [P1].

Appendix D · Project plan and critical path

Insert dates only after checking issuers and the route. The statutory decision period belongs to the authority-review phase, not the total project. Review intervals are a planning choice or agreed service, not a statutory quarterly requirement.

Table D1 · Project worksheet

Sources: [P6].

Appendix E · Budget worksheet

This is a structure for an itemised quotation, not an offer or cost promise. Confirm every amount, responsible party and date before relying on a total.

Table E1 · Transparent budget

Sources: [P1], [P6].

Appendix F · Sources and review dates

The original legal review dates are preserved below. Its country-list update was made on 3 October 2026. References P23–P26 were added for the English edition and consulted on 19 October 2026. A source’s availability or an editorial translation does not amount to a fresh legal assessment of every provision. Authority links can change; verify the live text before filing.

Appendix G · Spanish–English glossary

Table G1 · Working terminology

Working translations assist the reader. The Spanish legal term and applicable original instrument control.

Appendix H · 30 / 10 / 1-day pre-filing review

Table H1 · Practical review schedule

This is a planning template, not a statutory timetable.