Panama residency beyond the Golden Visa: Pensionado and Friendly Nations in 2026

Besides the Golden Visa, the two residency routes most people moving to Panama's interior look at are the Pensionado visa, for anyone with a lifetime pension of at least USD 1,000 a month (USD 750 if you also own property worth more than USD 100,000), and the Friendly Nations visa, for citizens of about 50 listed countries who take a job in Panama, buy property worth at least USD 200,000 or place USD 200,000 on a three-year time deposit. Below we set out how each one works as of September 2026, what the pensioner discounts actually are, and where the short-stay remote worker visa fits in.

A word before the detail. Panama's immigration rules change often, sometimes with only a few weeks' notice, and every application has to be filed through a licensed Panamanian lawyer. Treat this as a map, not as instructions.

The routes at a glance

The Pensionado visa

The Pensionado (officially the permanent residence permit for jubilados y pensionados) is the classic retirement route, and it is open to every nationality. The rules sit in Decree Law 3 of 2008 and Executive Decree 320 of 2008, and the National Migration Service (Servicio Nacional de Migración) still lists them in its current requirements sheet.

The income test

• USD 1,000 a month from a pension or retirement income that is paid for life.
• USD 750 a month if you also own real estate in Panama worth more than USD 100,000. Migration asks for a Public Registry certificate for the property.
• USD 250 a month extra for each dependant you include, such as a spouse.

The pension can come from a government or from a private pension, trust, insurance or banking entity. A private pension needs more paperwork: a letter from the entity that manages the funds, proof that the entity exists and proof of payment.

Documents you'll typically need

• A power of attorney and application prepared by your Panamanian lawyer
• A certified copy of your passport and passport photographs
• A criminal record certificate and a health certificate
• A sworn statement of personal background
• Certification of your lifetime pension
• For the USD 750 option, the Public Registry certificate of your property

Foreign documents must be apostilled or authenticated by a Panamanian consulate, and anything not in Spanish needs an official translation.

What it gives you

Approval gives you permanent residency. Migration describes the permit as indefinite, with no renewal, and you receive a residency card once it is granted.

If you plan to use the USD 750 option with one of our residences, every home we currently sell is priced above USD 100,000. Your lawyer will confirm how the property's value is evidenced for your file.

Pensioner discounts under Law 6 of 1987

Law 6 of 1987 gives discounts to retirees and pensioners, and to women over 55 and men over 60. The law covers both Panamanians and foreign residents, so a Pensionado residency card is how most foreign retirees show they qualify. These are the discounts that several official and press sources agree on, based on the consolidated text of the law held by the Ministry of Commerce and Industries (MICI):

• 50% on cinema, theatre, sports and other public entertainment
• 50% on hotel stays from Monday to Thursday, and 30% from Friday to Sunday
• 25% at restaurants, and 15% at fast-food franchises
• 30% on interurban buses, trains and boats, and 25% on airfares
• 20% on general medical consultations, 15% on dental and optometry services, and 15% at private hospitals and clinics
• 25% on electricity, water and a residential phone line, up to set consumption limits
• 50% off loan closing costs and a one-point reduction in the interest rate on a home loan

There is also a discount on prescription medicines, but the sources we checked cite different percentages, so we've left the number out. Ask your pharmacy.

These discounts are under discussion right now. In August 2026 the National Assembly passed Bill 226, which would have raised several of them and added new ones. The President vetoed it in September 2026 and sent it back to the Assembly. For now, Law 6 as it stood still applies. Check the current position before you count on any specific figure.

The Friendly Nations visa (Países Amigos)

This route is for citizens of countries Panama has named as friendly nations. The list has about 50 countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, most EU countries such as the Netherlands, Germany and Spain, as well as Mexico, Chile, Uruguay, Costa Rica, Israel and Japan. Ecuador was added by Executive Decree 16 of 31 August 2026.

The rules since 2021

In 2021 Executive Decrees 197 (7 May) and 226 (20 July) changed the programme. Before that, citizens of listed countries could apply without making an investment. Now you need a real economic tie to Panama. Migration's current requirements sheet lists three ways to show it:

• Employment: a letter from a Panamanian employer setting out your position and salary.
• Real estate: property in your name worth at least USD 200,000.
• Time deposit: at least USD 200,000 on a three-year fixed-term deposit with a Panamanian bank.

We found no later change to these amounts up to September 2026. The one recent change is Ecuador joining the list.

What it gives you

You first receive provisional residency for two years. After that you apply for permanent residency by presenting the requirements again, minus the criminal record certificate and the fee payment. The residency is not a work permit. If you plan to work in Panama, that is a separate application to the Ministry of Labour, and regulated professions have their own licensing rules.

The Qualified Investor visa (Golden Visa)

The Qualified Investor programme gives permanent residency in return for a larger investment. Its rules changed on 16 September 2026: USD 300,000 now applies only to a new property bought on its first sale, and a resale property needs USD 500,000. We cover the details in Golden Visa Panamá 2026.

Short stay for remote workers

If you aren't ready to settle yet, Panama has a visa for people who work remotely for employers or clients abroad. It was created by Executive Decree 198 of 2021 and was still in use in 2026.

• Income from abroad of at least USD 36,000 a year
• Health insurance that covers you in Panama for your whole stay
• A sworn statement that you won't take work or provide services in Panama
• Nine months, extendable once for another nine

It is not residency and does not turn into residency. It can still be a practical way to spend a season or two in the interior before you choose a permanent route. If you are thinking about working from the mountains or the coast, read our guide to internet and remote work in Panama's interior.

Which route fits?

• Retired with a steady pension: the Pensionado is usually the simplest, it leads straight to permanent residency and it opens the Law 6 discounts.
• From a listed country and buying a home anyway: Friendly Nations through a USD 200,000 property purchase can fit, but it starts with two years of provisional residency.
• Investing more and wanting permanent residency from the start: look at the Qualified Investor route.
• Still exploring: the remote worker visa lets you stay longer than a tourist while you decide.

Buying a home does not give you residency by itself. Many people rent first while their application is processed, and our moving to Panama page covers banking, healthcare and shipping. When you do buy, here's how the process works.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a minimum age for the Pensionado visa? The requirements we reviewed set no age limit. What counts is a lifetime pension that meets the income test.

Can I combine the pension of my spouse and mine? At least one law firm we checked says joint income arrangements are possible, and each dependant adds USD 250 a month to the requirement. Your lawyer will confirm what Migration accepts for your case.

Do foreign residents really get the Law 6 discounts? Yes. The law covers foreign residents as well as Panamanians. You show proof of your status, usually your residency card, when you pay.

Does the Friendly Nations visa let me work in Panama? Not by itself. You need a separate work permit from the Ministry of Labour.

Who files my application? A licensed Panamanian lawyer must file it with the National Migration Service. We are not immigration advisers, but we can give your lawyer the property documents they need.

Sources: Servicio Nacional de Migración, requirement sheets for the jubilado/pensionado permit and the Países Amigos permit; Panamá Digital procedure sheet for the pensionado permit; Law 6 of 1987, consolidated text (MICI); ACODECO criteria on Law 6; La Prensa, Telemetro and Infobae on the discounts and the September 2026 veto of Bill 226; NDM Abogados and LAC Legal on Executive Decree 16 of 2026; Kraemer & Kraemer and NDM Abogados on the pensionado and remote worker visas; Paralelaw and Relo Firm on the Friendly Nations country list. Checked September 2026. This is general information, not legal or immigration advice.