By Executive Decree 343 of May 16th, 2012, the migratory subcategory for permanent residence Friendly Nations was created, under which citizens of specific countries, with economic or professional ties with Panama, can apply for residence status.
Currently, the list of countries which citizens are eligible for the Friendly Nations Visa are:
Andorra
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Canada
Chile
Costa Rica
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Great Britain
Greece
Hong Kong
Hungary
Ireland
Israel
Japan
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxemburg
Malta
Monaco
Montenegro
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Poland
Portugal
San Marino
Serbia
Singapore
Slovakia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
United States of America
Uruguay
Mexico
Paraguay
Andorra
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Canada
Chile
Costa Rica
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Great Britain
Greece
Hong Kong
Hungary
Ireland
Israel
Japan
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxemburg
Malta
Monaco
Montenegro
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Poland
Portugal
San Marino
Serbia
Singapore
Slovakia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
United States of America
Uruguay
Mexico
Paraguay
Requirements
The requirements to apply for this residence are as follow:
Five passport size photos
Letter from a Bank in Panama certifying deposits for at least USD $5,000.00
Passport and second id, such as driver’s license or state ID
In terms of economic capacity:
Own a titled property in Panama, free of liens, in the applicant’s name or through his corporation or foundation; or
Own a Panamanian Corporation in the form of an IBC or LLC; or
Have been hired by a Panamanian company, for which proper documentation will be required
Criminal background check from country of citizenship, or from country of residence for the last two years (in this case evidence of residence permit is required). Also, the criminal check must be nationwide, so for the USA for example, it must be from the FBI
USD $800.00 by certified check issued to Servicio Nacional de Migración, for repatriation fees
Health certificate issued by a local doctor, within the last 90 days prior to file the application
Sworn declaration (available in our website’s Resources)
If the applicant is applying with his or her spouse, the application must include Marriage Certificate (valid only for 6 months). The spouse must also present all requirements above, except for economic and financial solvency documents.
Likewise, if the application includes dependent children, the birth certificate for each child must be included in the application.
All documents originated abroad must be either apostilled (at the Secretary of State Office), or authenticated at the Panamanian Consulate in your country.