Canreach Global

Panama Qualified Investor Visa

Permanent residence through a qualifying investment, or the Friendly Nations Visa route, under the rules in force from September 2026.

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Canreach Global places clients on both of Panama's main residency routes, and they are very different products. The Qualified Investor Visa grants permanent residence to applicants who make and hold a qualifying investment. The Friendly Nations Visa is open to Canadian nationals, generally begins with two years of provisional residency, and rests on a qualifying economic tie to Panama rather than on a single large purchase. Executive Decree 17 came into force on 16 September 2026 and replaced Decree 722, and it confirmed the Qualified Investor Visa real estate thresholds at USD 300,000 for new, first-sale property and USD 500,000 for resale property. We confirm which route fits your family, and which figure applies to your purchase, before you commit any funds.

Key facts

Panama Qualified Investor Visa at a glance

OutcomePermanent residence in Panama on approval of the Qualified Investor Visa. The Friendly Nations Visa generally begins with provisional residency, with permanent residence requested laterQualified Investor Visa minimum investmentUSD 300,000 for new, first-sale property bought from the developer, and USD 500,000 for resale property, confirmed under Executive Decree 17, effective 16 September 2026Friendly Nations Visameasured differently, with no single property minimum. It rests on a qualifying economic tie to Panama, which can include employment, a real estate investment of USD 200,000, or a qualifying bank depositTime to approvalProcessing times vary depending on the investment route, documentation and government assessmentFamily includedDependants may be included, with additional government fees payable for eachPhysical presenceConfirmed case by case

Figures as of October 2026. Amounts and timelines change and are confirmed before you commit.

The program

About Panama's two residency routes

Panama runs two routes that Canadian families ask about most often, and Canreach Global places clients on both. Both are administered by the Servicio Nacional de Migración, Panama's national migration service. They are not two versions of the same thing. One is a permanent residence grant built around a qualifying investment. The other is an eligibility route open to designated nationalities that builds towards permanent residence over time.

The Qualified Investor Visa

The Qualified Investor Visa is Panama's residence by investment program, often described internationally as the Panama golden visa. Unlike most programs of this kind, it grants permanent residence rather than a temporary permit that you renew your way through.

The program was restructured in 2026. Executive Decree 17 replaced Executive Decree 722 and came into force on 16 September 2026. The restructure confirmed the qualifying amounts for real estate and introduced new valuation rules for the property you buy.

The change that matters most to a buyer is the split between new and resale property. First-sale property, meaning property bought directly from the developer, qualifies at USD 300,000. Resale property, meaning property bought from an existing owner, qualifies at USD 500,000. The same budget therefore buys a qualifying investment in one part of the market and falls short in the other. That is a decision to make before you shortlist a property, not after.

The Friendly Nations Visa

The Friendly Nations Visa is open to nationals of roughly 50 designated countries, and Canada is one of them. It is not a smaller version of the Qualified Investor Visa. It is measured on your tie to Panama rather than on a single qualifying purchase, and for many Canadian applicants it is the better fit.

Qualifying economic ties can include employment, a real estate investment of USD 200,000, or a qualifying bank deposit. The route generally begins with two years of provisional residency before permanent residence can be requested, so it is a staged process rather than a grant of permanent residence at the outset.

Guides written before the 2024 to 2025 reform describe a different structure, and some are still circulating. If an offer you have been shown relies on pre-reform figures, bring it to us before you act on it.

Benefits

Why clients choose Panama

  1. Two genuine routes, so the answer is not automatically the larger investment.

  2. Permanent residence on approval under the Qualified Investor Visa, rather than a temporary permit renewed in stages.

  3. A qualifying real estate investment that you hold in your own name as a real asset.

  4. A Friendly Nations route open to Canadian nationals, measured on an economic tie rather than a single large purchase.

  5. Dependants can be included in the application, with government fees payable for each.

  6. A clearly defined holding period on the Qualified Investor Visa, so you know at the outset what you are committing to.

  7. Programs administered by a single national authority, the Servicio Nacional de Migración.

Is it for you

Who each Panama route suits

Who the Qualified Investor Visa suits

This route suits an applicant who wants permanent residence rather than a staged permit, who is buying Panamanian real estate in their own name, and who can commit to holding that property for the required period.

Main applicant

  • Able to make a qualifying investment at the amount that applies to the property type you choose, USD 300,000 for new, first-sale property or USD 500,000 for resale property.
  • Able to hold the property in your own personal name, free of liens.
  • Able to hold the investment for the five-year period that applies under the current rules.
  • Able to document the lawful source and full transfer path of the investment capital.
  • Able to provide clean criminal record certificates from your country of nationality and residence.

Who the Friendly Nations Visa suits

This route suits a Canadian applicant who has, or can create, a genuine economic tie to Panama, and who is comfortable with a staged path to permanent residence rather than a grant at the outset.

