Panama Economic Solvency

Eligibility and legal basis

Decreto Ejecutivo 320/2008, arts. 191–194; official requirements for Solvencia Económica Propia are published by Panama Digital. Do not apply Decreto 17/2026’s Qualified Investor modalities to this category. [Gaceta / Panama Digital]

General immigration requirements

1. Appoint a licensed Panamanian lawyer and prepare the application and notarized power of attorney. Confirm the current SNM checklist before signing or travelling. [SNM / Gaceta / Panama Digital]
2. Provide a complete legible passport copy and the authentication or personal presentation required by SNM; the passport must meet the applicable validity rules. [SNM / Gaceta / Panama Digital]
3. Obtain a criminal-record certificate from the relevant country of origin or residence, with apostille or consular legalization where required. Ask the lawyer to confirm the accepted issuing jurisdiction and validity period. [SNM / Gaceta / Panama Digital]
4. Prepare a health certificate issued by an authorized professional in Panama, three passport-style photographs and the sworn personal-background declaration. [SNM / Gaceta / Panama Digital]
5. Keep originals, certified copies and evidence of lawful immigration status available. Entry permission is not a residence permit and does not itself authorize work. [SNM / Gaceta / Panama Digital]

Category-specific checklist

1. Select qualifying real estate, a fixed-term bank deposit, or a permitted combination totalling at least B/.300,000. [SNM / Gaceta / Panama Digital]
2. Property: provide Public Registry certification showing qualifying ownership and value, with the required unencumbered status and transaction evidence. [SNM / Gaceta / Panama Digital]
3. Fixed deposit: obtain the bank certification, deposit contract and proof of at least the required three-year term at a bank licensed in Panama; document that the deposit is free of encumbrances. [SNM / Gaceta / Panama Digital]
4. Combination: document both assets and prove their combined qualifying value meets B/.300,000; valuation and title evidence must be consistent. [SNM / Gaceta / Panama Digital]
5. Prove the investment funds come from abroad, with transfer and source-of-funds documentation requested by the authorities. [SNM / Gaceta / Panama Digital]
6. For each dependent, evidence the additional B/.2,000 required by this route and the category’s relationship/financial-support documents. [SNM / Gaceta / Panama Digital]
7. Maintain qualifying assets during the initial two-year provisional stage. Apply for permanent residence with updated evidence at the prescribed stage; approval is not automatic. [SNM / Gaceta / Panama Digital]

Conditional documents

1. If property is held by a permitted legal entity or investments are combined, obtain the additional ownership, shareholder and bank/registry certificates required for that structure. [SNM / Gaceta / Panama Digital]
2. Arts. 193–194 and SNM RP5/RP6: a private-interest foundation requires proof the applicant is founder and the applicant/dependents are beneficiaries. A permitted corporation must have nominative shares in applicant/dependent names, not bearer shares. [SNM / Gaceta / Panama Digital]
3. Property-only route: where B/.300,000 cash has been paid toward a more valuable property, the permitted excess may be financed by a local-bank mortgage. This exception does not apply to a mixed investment: both assets must be unencumbered. [SNM / Gaceta / Panama Digital]
4. For permanent residence, SNM RP5/RP6 request updated previous documents except the criminal-record certificate and certified cheques; confirm the current stage checklist. Adult dependents may need single-status and certified-study evidence, responsibility letter, relationship and address proof. [SNM / Gaceta / Panama Digital]

Dependents

1. For an eligible spouse or child, provide marriage or birth certificates, relationship evidence, passports and any age, study or financial-dependency evidence required by the chosen category. [SNM / Gaceta / Panama Digital]
2. Each dependent must meet applicable immigration checks and document formalities. Additional income, investment or government payments differ by category; do not transfer one route’s figures to another. [SNM / Gaceta / Panama Digital]

Document formalities and lawful funds

1. Foreign public documents may require apostille or consular legalization; documents not in Spanish require an accepted certified Spanish translation. Confirm treatment of private documents and translator qualifications with counsel. [SNM / Gaceta / Panama Digital]
2. Validity periods are document- and category-specific. Do not assume every certificate remains valid for six months; obtain current SNM instructions, and for Qualified Investor observe the three-month MICI certification validity. [SNM / Gaceta / Panama Digital]
3. Prepare bank statements, transfers, tax declarations, sale/inheritance or business-income evidence as relevant. Investment capital and ownership must be traceable; a bank balance alone is not proof of lawful origin. [SNM / Gaceta / Panama Digital]

Application process

1. The lawyer checks nationality, family situation, immigration status and the exact investment or pension route before funds are committed. [SNM / Gaceta / Panama Digital]
2. Collect authenticated documents and financial evidence; complete the investment or pension certification required for the category and submit a complete SNM application. [SNM / Gaceta / Panama Digital]
3. Respond to official requests for clarification. Approval, residence-card issuance and any separate work authorization depend on the competent authorities. [SNM / Gaceta / Panama Digital]
4. Where a two-year provisional stage applies, preserve the qualifying conditions and file the permanent-residence application at the required stage. Qualified Investor maintenance and annual verification remain separate obligations. [SNM / Gaceta / Panama Digital]

Frequently asked questions

Is this the Qualified Investor deposit route?

No. Own-means residence under arts. 191–194 uses its own B/.300,000 framework; the 2026 Qualified Investor bank thresholds are different.

Is permanent residence automatic after two years?

No. You must apply at the required stage, preserve qualifying conditions and obtain approval.

Official sources

• https://www.panamadigital.gob.pa/InformacionTramite/permiso-de-residente-permanente-de-solvencia-economica-propia
• https://www.migracion.gob.pa/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/RP6.pdf
• https://www.migracion.gob.pa/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/RP5.pdf
• https://www.gacetaoficial.gob.pa/pdfTemp/26104/12594.pdf
• https://www.migracion.gob.pa/home/procesosmigratorios/permisosmigratorios/
• https://www.migracion.gob.pa/formularios/