Residence Permits in Panama — Gerdom & Partner

An overview of the main visa options

Panama offers a range of residence programmes for foreigners who wish to settle in the country.

These programmes differ in terms of requirements, investment thresholds and the speed at which permanent residence status can be obtained.

For many international applicants, Panama’s visa programmes are among the more straightforward options worldwide.

At the same time, it’s worth examining the various options carefully.

The Friendly Nations Visa is one of Panama’s best-known residence programmes.

It is aimed at citizens of certain countries, which include many European states among others.

Typical requirements can be:

In many cases the programme allows a relatively direct path to permanent residence status.

This programme is aimed at investors who want to make a larger investment in the country.

Possible forms of investment are, for example:

Depending on the amount of the investment, permanent residence status can be obtained relatively quickly.

This programme is often used by investors who intend to acquire a property anyway.

The Pensionado programme is one of Panama’s best-known visa categories.

It is aimed at people with a lifelong pension or retirement payment.

The requirement is usually proof of a monthly pension above a certain minimum amount.

This programme also offers various discounts within Panama, for example on services or transport.

Besides these well-known programmes, further options exist, including:

Which option makes sense in an individual case depends heavily on the personal situation.

In Panama, applying for residence status is generally handled by specialised immigration lawyers.

The process usually involves:

The duration can vary depending on the programme.

Gerdom & Partner is not a law firm and does not carry out visa procedures itself.

Our role is to:

This ensures that all steps run in a coordinated and efficient way.