Main applicant

Where the tie is employment based, the right to work is a separate matter. A MITRADEL work permit is its own application, so an employment tie involves both the immigration filing and separate work authorisation. We set out exactly which filings your chosen tie requires before you start.

  • A national of one of the roughly 50 designated countries. Canada is designated.
  • Able to establish a qualifying economic tie, which can include employment, a real estate investment of USD 200,000, or a qualifying bank deposit.
  • Comfortable with a route that generally begins with two years of provisional residency before permanent residence can be requested.
  • Able to document the lawful source and full transfer path of any funds involved in the tie.
  • Able to provide clean criminal record certificates from your country of nationality and residence.

Family members who can be included

Dependants may be included on either route. Government fees are charged for each dependant in addition to the main applicant's fees. We confirm exactly who in your family qualifies, and on what dependency terms, during your assessment.

Not the right fit

This program is not the right fit if you want to hold the property through a company or a trust, because the current rules require personal ownership. It is also not the right fit if you need to sell within a few years, because of the five-year holding period. And it may simply be more program than you need, which is where the second route comes in.

Investment

Approximate investment and costs

Qualified Investor Visa, qualifying investment routes

New, first-sale real estate
USD 300,000, for property bought directly from the developer.
Resale real estate
USD 500,000, for property bought from an existing owner.
Other routes
a fixed-term bank deposit route and a securities route also exist. We are not publishing amounts for either, because we confirm them individually.

Conditions attached to the real estate investment

A five-year holding period applies to the qualifying property.
The property must be free of liens.
The property must be held in the applicant's own name.
New valuation rules apply under Executive Decree 17 and affect how the qualifying amount is assessed.

Friendly Nations Visa, qualifying economic ties

Employment in Panama, with separate work authorisation handled alongside the immigration filing.
A real estate investment of USD 200,000.
A qualifying bank deposit, at an amount we confirm individually.
The route generally begins with two years of provisional residency before permanent residence can be requested, so plan the tie as something you maintain rather than as a one-off step.

Government fees

Government fees are payable to the Panamanian authorities, with further fees for each dependant included in the application.
We do not publish government fee amounts.
They are set by government and they change, so we quote every fee that applies to your file at your assessment.

Other costs to budget for

Panamanian legal representation and conveyancing.
Property transfer taxes and registration costs, where a property route applies.
Valuation and due diligence on the property itself.
Translation and legalisation of your supporting documents.
Canreach professional fees, quoted separately after your assessment.

Figures as at October 2026 and confirmed with Canreach. Government requirements change; we confirm current figures before you commit.

Request program details

Outcome

What you receive

Status and documents

On the Qualified Investor Visa, permanent residence in Panama on approval, together with the residence documentation issued by the Servicio Nacional de Migración. On the Friendly Nations Visa, provisional residency first, with permanent residence requested after the qualifying period.

Travel

Travel access for Panamanian residents is set by the countries you intend to visit and can change. We do not publish a visa-free count, and you should not plan around one. We confirm the current position with you at your assessment.

Living, working and studying

Residence allows you to live in Panama. The right to work is a separate matter and depends on the permissions that apply to your status, including whether a MITRADEL work permit is required in your circumstances. This matters most where a Friendly Nations tie is employment based, because the work authorisation is its own application. We confirm this for your case rather than generalise.

Family

Dependants may be included in the application and hold status alongside the main applicant. Additional government fees are payable for each dependant.

Financial and business

On the real estate routes, a Panamanian property held in your own name, free of liens, for the duration of the holding period. Investment performance is never guaranteed and is a separate decision from the immigration outcome.

Tax considerations

Holding Panamanian residence does not by itself determine where you are taxed. Tax treatment depends on your personal circumstances and where you are tax resident. We refer you to qualified tax advisors before you commit.

Path to permanent residence or citizenship

The Qualified Investor Visa grants permanent residence directly, so there is no later permanent residence step to work towards. The Friendly Nations Visa generally begins with two years of provisional residency, after which permanent residence can be requested. Panamanian citizenship is a separate matter with its own legal requirements, and nothing on this page should be read as a citizenship timeline.

Before you apply

What to know before you apply

  • The rules changed on 16 September 2026. Executive Decree 17 replaced Decree 722, and any guide written before that date may describe thresholds that no longer apply.
  • The two routes are not interchangeable. Choosing between them is the first decision, and it changes the budget, the structure and the timeline.
  • On the Qualified Investor Visa the property must be held in your own name and free of liens, which rules out the company and trust structures some buyers expect to use.
  • The five-year holding period on the Qualified Investor Visa is a real constraint. Plan your investment around it rather than around a resale you may want to make sooner.
  • The Friendly Nations Visa is staged. Provisional residency generally comes first, and permanent residence is requested later, so it is not a shortcut to the same outcome on day one.
  • Where a Friendly Nations tie is employment based, work authorisation is a separate application and needs to be planned alongside the immigration filing.
  • Processing times vary depending on the investment route, documentation and government assessment.
  • The investment carries ordinary investment risk. Immigration approval and investment performance are separate outcomes.

