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Immigration Law · EN

Panama Friendly Nations Visa 2026: Requirements, Eligible Countries and Process.

A complete guide to Panama's Friendly Nations Visa under Executive Decree 197 of 2021: the two qualifying routes (a US$200,000 real estate investment or a job offer with a work permit), the list of 49 eligible countries, the two-year provisional residency that leads to permanent residency, the documents required, and frequently asked questions.

Published in the source: Last date stated:

The Friendly Nations Visa is one of Panama's best-known residency routes for citizens of a list of countries with which Panama has friendly, professional and economic ties. It was substantially reformed by Executive Decree No. 197 of May 7, 2021, so much of the information circulating online is outdated. This guide explains how it works today, with the correct figures.

This guide is informational and not personalized legal advice.

What changed in 2021

Before the reform, the Friendly Nations Visa granted permanent residency almost immediately and accepted broad proof of "economic ties" (including simply forming a company). Executive Decree 197 of 2021 tightened it:

  • It now grants two-year provisional residency first; permanent residency is requested afterward.
  • The old "form a company" route as proof of solvency was removed.
  • Two concrete qualifying routes remain (below).

Who qualifies: the two routes

You must be a national of one of the eligible countries and qualify through one of these:

  1. Employment route, a job offer from a Panamanian company, with a work-permit application to the Ministry of Labor (MITRADEL). Requires the employer's letter, Public Registry certificate and Notice of Operation.
  2. Real estate investment route, a real estate investment in your own name of at least US$200,000 (which may be financed by a local bank).

Note: unlike some other categories, the Friendly Nations Visa has no fixed-term bank deposit option. The routes are employment or real estate.

The 49 eligible countries

Executive Decree 197 of 2021 lists 49 countries, including: United Kingdom, Germany, Argentina, Australia, South Korea, Austria, Brazil, Belgium, Canada, Spain, United States, Slovakia, France, Finland, Netherlands, Ireland, Japan, Norway, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Singapore, Uruguay, Chile, Sweden, Poland, Hungary, Greece, Portugal, Croatia, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Cyprus, Malta, Serbia, Montenegro, Israel, Denmark, South Africa, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Andorra, San Marino, Costa Rica, Paraguay and Mexico.

From provisional to permanent residency

  1. Provisional residency (2 years): filed with the National Immigration Service through a Panamanian attorney.
  2. Permanent residency: requested after the provisional period, maintaining the same qualifying conditions.
  3. After holding permanent residency, and meeting the general requirements, a foreigner may in time pursue naturalization, a separate process.

Documents (typical)

  • Passport valid for at least 6 months and a second ID.
  • Police record from your country of origin (usually within the last 5 years), duly apostilled.
  • Panamanian health certificate.
  • Proof of the qualifying route: title/promise of the US$200,000 property, or the employment package (letter, work permit, employer's Public Registry certificate and Notice of Operation).
  • Sworn affidavit and the migration forms.

Questions from the source

Questions, answers, and sources preserved from the historical archive. Nucleus has not verified their currency or links.

What is the Panama Friendly Nations Visa?

It is a residency permit for nationals of countries with friendly, professional or economic ties to Panama. Since the 2021 reform it grants a two-year provisional residency that then converts into permanent residency, based on either a real-estate investment or a local employment relationship.

Which countries qualify for the Friendly Nations Visa?

The list is set by Executive Decree 197 of 2021 and includes roughly 49 countries across the Americas, Europe, Asia and Oceania, among them the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and most of the European Union.

How much do I need to invest?

The most common route is a real-estate purchase of at least US$200,000 in your own name (which may be financed), or qualifying through a formal employment relationship with a Panamanian company.

Does the Friendly Nations Visa grant permanent residency?

Yes, but no longer immediately. Since 2021 you first receive a two-year provisional residency and then apply for permanent residency, keeping the conditions that gave you access.

Sources declared in Iurispa

Questions, answers, and sources preserved from the historical archive. Nucleus has not verified their currency or links.

  1. Executive Decree 197 of May 7, 2021 (Official Gazette 29290-A)
  2. National Immigration Service ↗