Panama Qualified Investor Residency 2026

It is a subcategory of permanent residence for economic reasons, available to foreign nationals who make a qualifying investment in Panama. It is currently governed by Executive Decree No. 17 of September 8, 2026, within the framework of Decree-Law No. 3 of February 22, 2008.

Executive Decree No. 17, published in Official Gazette Digital No. 30613 on September 16, 2026, subrogates Executive Decree No. 722 of 2020 and its amendments. It sets separate minimums for first-sale and resale real estate, regulates promises to purchase with trust and bank-guarantee requirements, defines the securities-market and tiered bank-deposit routes, and adds detailed rules on valuation, source of funds, annual verification and transitional situations.

US$300,000 (B/.300,000) for a first-sale property, meaning the initial acquisition of a new, unoccupied property transferred by the developer, promoter or its successor. The net computable value must reach the minimum, and the decree’s valuation and documentary requirements apply.

The decree treats property that has previously been sold, occupied, leased or transferred to an unrelated third party as secondary-market property, with a minimum of US$500,000 (B/.500,000). Certain transfers, such as segregation, inheritance or contribution to a trust, are not treated as a prior sale, but simulated transactions may be disregarded.

Potentially, through a promise to purchase of at least US$300,000 (B/.300,000), but only under the decree’s structures: a trust deposit with a Panama-licensed bank or trust company, or full payment to the developer backed by a qualifying bank instrument. Guarantees must be renewed and presented every year, and status based solely on promises to purchase may not exceed three years. An ordinary promise to purchase does not automatically qualify.

In certain cases, yes. Depending on the route, the investment may be held through a legal entity or private interest foundation, provided you prove beneficial ownership and effective control with properly legalized documentation. Owning a corporation or foundation does not by itself qualify you; the investment must meet the requirements of the applicable route.

US$500,000 (B/.500,000) in total, invested through a Panamanian securities firm licensed by the Superintendency of the Securities Market in the eligible instrument categories described in the decree, and maintained without interruption for at least five years. We do not recommend specific securities.

US$750,000 (B/.750,000) at a private-capital, general-license bank authorized to operate in Panama, funded from abroad and kept free of any lien, pledge or block for at least five uninterrupted calendar years.

A reduced minimum of US$500,000 (B/.500,000) applies exclusively to fixed-term deposits constituted directly and only with Banco Nacional de Panamá or Caja de Ahorros, under the same five-year, lien-free and foreign-source conditions. It does not apply to private banks.

At least five years. During that period the resident must prove each year before the Ministry of Commerce and Industries that the investment is maintained, filing the documentation within the 30 calendar days before the anniversary of the migration resolution.

If the investment ceases, is sold, is substituted or stops existing before the five years are complete, you must notify the Ministry of Commerce and Industries within 30 calendar days and document an equivalent reinvestment within a period of up to 90 calendar days. If the reinvestment is not made in time, the decree provides that this gives rise to the ex officio cancellation of the permanent residence by the National Migration Service.

Yes. A spouse, children under 18 and children between 18 and 25 who study regularly and are economically dependent may be included, as well as other categories permitted by Panama’s general migration rules. Each dependent requires B/.1,000 to the Tesoro Nacional and a B/.1,000 repatriation deposit. A new spouse, or children born or adopted after approval, may also be added later, subject to the decree’s requirements.

Yes. Article 16 allows the application to be filed through a special attorney-in-fact before you and your dependents enter Panama. Biometric affiliation and registration in the Foreigners Registry must be completed before any immigration card is issued, so travel to Panama should be planned for that stage.

Investments and binding contracts perfected before the decree entered into force may use the previous regime if the corresponding application is filed within six months of its entry into force and all legal requirements are met. Applications already filed continue under the rules in force when they were filed. Each case requires a review of the documents.

The decree sets maximum periods of 15 business days for the Investment Certification, counted from admission of a complete file, and 30 business days for the Migration Resolution, counted from formal receipt of the complete immigration file and subject to legally applicable suspensions. Incomplete files, corrections and requests for additional documents affect timing, so these periods are not a guaranteed overall timeline.

No. The decree provides that Qualified Investor permanent residents and their qualifying dependents may be eligible to apply for Panamanian naturalization after five consecutive years of residence, subject to constitutional and legal requirements. Naturalization is a separate legal process; eligibility does not guarantee approval or an automatic Panamanian passport.