Panama Investment Immigration

Investment immigration is a method of attain residency in a foreign country through making a monetary donation to the country’s economy. The residency visa is granted on approval of the individual’s investment plan and will enable the applicant to live and carry out business in that country, generally with the opportunity to sponsor his family to reside with them. It is important to acknowledge that each jurisdiction provides different requirements to be met in order to qualify for a residency through investment.

Why Immigrate to Panama

Panama is a highly sought after location for many foreign investors seeking residency. It is strategically geographically situated for international business relations particularly with America, and is considered a tax haven by foreign investors due to its bespoke tax regime. Panama boasts a strong and stable economy and solid political infrastructure based largely on the US legal and political infrastructure. It is a safe country, peaceful and welcoming to foreign residents. It offers good levels of health care and education and generally a high standard of living with reasonable living costs.

Investor Immigration

Panama aims to promote foreign investment to the country through the provision of investment immigration. Panama adopts a Business Investor Program that is aimed at individuals who are seeking a residency permit and travel document in Panama by means of a large investment into the country.

The investment programs of Panama include;

- The Business Investor Program

- The Immediate Passport Program

- The Self Economic Solvency of Bank Deposit Program

- The Reforestation Investment Program

- Agricultural Investment Program

- The Small business Investor Program

- The Tax Free Processing Zone Investor Program

There are varying conditions which must be satisfied depending on which investment immigration program you apply under.

The Business Investor Program

Applications under this program entitle the applicant to a residency visa where they invest a minimum of US$160,000 in a new Panama business or set up corporation

The conditions to meet in order to gain a permanent residency visa are:

- The applicant, after investing a sum of US$160,000 must then obtain a commercial business license.

- The applicant must register with the social security department of Panama

- The applicant must hire a minimum of 5 Panama employees where by he/she must pay their social security and award them at least the Panama minimum wage

- For the applicant to gain a permanent residency visa, he/she is required to obtain 3 x 2-year ‘temporary resident’ visas before being eligible to take on a permanent resident status

- The applicant is entitled to include his dependants in his investment immigration application to Panama however they are required to pay a further US$2,000 per dependant

The Immediate Passport Program

The Immediate Passport Program enables foreigners the right to gain a Panama passport where they make a 5 year time deposit at the Banco Nacional de Panama. This investment will accumulate a minimum of US$750 per month in interest.

Bank Deposit Program

Under this program the foreign investor has the right to choose which Panama licensed bank he/she wishes to invest in, however the minimum investment must be of US$100,000 in a 1 year time deposit. Should the applicant wish to include their dependants under their immigration application they are required to increase the deposit by US$5000 per additional dependent.

The Reforestation Investment Program

This program entitles the applicant to gain legal residency and subsequently a passport after they invest a minimum of US$40,000 in a pre-approved reforestation project in Panama.

The Panama Agricultural Investment Program

This program only entitles the applicant to a temporary resident visa and not citizenship or a permanent residency permit. This program requires the applicant to make an investment of US$60,000 in to an agricultural project e.g. farming. This investment is raised to a further US$500 per dependant that the applicant includes in his application.

The Small Business Investor Program

This program is aimed particularly at small foreign business owners. Where the business owner invests a minimum of US$40,000 they can obtain a legal residency permit under Panama Immigration Law. The investment must be made in a new business venture or an established Panama company however the investment must result in a minimum of 3 job opportunities.

The Tax Free Processing Zone Investor Program

Investment immigration under this category stipulates that the foreign investor is eligible for a legal residency visa in Panama where the applicant rents a plot of land, office or building within one of the new tax free processing zones. The property or land rental must be for the purpose of operating a business in Panama which performs an exporting service of product.

Panama also offers a program for investment immigration aimed at retired individuals, this program (the retired or pensioned program) enables the applicant to gain a permanent residency permit where they meet the following conditions:

- The applicant must be retired or a Pensioner

- The applicant’s pension or retirement income must accumulate to a minimum of US$500 per month.

- To obtain permanent legal residency and a Panama passport, the Panama Immigration Authority requires the following legal and certified documents to process your application.

- Certificate of Good Health for the main applicant and his dependants where applicable. This document must be signed by a licensed physician.

- Authenticated police report from the applicants domicile country of residence.

- Certified birth and marriage certificates of all relevant dependants the applicant wishes to include in his visa application

- Valid passport of the main applicant and his dependants

- 4 x passport photos of the main applicant and his dependants

Relevant procedure when applying for a Panama Resident Permit is:

1)     The applicant must register their passport at Immigration

2)     They must include all relevant documents with applicable fee and repatriation deposit to Immigration

3)     On approval of the investor’s application, the Panama Immigration Department will issue a 3 month temporary resident visa and a Multiple Entry Exit Visa to the applicant

4)     Immigration department then issues a 2-year temporary permit

5)     Immigration, on approval and satisfaction of the applicants investment will issue the applicant a permanent residency visa

6)     After 5 years of permanent residency the applicant can apply for citizenship.

Where the applicant applies under the Business Investor Program, the following documents are required:

- Certificate of legal status; certificate of trade name of the new business, document of status of the applicant as director of the enterprise, list of the Panama business activities and proof the applicant has US$160,000 investment available

- Copy of the business plan of the new business start up in Panama

- Statement by the applicant detailing the sum of capital required for investment is invested

- Copy of relevant tax returns of the new business start up

- Bank certification of the transfer of funds by the applicant

- Audited financial statements

- Real estate contracts where the applicant has rented land of office space

- Proof of payment of the ITBMS tax to the Department of Economy and Finances

- Proof of payments to the Municipality

- Copy of the Notice of Operation

WE DO NOT CURRENTLY OFFER INVESTMENT IMMIGRATION SERVICES IN THIS COUNTRY. PLEASE VIEW OUR SECOND PASSPORT OPTIONS PAGE.

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