Why Panama?
Permanent residency through investment. Panama's Qualified Investor category (Decreto Ejecutivo 722 of 2020, updated by Decreto 193 of 2024) grants permanent residence when you complete a qualifying investment and keep it in place.
Three official routes. Real estate from US$300,000, Panama securities from US$500,000, or a five-year time deposit from US$750,000 in a licensed Panamanian bank. The property can be a completed title or a qualifying pre-sale with a licensed developer.
Fast immigration file. Once the investment is documented, Servicio Nacional de Migracion typically processes a complete Qualified Investor filing in about 30 to 45 business days.
Territorial tax system. Panama does not tax foreign-source income. Your investment sits in a dollar economy with no local-currency risk.
We help you find the property. On the real-estate route, we assist with the property search and due diligence so the asset actually qualifies before you file.
Who This Is For
Investors ready to place US$300,000 or more into unencumbered Panamanian real estate and hold it for five years.
Buyers of qualifying pre-sale projects who will sign a purchase contract at or above US$300,000 through a licensed developer.
Securities investors who will buy US$500,000 or more in instruments through a licensed Panamanian broker and hold for five years.
Depositors who will place US$750,000 or more in a five-year time deposit at a general-license Panamanian bank.
Families who want the principal applicant plus spouse and qualifying children on the same permanent-residence file.
The Process
Step 1: Choose the Investment
We map you to real estate, securities, or a bank deposit and confirm the funds can be shown coming from abroad. On the real-estate route we assist with the property search and check title, liens, and developer status before you commit.
Step 2: Complete and Document the Investment
You close the purchase, securities subscription, or time deposit. We collect the bank certifications, transfer trail, and the notarial or brokerage letters Migracion requires.
Step 3: File at Migracion
Our Panama attorneys submit the Qualified Investor permanent-residence application with a special power of attorney. You do not need to sit the filing in person.
Step 4: Permanent Residence and E-Cedula
On approval you receive permanent resident status. We then take you through E-Cedula issuance. The investment must remain in place and is confirmed on the statutory schedule.
Requirements
Investment options under Decreto Ejecutivo 722 of 2020, as amended by Decreto 193 of 2024:
Real estate: US$300,000 or more, free of liens, held for five years. Completed title or a qualifying pre-sale / irrevocable purchase trust with a developer whose project is under execution.
Securities: US$500,000 or more in securities bought through a licensed Panamanian brokerage, held for five years.
Bank deposit: US$750,000 or more in a time deposit of at least five years at a general-license bank in Panama, free of liens.
Funds from abroad: Bank letter and statements showing the money arrived from outside Panama.
Passport copy, apostilled or authenticated.
Criminal record from your country of nationality or residence, apostilled, typically valid six months.
Health certificate and personal-background declaration.
Passport photos to immigration specifications.
Dependents: proof of relationship, same address, and (for adult children) single and student status as Migracion requires.
What's Included
Full Qualified Investor filing: We prepare and submit the permanent-residence application.
Property search and due diligence on the real-estate route: we help you find a qualifying asset and review title, liens, and developer standing.
Investment structuring: We line up the securities or deposit route with licensed counterparties when that is the better fit.
Document preparation: Apostilles, translations, bank certifications, and the power of attorney.
Government coordination: Servicio Nacional de Migracion filings and E-Cedula appointments.
Attorney representation in Panama through approval.
Timeline
| Milestone | Timeframe |
|---|---|
| Property search or investment structuring | 2-8 weeks, deal-dependent |
| Close investment and assemble the bank trail | 1-4 weeks after you choose the asset |
| Migracion processing after a complete filing | Typically 30-45 business days |
| Status on approval | Permanent residence |
| Citizenship eligibility | After 5 years of effective permanent residence, as a separate application |
Important Notes
This is permanent residence, not citizenship. Naturalization is a later, separate file after years of effective residence, Spanish, and the usual good-conduct tests.
Hold the investment for five years. Real estate, securities, and the time deposit each have a five-year hold. Migracion can ask for annual proof the investment is still in place.
Real estate must be clean title or a qualifying pre-sale. Encumbered property does not count. We assist with the search so you do not buy an asset that fails the decree.
Territorial tax. Panama does not tax foreign-source income. Local Panama-source income is a different analysis.
Presence. Permanent residents should visit Panama periodically to keep the status in good standing. Plan on entering at least once every two years unless counsel tells you otherwise on your file.