A New Era for Panama’s Investor Program

Panama is reshaping its investor visa landscape, aiming to attract a broader global audience by significantly easing physical presence requirements. The Qualified Investor Program now allows applicants to secure citizenship with only a single visit every two years during the five-year residency period, offering a highly flexible path for international investors.

Vice Minister of Internal Commerce Eduardo Arango emphasized the country’s ambition to emulate Portugal’s Golden Visa model, highlighting both economic growth and job creation through targeted investment in new construction.

Investment Options and Popular Routes

Investors can participate through multiple channels:

• Real Estate: $300,000 minimum, with preference for new developments to maximize employment impact.
• Securities: $500,000 in Panamanian-authorized investments.
• Time Deposits: $750,000 with Panamanian financial institutions.

Despite strong fundamentals, the program has historically flown under the radar. With the program reflecting a near 100% success rate, largely due to pre-application screening by Panama’s highly regulated banking system.

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Shifting Applicant Demographics

North Americans now dominate applications, overtaking Colombians who had previously led the program since its launch in 2020. Panamanian officials attribute this trend to the country’s strategic commercial ties with the U.S., dollarized economy, and extensive direct flight network.

Citizenship with Minimal Presence

Qualified Investor Visa holders can qualify for citizenship after five years with the minimal physical presence requirement of one visit every two years. This structure provides extraordinary flexibility, particularly appealing to global investors balancing multiple residencies.

Panama’s territorial tax system ensures residents pay no tax on foreign-sourced income, complementing the low-presence model and enhancing Panama’s appeal as a tax-efficient jurisdiction for high-net-worth individuals.

Strategic Program Goals

Beyond citizenship, the program is positioned as a tool for economic growth and job creation. The government encourages investments in new construction over resale properties to stimulate the local economy and maximize employment impact.

Arango stressed that rules established under the current administration are designed to remain consistent through future governments, providing certainty for long-term investors.

Panama’s Qualified Investor Program offers a rare combination of minimal residency requirements, flexible investment options, and a path to citizenship, making it a standout option for investors seeking both stability and strategic economic engagement. For guidance on navigating Panama’s residency and citizenship landscape, Free From Borders provides expert advisory tailored for discerning investors.

Instagram: Panama’s Qualified Investor Program offers citizenship with just one visit every two years over five years, ideal for global investors seeking flexibility. Multiple investment routes and a territorial tax system make it a low-presence, high-opportunity hub for high-net-worth individuals.