Step by step

How the application works

  1. Confirm your route

    We confirm whether the Qualified Investor Visa or the Friendly Nations Visa fits your family, and which qualifying amount or economic tie applies to you.

  2. Confirm the current figures

    Before any funds move, we verify the threshold or tie, the government fees and the conditions that apply under the rules in force on the day you file.

  3. Due diligence on the investment

    On a property route, title, liens, valuation under the current rules, and confirmation that the purchase can be held in your own name. On an employment or deposit tie, confirmation that the tie meets the current requirements.

  4. Complete the investment or establish the tie

    Make the purchase, take up the employment or place the deposit, and preserve the full source and transfer audit trail.

  5. Assemble the file

    Passport, criminal record certificates, civil records for dependants, and the investment, employment or title documentation.

  6. File with the Servicio Nacional de Migración

    Submit through Panamanian counsel and pay the applicable government fees.

  7. Attend as required

    Attend in Panama for the steps that require your presence, including biometrics where scheduled.

  8. Receive your status

    Collect your residence documentation, maintain the qualifying investment or tie, and on the Friendly Nations route plan the request for permanent residence at the right point.

Processing times vary depending on the investment route, documentation and government assessment. We confirm a current, realistic timeline with you at the assessment stage and keep you updated as your file moves.

Preparation

Documents and our pre-filing review

Documents we help you prepare

Passport; criminal record certificates from your country of nationality and residence; civil records for your spouse and dependants; proof of the source and transfer path of your funds; on a property route, the purchase agreement, title documentation, lien-free certification and the valuation evidence required under the current rules; and on a Friendly Nations tie, the employment, deposit or investment evidence that supports it.

Our pre-filing review

Before anything is filed we work through: route selection, nationality and residence history, family composition, criminal history, sanctions and politically exposed person screening, source and path of funds, tax advice, investment and project due diligence, translations and legalisation, current government fees, and holding and exit rules.

Questions

Panama residency questions, answered

Which Panama route does Canreach place clients on?
Both. Canreach Global works with the Qualified Investor Visa and the Friendly Nations Visa, and the first thing we do is work out which one fits. Canadians are eligible for both, and for many the Friendly Nations route is the better fit.
How much do I need to invest in Panamanian property?
On the Qualified Investor Visa it depends on what you buy. Under the rules in force from 16 September 2026, new, first-sale property bought from the developer qualifies at USD 300,000, while resale property requires USD 500,000. On the Friendly Nations Visa, a real estate tie of USD 200,000 is one of the qualifying economic ties. We verify the amount that applies to your purchase before you commit.
What changed in September 2026?
Executive Decree 17 came into force on 16 September 2026 and replaced Executive Decree 722. It confirmed the qualifying real estate amounts and introduced new valuation rules. Published guides written before that date may still show the earlier position.
Is this permanent residence or a staged route?
The Qualified Investor Visa grants permanent residence on approval. The Friendly Nations Visa generally begins with two years of provisional residency, after which permanent residence can be requested. That is the clearest difference between the two.
I am Canadian. Should I be looking at the Friendly Nations Visa instead?
Quite possibly. Canada is among the roughly 50 nationalities designated for the Friendly Nations Visa. It rests on a qualifying economic tie to Panama, which can include employment, a real estate investment of USD 200,000, or a qualifying bank deposit, and it generally begins with two years of provisional residency. Which route suits you depends on your budget, your timeline and whether you intend to work in Panama. We compare both with you rather than default you to the larger investment.
Does the visa let me work in Panama?
Not by itself. A MITRADEL work permit is a separate application. This matters most on the Friendly Nations route, where employment can form the qualifying economic tie while the work authorisation remains its own process.
Can I hold the property through a company?
Under the current rules the qualifying property on the Qualified Investor Visa is held in the applicant's own name and free of liens. If you were planning a corporate or trust structure, raise it early, because it may not qualify.
How long does an application take?
Processing times vary depending on the investment route, documentation and government assessment. We give you a realistic estimate for your file at your assessment rather than publish a number that may not apply to you.

Official program source

The Qualified Investor Visa and the Friendly Nations Visa are administered by the Servicio Nacional de Migración, Panama's national migration service. The official source is migracion.gob.pa.

Canreach draws program information from the official program authority and confirms current rules, fees and qualifying amounts before any file is submitted.

Next step

Take the next step

Schedule a confidential program assessment. We will confirm whether the Panama Qualified Investor Visa fits your goals, whether the Friendly Nations Visa fits better, or whether another program fits better still, and prepare a tailored roadmap covering eligibility, investment structure, documentation, the expected government process and next steps.

  • A confidential assessment of your goals, your family and your budget
  • A written comparison of the programs that fit
  • Clear estimates of costs and timelines before you commit to anything
Phone: 905-696-7434
Email: info@canreach.com