Panama Immigration & Residency Guide Research your relocation with confidence Panama Immigration & Residency Guide SECTION 1: PANAMA AT A GLANCE 4 1 PANAMA IN A NUTSHELL 4 2 PANAMA AT A GLANCE 4 3 NEED MORE DETAIL? 4 4 PANAMA MAP 5 5 PANAMA PROVINCES 6 SECTION 2: VISAS & RESIDENCY 7 1 TOURIST VISA 7 2 RESIDENCY VISAS 8 2.1 FRIENDLY NATIONS VISA 8 2.2 PENSIONER (PENSIONADO) VISA 11 2.3 OTHER RESIDENCY VISAS 16 3 CÉDULA 16 4 CITIZENSHIP 17 SECTION 3: PANAMA EVERYDAY LIFE 19 1 SAFETY 19 1.1 OPINION OF LOCALS 19 1.2 OPINION OF EXPATS LIVING IN PANAMA 20 1.3 BETTER LIFE INDEX 21 1.4 SOCIAL PROGRESS INDEX 22 1.5 GLOBAL PEACE INDEX 22 1.6 THE GANG-MURDER CONNECTION 22 1.7 CONCLUSION 23 2 HEALTHCARE 23 2.1 A FEW FACTS AND FIGURES 24 2.2 AN OVERVIEW OF MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITIES AND PHARMACIES 24 2.3 AVAILABILITY OF HEALTH INSURANCE 26 2.4 WHAT OTHER EXPATS SAY 26 © Copyright Travel Hippi 2019 Page 1 of 38 3 OWNERSHIP 27 3.1 BUSINESS OWNERSHIP 27 3.2 REAL ESTATE OWNERSHIP 28 3.3 VEHICLE OWNERSHIP 30 4 COST OF LIVING 30 4.1 NUMBEO COST OF LIVING INDEX 31 4.2 EXPATISTAN COST OF LIVING RANKING 31 4.3 INTERNATIONS EXPAT INSIDER SURVEY 31 5 PANAMA BUDGET CALCULATOR 31 5.1 RENT 32 5.2 UTILITIES 33 5.3 HEALTH INSURANCE, HEALTHCARE 33 5.4 CONNECTIVITY, MOBILE SERVICE 34 5.5 INSURANCE (HOUSE CONTENT, CARS) 34 5.6 TRANSPORT (PUBLIC AND/OR OWN) 34 5.7 GROCERIES, HOUSEHOLD CLEANING 35 5.8 EDUCATION 36 5.9 CLOTHING & FOOTWEAR 36 5.10 SPORT, RECREATION, ENTERTAINMENT 37 © Copyright Travel Hippi 2019 Page 2 of 38 Updated: 1/23/19 | January 23rd, 2019 The Panama Guide is divided into three sections: At A Glance will give you a basic understanding of this unique Central American country by highlighting its most important features. Visas & Residency will focus on the most important requirements to make Panama your home. Everyday Life covers the topics of safety, healthcare, ownership and cost of living, including a budget calculator. The purpose is to concisely discuss the four most important aspects, as ranked by prospective expats, to give you an overall picture of everyday life. Enjoy the read, but most of all, enjoy your journey! © Copyright Travel Hippi 2019 Page 3 of 38 SECTION 1: PANAMA AT A GLANCE 1 PANAMA IN A NUTSHELL Panama is a country on the isthmus linking North and South America. The Panama Canal, a famous feat of human engineering, cuts through its center, linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans to create an essential shipping route. In the capital, Panama City, modern skyscrapers and casinos contrast with colonial buildings in the Casco Antiguo district and the rainforest of Natural Metropolitan Park. 2 PANAMA AT A GLANCE · Capital: Panama City · Population: 4,1 million · Largest ethnic groups: mestizo (65%), Native American (12%) · Official language: Spanish · Climate: Tropical maritime climate · Currency: US Dollar (USD), Panama balboa (PAB) · Neighbours: Two (Costa Rica, Colombia) · Ocean access: Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean (Caribbean Sea) · Time zone: UTC -5 hours 3 NEED MORE DETAIL? · Click here for CIA World Factbook detail on Panama · Check here for a list of Panama embassies/consulates © Copyright Travel Hippi 2019 Page 4 of 38 4 PANAMA MAP Panama is located in Central America and is bordered by the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, with Costa Rica to the west and Colombia to the east. © Copyright Travel Hippi 2019 Page 5 of 38 5 PANAMA PROVINCES Panama has 10 provinces and three provincial-level indigenous regions (comarcas). Province Capital Bocas del Toro Bocas del Toro Chiriquí David Coclé Penonomé Colón Colón Darién La Palma Herrera Chitré Los Santos Las Tablas Panamá Panama City Panamá Oeste La Chorrera Veraguas Santiago de Veraguas Comarca Capital Emberá Unión Chocó Guna Yala El Porvenir Ngäbe-Buglé Chichica © Copyright Travel Hippi 2019 Page 6 of 38 SECTION 2: VISAS & RESIDENCY Visas & Residency will focus on the most important requirements to make Panama your home. 1 TOURIST VISA When contemplating residency or immigration, most people visit a country as a tourist before making a decision. The citizens of most countries don’t require a visa to enter Panama; you can check here if you need a tourist visa. Foreign citizens who qualify to enter Panama visa free, are granted a stay of 180 days. Other requirements include a return flight booking (checked at airport of departure) and a passport valid for at least six months after the date of entry plus blank pages. For those that do require a visa, a stay of 90 days will be granted if your visa application is approved. For other requirements you should contact the Panama embassy or consulate in your country. You can find Panama’s embassies and consulates here, just click on the country and then the ‘Embassy’ tab. Tourists who enter visa free and want to stay for a second (or subsequent) round of 180 days, need to leave Panama for 30 days before they can re-enter. However, if your current stay does not exceed five