Panama’s Dynamic Growth and Investor-Friendly Policies
Nestled in Central America, Panama has rapidly emerged as a beacon of development and economic prosperity. With its booming growth, the country has drawn the attention of investors worldwide, making its immigration policies a focal point creating the Panama Investor Category. If you’re considering investing or seeking pathways to secure an immigration category, this comprehensive guide is tailor-made for you.
The Duration Dilemma: How long is your stay?
Delving into Panama’s investor-friendly ecosystem requires a nuanced understanding of the distinction between permanent and temporary residency, hinging on your investment type.
Temporary Residency: Offering a span of up to six years, this category is renewable every two years. It caters to foreign nationals arriving for labor, education, culture, religion, humanitarian reasons, family reunification, and more.
Permanent Residency: Tailored for those with long-term settlement aspirations driven by economic, investment, policy, and demographic considerations.
Irrespective of your preference for permanent or temporary residency, adhering to fundamental requirements is imperative across all investment categories:
- A notarized copy of each applicant’s valid passport, authenticated by a Panamanian notary public or certified by the appropriate diplomatic representation or issuing authority.
- A police record certificate from the applicant’s home country, legalized or apostilled, along with an official Spanish translation.
- A health certificate from a qualified professional issued within three months of application submission.
- Payment of $250 USD for the immigration category request to the National Treasury and $800 USD as a repatriation deposit to the National Service of Immigration.
- An affidavit outlining personal background information.
- For dependents, relevant documentation proving their relationship with the applicant, such as legalized or apostilled birth/marriage certificates with Spanish translations.
Investment Avenues for Temporary Residency for the Panama Investor Category
For those eyeing temporary residence, Panama presents several enticing investment categories under its Panama Investor Category:
Agricultural Investor: Available to individuals or legal entities investing a minimum of $60,000 USD in Panamanian agriculture or aquaculture. The Ministry of Agricultural Development designates eligible activities. Accompanying dependents require an extra investment of $500 USD per dependent.
Forestry Investor: This category beckons for investments of $60,000 USD in reforestation or forest plantation activities sanctioned by the National Environmental Authority. The investment must encompass at least 10 hectares. Bringing dependents mandates an additional investment of $2000 USD per dependent.
Pathways to Permanent Panama Investor Residency
Aspiring for permanent residency opens doors to diverse investment avenues:
Forestry Investor: Parallel to the temporary residence option, this category necessitates a personal or legal entity investment of at least $80,000 USD in reforestation or forestry plantation activities authorized by the National Environmental Authority. The pivotal divergence lies in the minimum land requirement of 20 hectares. Dependents necessitate an extra investment of $2000 USD per dependent.
Macro-Company Investor: Eligible through a minimum share capital investment of $160,000 USD per applicant, this category demands exclusive ownership of shares reflecting the minimum investment. The company must engage solely in lawful activities open to non-Panamanians.
Dependents’ inclusion triggers a series of criteria. The investment must escalate by $2000 USD per dependent, and the company should employ five Panamanian full-time workers per applicant. Adhering to stipulated minimum salaries and Social Security Fund norms is vital.
Investor by Economic Solvency: Permanent residency becomes attainable with an investment of at least $300,000 USD in real estate, fixed-term deposits, or a combined approach. Funds must originate from abroad. Including dependents necessitates an additional solvency demonstration of $2000 USD per dependent.
Seizing the Panama Advantage
Whether you’re poised for an investment voyage or have already embarked, remember that Expat-Tations stands as your steadfast guide. Their expertise helps navigate Panama’s investor categories with aplomb, ushering in a new era of potential and promise. We are here to help, contact us for any questions that you might have.