The professional’s route to Panamanian residency.

The Friendly Nations Visa is Panama’s most popular pathway for working-age internationals from established democracies. It applies to citizens of around 50 countries the Panamanian government considers to have friendly diplomatic and economic relations, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, most of the European Union, Australia, and several Latin American states.

A 2021 reform tightened the requirements considerably. The visa is no longer issued as immediate permanent residency: applicants now receive temporary residency for two years and may convert to permanent residency at the end of that period, provided the underlying tie to Panama is maintained. Despite the additional step, it remains the most flexible pathway for professionals, remote workers, and entrepreneurs who want to establish a foothold in the country without committing to a large investment up front.

You must be a citizen of a qualifying country and demonstrate one of three economic ties to Panama:

• Local employment with a Panamanian employer holding a valid work permit sponsorship, or ownership of a Panamanian company that conducts genuine economic activity.
• Real estate ownership in Panama with a registered title value of at least US$200,000 (clean title, held individually or through a Panamanian entity).
• Fixed-term bank deposit of at least US$200,000 with a Panamanian bank, held for a minimum of three years.

On top of the economic tie, you will need a clean criminal background check from your country of residence, an apostilled passport copy and birth certificate, and a Panamanian health certificate issued after arrival. Most applications are processed in two to four months for the temporary residency phase.