Panama
A dollarised, territorial-tax hub — enter through a qualifying property purchase.
Residence of Panama.
Panama's Qualified Investor residence programme is one of the most efficient routes to permanent residence in the Americas. A single qualifying investment secures the principal, spouse, dependent children and dependent parents — with permanent residence issued upfront rather than as a probationary status.
We build every Panama mandate around the real-estate route. Purchasing a qualifying Panamanian property from USD 300,000 turns the residence contribution into an owned, income-producing asset rather than a sunk fee. Panama City is one of the strongest USD real-estate markets in Latin America, with institutional-grade towers in Punta Pacífica, Costa del Este and the Cinta Costera trading at a fraction of comparable pricing in Miami, Singapore or Hong Kong.
Alternative routes (a USD 500,000 securities portfolio or a USD 750,000 bank deposit) are available, but the property route is the one we recommend to clients seeking a hard asset, rental yield and long-term capital appreciation in a dollarised jurisdiction.
Territorial taxation — foreign income is outside the Panamanian tax net.
Panama applies a strict territorial tax system. Income sourced outside Panama — foreign dividends, foreign interest, foreign capital gains, foreign salary and foreign business profits — is not subject to Panamanian income tax, regardless of whether the individual is a Panamanian resident.
There is no tax on foreign-source income remitted to Panama, no wealth tax, no inheritance tax on assets located outside Panama, and no CFC regime. The US dollar is legal tender alongside the balboa, and the country operates one of the largest international banking centres in Latin America.
Qualified Investor eligibility for the principal and family.
- ◆Aged 18 or above
- ◆Clean criminal record with police clearance from country of residence
- ◆Verifiable source of funds transferred from abroad
- ◆Valid passport from any nationality
- ◆Spouse (legally married)
- ◆Children under 18
- ◆Unmarried, full-time student children aged 18 – 25 with no children of their own
- ◆Children of any age with a certified physical or mental disability
- ◆Dependent parents of the principal
- ◆USD 300,000 qualifying real-estate purchase, held for at least 5 years
- ◆Funds must be wired into Panama from a foreign source
- ◆Government fees payable per applicant and dependant
- ◆One visit to Panama every two years to preserve residence status
- ◆Eligibility to apply for Panamanian citizenship after 5 years of residence
Day 0 to Panamanian permanent residence in 3 – 5 months.
- Day 0
Engagement & KYC
Onboarding, KYC, source-of-funds review and property shortlisting with our Panama City brokerage partners.
- Week 2 – 4
Property selection & reservation
Site visits (in person or virtual), reservation of the chosen unit and legal due diligence in the Public Registry.
- Month 2
Purchase & title
Funds wired from abroad; notarial deed executed; title registered in the buyer's name in the Panamanian Public Registry.
- Month 2 – 3
Residence application
Qualified Investor file submitted to the National Immigration Service with property title, source-of-funds evidence and family documentation.
- Month 3 – 5
Permanent residence issued
Permanent residence permit and Panamanian residence card issued for the principal and all dependants.
- Year 5
Citizenship eligibility
Eligibility to apply for Panamanian citizenship after five years of maintained residence.
Why we route Panama clients through real estate.
The Qualified Investor programme accepts three routes, but only the property route converts the qualifying capital into an owned, appreciating and income-producing asset. A USD 300,000 apartment in a prime Panama City tower typically delivers a gross rental yield of 6% – 8%, holds its value in US dollars, and can be sold on the open market after the five-year holding period.
Panama's residential market is structurally undersupplied at the international-buyer tier, with continued inflows from Colombian, Venezuelan and North American families relocating to a dollarised, English-friendly jurisdiction. Our brokerage partners in Panama City curate off-market and pre-launch inventory across Punta Pacífica, Costa del Este, Santa María and the Ocean Reef islands.
Turn residence spend into owned real estate
Instead of contributing capital to a government fund or locking it in a bank deposit, you own a titled Panamanian property in your name from day one. Title is registered in the Public Registry and freely transferable after the qualifying holding period.
USD income yield during the holding period
Prime Panama City rentals are priced and paid in US dollars. We assist with tenanting through short-let (executive rental) or long-let structures, and coordinate property management, insurance and quarterly reporting.
Capital appreciation in a supply-constrained market
Panama City's prime residential inventory trades well below equivalent US and Asian benchmarks. The dollarised economy, expanding logistics sector and inbound migration from the region support long-term appreciation independent of the residence permit itself.
Exit optionality after five years
Once the qualifying holding period is complete, the property can be sold, refinanced or retained. Rental income continues to enjoy Panama's favourable local tax treatment, and any foreign-source income you generate elsewhere remains outside the Panamanian tax base.
Request a confidential briefing on Panama.
Our advisors will assess your eligibility, your existing residency footprint and your reporting exposure before recommending a structure.