What is the Friendly Nations Visa?
The Friendly Nations Visa is a residency program for citizens of more than 50 countries that hold friendly diplomatic, economic, and professional ties with Panama — including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, most of the EU, Australia, and many others.
Important: the program was restructured in 2021 (Executive Decrees 197 and 226). It no longer grants immediate permanent residency the way older guides describe. Today it is a two-stage process: first a two-year provisional residency, then permanent residency once that period is complete and you’ve maintained your qualifying basis.
How you qualify
Under the current law, you must demonstrate an economic tie to Panama through one of three pathways:
- Employment — a job contract with a Panamanian company, registered with Social Security
- Real estate investment — qualifying property ownership in Panama
- Fixed bank deposit — a qualifying term deposit in a Panamanian bank
You’ll also need a passport from a qualifying country (valid 6+ months) and an apostilled criminal background check from your home country.
How we handle it
Our in-house legal team determines which of the three pathways fits your situation, prepares and files everything, and guides you through both stages — from the initial provisional grant through to permanent residency.
Note: Friendly Nations rules have changed before and the exact qualifying thresholds are confirmed for your situation during your free consultation. We never quote requirements we haven’t checked against the current decree.