General program requirements

Panama’s Retirement visa requires that the applicant demonstrate a minimum monthly income or a lower minimum monthly income if combined with a real estate investment.

Without real estate investment:

Prove a $1,000 monthly income – and an additional US$250 per dependent – from a guaranteed source, such as a pension or annuity by a foreign government or insurance company.

With real estate investment:

Prove a $750 monthly income – and an additional US$250 per dependent – from a guaranteed source, such as a pension or annuity by a foreign government or insurance company and a US$100,000 investment in Panamanian real estate.

Program benefits

• No investment or donation requirement;
• Path to citizenship;
• Minimal physical presence requirements;
• Lower cost of living;
• Lower taxes;
• Warm climate;
• Safety and security;
• Short processing time

Requirements to qualify for citizenship

After five years of continuous residency, the applicant may apply for citizenship if all financial and physical presence requirements have been met over the residency period. 

The process of naturalization necessitates the involvement of a variety of public organs, such as the Ministry of Government and Justice, the Ministry of Public Services, the Electoral Tribunal, the Government Office, and the Presidency. The Panamanian President ultimately approves and signs all applications for naturalization. Prospective citizens should consult legal specialists to ensure all appropriate steps are followed.

The Panama Electoral Tribunal conduct an interview with the applicant to test his command of Spanish and knowledge of Panama’s history, geography, and civil rights. At this stage, a final application will made to the Presidency.

Panama does not technically recognize dual citizenship but does not in practice monitor whether its new citizens renounce other nationalities.

Citizens of several Latin American countries have a fast track option for citizenship through reciprocity:

– 1 year: Colombia, El Salvador
– 2 years: Argentina, Ecuador, Spain, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru
– 3 years: Uruguay

Applications for this program may be directed to:

Panama Migración 

Legislation upon which this program is based:

Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) Chapter 1 Article 204

No statistics available yet for this program.