Read on for an International Living overview of visa options and how to obtain residency in Panama Residency in Panama Learn more about residency in Panama in IL Postcards. Panama has one of the easiest and most affordable residency programs in the world… The visa process for the pensionado program in Panama is also very simple. It's a one-time application. There are no renewals and no additional fees. Other residency programs require you to file a renewal each year. This involves time, hassle, and additional fees. In Panama, you can apply today for no more than a few thousand dollars and have residency for life. Your permit takes only a month. It's fast. It's affordable. It's easy. Panama is truly one of the best-if not the best-residency deal in the world today. For the tiny price, the benefits are incomparable. And it is an extraordinary opportunity… The Panama pensionado program will not net you a passport, however. But it will grant you residency rights for life. If you want or need a Panamanian passport for tax or other reasons, don't worry. There are many other programs you may qualify for. For instance, with as little as a $10,000 investment, you can start up your own business and within nine years be granted a Panamanian passport. Or you can invest $40,000 in a government-approved and potentially very lucrative reforestation project. These are just some of the additional ways in which you can qualify to live, retire, or do business in Panama. Rainelda Mata-Kelly-our recommended lawyer in Panama-will tell you more… Rainelda holds a Masters of Law from Cornell University and founded the London office of a Panamanian law firm in 1983. In 1991, she became a Miami correspondent for La Prensa, the Panamanian newspaper, and then went on to be that paper's executive editor. Since 1989, she has been engaged in her own practice, specializing in commercial and shipping law. Rainelda represents both Panamanian and foreign clients. Below Rainelda details the requirements and features of the most popular programs available in Panama right now… Where and when ? You need to travel to Panama in order to obtain your visa. You need to be present for the filing of the application. For most visas, you receive an interim card asking three months and within that time the visa should be issued (sometimes it takes four months). For the Tourist Pensioner Visa, however, there is no interim card and your permanent visa should be issued about three to four weeks after filing. You need to be in Panama when the visa is issued and you should preferably be in Panama from the filing of the application to the issuance of the visa. If you decide to travel outside Panama during that interval, you need a multiple entry permit, which costs $75 per person.
? If you obtain a visa to reside in Panama, but you wish to live overseas, we recommend that you make plans to visit Panama at least once a year (legally you may be away up to two years). In any case, you must obtain a multiple entry permit valid for up to two years before leaving and must never let it expire while overseas.
? Once you obtain a visa in Panama, even if you decide to live here permanently but you wish to travel often or unexpectedly, we recommend obtaining a multiple entry permit. Rainelda is our recommended attorney in Panama. If you wish to find out more information about Panama's many attractive visa programs, please contact her: Rainelda Mata-Kelly, LL.M., Law Offices, Suite #305-307, Balboa Plaza, Balboa Avenue (building address); P.O. Box 9012, Panama 6, Panama (mailing address); tel. (507) 263-4305; fax (507) 264-2868; e-mail: rmk@mata-kelly.com. Learn more about residency in Panama in IL Postcards.
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