A city with red rooftops in the foreground and skyscrapers in the background.
There are several pathways to residency in Panama, starting with a $100,000 investment in teak reforestation.Credit…Toh Gouttenoire for The New York Times
Panama is consistently lauded for its quality of life, robust service industry, ease of visa process and health care (there’s a Johns Hopkins-affiliated hospital in Panama City), and longstanding program for retirees. “Panama is very stable and they stick by their programs, unlike what we’ve seen in a lot of other places,” said Ms. Stevens, from International Living.
Types of visas: The “Qualified Investor” visa requires a minimum real estate investment of $300,000; or $500,00 in Panama’s stock exchange; or a fixed-term deposit of $750,000 in the banking sector.
Panama also has a “Friendly Nations” visa — available to residents from more than 50 countries that have cordial economic and political relationships with Panama — that can be obtained with a $200,000 investment in real estate or a fixed-term deposit, or through employment by a Panamanian company.
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There are also two levels of investment in the forest/teak reforestation sector: $100,000 for temporary residence for two years, and $350,000 for immediate permanent residence.
If you maintain the investment for five years, you can be eligible to apply for citizenship.
Occupancy requirement: Visa holders must enter Panama at least once every two years to maintain residence status. Residency can be obtained within 30 days with qualified investment
Want to Live Abroad? You Can Still Find a Great Golden Visa.
As some countries curtail or even cancel their residency-by-investment programs, we scan the world for the most attractive visa plans for Americans.