months, you will be allowed back after 72 hours. The government has now added another restriction, which is the number of times a tourist visa can be renewed. That is now limited to three times. These so-called perpetual tourists make use of a practice called the “border run” which is a trip to Costa Rica for the sole purpose of legal re-entry. If you consider doing this, make sure that you ask about the exact requirements for exit and re-entry at the time, because policies and regulations change from time to time. Note: for people travelling from a country where yellow fever occurs, it is a good idea to always travel with your vaccination certificate. © Copyright Travel Hippi 2019 Page 7 of 38 2 RESIDENCY VISAS If you plan to stay for a longer term, or if you are considering immigration, then one of the 8 permanent residency visas can be considered. 2.1 FRIENDLY NATIONS VISA This is a straightforward option where the citizens of 50 “friendly nations” can acquire immediate residency, with an option to apply for citizenship after 5 years. The 50 countries are listed below: •Andorra •Argentina •Australia •Austria •Belgium •Brazil •Canada •Chile •Costa Rica •Croatia •Cyprus •Czech Republic •Denmark •Estonia •Finland •France •Germany •Greece •Hong Kong •Hungary •Ireland •Israel •Japan •Latvia •Liechtenstein •Lithuania •Luxembourg •Malta •Mexico •Monaco •Montenegro •Netherlands •New Zealand •Norway •Paraguay •Poland •Portugal •San Marino •Serbia •Singapore •Slovakia •South Africa •South Korea •Spain •Sweden •Switzerland •Taiwan •United Kingdom •Uruguay •USA The spirit of the relevant law is that citizens of the 50 “friendly nations” must establish a professional or economic relationship with Panama. This can be accomplished by one of the following two options: Option 1 – Economic activity: Setting up a new Panama corporation, or buying an existing Panama corporation which does business in the country, will show an economic relationship. Note that non- Panamanian citizens are prohibited from operating a retail business. Owning a Panama corporation does not automatically allow you to work in that business – you still need to apply for a work permit. Option 2 – Professional activity: Being employed by a bona fide Panama corporation will demonstrate a professional relationship. Once the employment contract is stamped by the authorities, the applicant must obtain a work permit and be registered with Panama’s Social Security system. There are other documents that must be submitted by the employer. Note that non-Panamanian citizens are prohibited from the following jobs: © Copyright Travel Hippi 2019 Page 8 of 38 •Dentist •Dental Assistant •Lawyer •Veterinarian •Chiropractor •Medical Doctor •Nurse •Medical Assistant •Medical Radiologist •Medical Laboratory Technician •Pharmacist •Nutritionist •Sociologist •Psychologist •Physiotherapist •Speech Therapist •Social Worker •Accountant •Hairdresser •Cosmetologist •Chemist •Engineer •Architect •Journalist •Economist •Public Relations jobs •Agricultural Sciences jobs Further requirements for the Friendly Nations Visa: · Both the economic and professional options above must be supported by proof of economic solvency. This can be done by opening a Panama bank account and depositing a minimum of $5,000. · Dependants include a spouse and children up to the age of 25, provided that children are unmarried. Documents required for the Friendly Nations Visa (and Panama bank account): · Passport valid for at least 6 months from date of application, plus blank pages; · Second identification such as identification card or drivers’ licence; · Criminal history record (if you are resident in another country, that criminal record must be accompanied by proof of legal residency; if you have resided in Panama for the last 2 consecutive years, the criminal history record must be issued by the national police (DIJ) in Panama); · Marriage certificate if a dependant is a spouse. If you are unmarried, confirmation of unmarried status by means of an official certificate from your country; · Birth certificate if a dependant is a child. For children over 18, confirmation of unmarried status by means of an official certificate from their country; · Original medical examination report from a certified Panama medical doctor (ask your lawyer about their service to supply a translator if required); · Proof of solvency (letter from your Panama bank, addressed to “Servicio Nacional de Migracion”, confirming the required balance); © Copyright Travel Hippi 2019 Page 9 of 38 · Confirmation of economic or professional activity (the former by way of corporation records, the latter by way of a work contract by a Panama company registered with Social Security); · The remaining documents will be prepared by your immigration lawyer; · For the bank: most of the above plus a reference letter from your bank (some banks require that the letter be addressed to them) as well as at least one more letter of reference from a professional practitioner (for example your auditor/accountant).