Retirees & Pensioner Visa
Tourist Pensioner Visa under New Law
This program allows foreigners to obtain legal permanent residency in Panama under the condition that they are retired or pensioned. According to the Immigration Department of Panama, there is no minimum age required to qualify. The applicants' retirement income (or pension income) must be at least a lifetime payment of US$1,000 per month. If the applicant can provide documentation showing that it owns a real estate property in their personal name for over US$100,000.00, the minimum pension income required starts from US$750.00 per month.
In the case that a married couple is applying for pensionado status, you will be able to use both applicants combined pension, to proof the minimum requirement.
Procedures for Applying for Residency:
1. A visit to Panama is required for your Passport Registration at the Immigration Office. You will also sign the Special Power of Attorney for our law firm to handle your immigration paperwork and to start the processing of the Permanent Visa. (For the visit to immigration you cannot wear shorts, sandals, or sleeveless shirts).
2. Provide all required documents.
3. Our law firm submits your application for your Permanent Visa.
4. Next Day after Application, we will coordinate a trip with the applicant to the immigration offices to obtain six (6) month temporary residency ID, so applicant has during the remainder of the residency application process. Note: For the accomplishment of the previous steps, we require that applicant and any dependent, schedule to be in Panama City, for at least five (05) business (05) days to accomplish the registration at immigration, application of residency and six (6) month temporary residency ID, so that you can leave the country under your new immigration status.
5. After the application is submitted, within approximately six (6) months, the Immigration Department will issue the final resolution approving your permanent residency.
6. After final resolution has been issued approving your residency, we will send you notification, so we can proceed and coordinate taking you back to immigration, when available, to take new picture for the permanent residency ID.
Required Documents (for Immigration processing):
1. Photocopy of complete valid passport of the applicant (and dependents - if applicable), including the picture page (that shows the picture, name, date of birth, passport number, place of issue, etc.), and all other pages, including the stamp on entry into the country. This should be provided after the Passport Registration is registered at the Immigration Office in Panama. Please note that the passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of the immigration application. These photocopies can be made in our office.
2. Six (6) passport sized photographs of the applicant (and dependents - if
applicable).
3. Certificate of Good Health, issued by a licensed Panamanian hospital or clinic, signed by a registered, licensed physician, indicating that the applicant (and dependents - if applicable) has no contagious diseases and is in good mental and physical condition. We can assist you in obtaining this document during your stay in Panama.
4. Proof of Pension:
a. If Pension is from a Government Institution or Social Security: Client must provide certification from the respective Government institution that pays the applicants retirement or pension income, certifying that the person receives a "pension" in the amount of at least US$1,000 per month for the
remainder of their lives.
b. If your Pension is from a Private Corporation: Client must provide a letter on the corporation's letterhead from the corporation (which must be a Pension Administration Company) that pays the applicant's retirement or pension income, signed by a representative of the corporation, with completecontact information for verification purposes, certifying that the person receives a "pension" in the amount of at least a lifetime US$1,000 per month. This document must be authenticated by Panamanian Consulate nearest you or duly apostilled in the country of Issuance.
A. Letter from Company with the company letterhead. This letter must say that as part of your retirement plan they are paying you a pension for the remainder of your life.
B. Letter from Company Pension Administration Company. This letter must say that they are paying your pension and that they have the funds to pay this pension for the remainder of your life. If the company paying your pension is not a Pension Administration Company, but instead it is the company where you retired from, then the letter provided must say that they pay you a pension based on your retirement, that they administer these funds and that they have enough funds to pay you this pension for the remainder of your life. This document must be authenticated by Panamanian Consulate nearest you or duly Apostilled in the country of Issuance.
C. You must also provide a Certification from the appropriate Government authority (For Both Your Company and Pension Company) that certifies that the Corporations are in good standing and duly registered. This document must be authenticated by Panamanian Consulate nearest you or duly Apostilled in the country of Issuance.
D. Copies of proof of pension payments (copies of pension payment checks, bank statements showing deposits, etc.) from Institution/Company to applicant. This document must be printed and take to bank, so that a Banker signs and puts bank stamp. This document must be authenticated by Panamanian Consulate nearest you or duly Apostilled in the country of Issuance.
E. Police record from the country of last two (2) years of residency, for main applicant and any dependent over 18 years old. The police report must contain the following premises in order to have validity at moment of application:
- This police report cannot be older than six (6) months at the moment of
application.
- If you are a U.S. Citizen this must be a document issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (F.B.I.) and for Canadians it must be a fingerprinted R.C.M.P. report.
- If the applicant leaves Panama and returns home to their country, before the application is submitted, but after the police report has been issued, then said Police Report loses validity for immigration purposes and a new one must be obtained.
- The Police Report must be authenticated by Panamanian Consulate in the country of its issuance or duly apostilled in the country of its issuance of said police report.
F. Documentation Needed for proof of Dependents:
- For Spouses: Marriage Certification issued less than six (6) months at the moment of application.
- For Children: Birth Certificate. For Children between 18 – 25 years of will also need to proof that they are enrolled, full time, in a University.
- For Parents: Applicants Birth Certificate (for children under 18 years of age - if applicable). These documents must be authenticated by Panamanian Consulate in the country of its issuance or duly apostilled in the country of its issuance of said police report.
*Note: For these documents to have validity at moment of application they must be authenticated by Panamanian Consulate in the country of its issuance or duly apostilled in the country of its issuance of said police report.