PASSPORT CONTROLPanama
RECOMMENDED ROUTE 路 Short-Stay Remote Worker VisaMinimum foreign-source income of B/.36,000 (USD 36,000) per year, i.e. ~USD 3,000/month, per Executive Decree 198/2021.
Alternatives to the recommended route
What the file has to contain
These are the documents the authorities expect for the lead route. This is a reference list, not an eligibility check: whether any one item is met depends on your own situation. Items marked for apostille must be legalized before they will be accepted.
Passport valid for at least 6 months at time of application; copies usually notarized/authenticated.
Bank certification letter stating income is received from abroad, OR the last two months (practitioners advise 3-6 months) of foreign bank statements stamped by the bank showing deposits tied to the declared work. Bank certification letters must be apostilled.
For employees: employer letter on letterhead, signed by the legal representative, stating position, annual income >= USD 36,000, remote/telework modality, that work has effects abroad, and a clause that the employer will assume repatriation costs. For self-employed/freelancers: foreign client contracts, foreign business registration, invoices, and a notarized affidavit.
Certificate of good conduct from the country of citizenship or residence (federal/national police or ministry of justice; FBI Identity History Summary for US citizens), apostilled by the issuing country's competent authority (US Department of State for the US), or consularized if the country is not an Apostille member.
Proof of health/medical insurance covering the entire intended stay in Panama. No specific USD minimum coverage figure is stated in the publicly available texts; carry reasonably comprehensive coverage.
Two recent passport-style photos (front view, white background).
Completed SNM Short Stay Remote Worker application form plus power of attorney authorizing the Panamanian attorney; sworn declarations as required. Foreign documents translated into Spanish by a certified translator in Panama.
Panama is a Hague Apostille Convention member (in force since 1991), so US/EU public documents like the FBI background check and bank/birth certificates need only an apostille from the issuing country's competent authority (e.g. US Department of State) rather than Panamanian consular legalization; foreign documents must also be officially translated into Spanish in Panama.
From paperwork to residence card
The recorded process folds into stages, each listing the real steps it covers. Timing depends on your consulate and is not fixed, so no week estimates are shown here.
Prepare and legalize
- Gather documents in home country
- Apostille foreign documents
Lodge the application
- Certified Spanish translation
- Engage a Panamanian immigration attorney
Decision and collection
- File application at SNM
Arrive and register
- Receive visa approval and immigration card
The law says
Official rules, verified against government text.
- Income requirement
- $3,000 / month (USD)
Minimum foreign-source income of B/.36,000 (USD 36,000) per year, i.e. ~USD 3,000/month, per Executive Decree 198/2021. - Initial duration
- 9 months
- Renewal
- One 9-month extension (max 18 months)
- Maximum stay
- 18 months
- Tax status
- Classic territorial system; foreign income exempt; 183-day residency trigger.
- Processing time
- Approximately 1-3 months (commonly quoted as 30-90 days) after filing, depending on SNM workload.
- Official cost
- Government fees are in the low hundreds of USD per applicant: roughly USD 250-300 visa fee plus ~USD 50-100 for the temporary immigration card (carnet). Excludes apostille, certified Spanish translation, and Panamanian attorney fees, which are separate and private. SNM does not publish a clear fee table for this category; the attorney checks the current tasas administrativas resolution at filing.
- Official source
- Territorial tax countries 2026
The street says
10 SIGNALSWhat applicants report, kept separate from the official numbers.
Voices from the field
I'd be under the Friendly Nations Visa (yes I'm aware there's also the digital nomad visa but that can only last up to 18 months).
My pensionado visa should be completed in April (6 month process) but sister still has another year(ish) to go as it's a longer process
I'm a Canadian professional planning to relocate to Panama City this year. I've been consulting with a few law firms regarding the...
Open the full source file (9)
- Territorial tax countries 2026AGGREGATOR 路 Country Tax Calc 路 accessed 2026-08-03
- 55 Digital Nomad Visas in 2026AGGREGATOR 路 Immigrant Invest 路 accessed 2026-08-03
- The Panama Digital Nomad VisaPRACTITIONER 路 Bright!Tax 路 accessed 2026-08-03
- Panama Digital Nomad VisaLEGAL 路 Kraemer & Kraemer 路 accessed 2026-08-03
- Digital Nomad / Remote Worker VisaLEGAL 路 Panama Relocation Tours 路 accessed 2026-08-03
- Visa para nomadas digitalesGOV 路 PRO PANAMA (Panama government) 路 accessed 2026-08-03
- Requisitos para solicitar Visa de Corta Estancia como Trabajador RemotoGOV 路 Servicio Nacional de Migracion (Panama) 路 accessed 2026-08-03
- Panama digital nomad visaLEGAL 路 Kraemer Law 路 accessed 2026-08-03
- Panama digital nomad visaLEGAL 路 NDM (Panama) 路 accessed 2026-08-03
The bottom line on Panama: the Short-Stay Remote Worker Visa is the easiest route for most digital nomads, but it only lasts 9 months and offers no path to permanent residency, so it is a temporary fix rather than a long-term plan. If you want to actually settle, the Friendly Nations Visa is the route that matters most, and its bar is not a salary but an economic tie, either a job with a Panamanian company, a USD 200,000 real estate purchase, or a USD 200,000 two-year bank deposit. That route starts with a 2-year provisional residency and converts to permanent residency, though the overall journey to full PR takes roughly 2.5 to 3 years, and this part is reported but not officially confirmed.