Married with Panamanian Visa

A: Yes, you can get married in Panama on a tourist visa. However, to apply for residency through marriage to a Panamanian citizen, your marriage must be registered with Panama’s Civil Registry. If you got married outside of Panama, the marriage needs to be properly recorded in the Panamanian Civil Registry to be legally valid here.

A: There is no set minimum time you must be married to apply for the visa for spouses of Panamanians. The most important thing is to show that your relationship is real and steady. This is checked through a marriage interview and sometimes home visits by the National Immigration Service. You also need to show you’ve lived together consistently and exclusively.

A: The process to get temporary residency through marriage can take between 3 to 6 months from when you submit your application. Once temporary residency is granted, you’ll need to wait 2 years before you can apply for permanent residency. Please keep in mind that these times can vary depending on the workload at the National Immigration Service and how particular each situation is.

A: Yes, it is a must. No matter where your marriage took place, it has to be recorded in Panama’s Civil Registry for it to be legally recognized and for you to move forward with your application for the Panamanian spouse visa.

A: Marrying a Panamanian citizen does not automatically grant citizenship. However, foreigners married to Panamanian citizens may apply for naturalization after obtaining permanent residency and having lived legally in Panama for 3 consecutive years. This process requires, among other requirements, demonstrating basic knowledge of the Spanish language, as well as knowledge of the geography, history and political organization of Panama.