Completing Panamanian Residency

You have lived there before, how long ago ? are you a Panama citizen?

I just completed my Permanent Residence in Panama under The Panama Pensionado Program - figured a Company attesting me being pensioned with 1000$+ per Month - worked perfectly fine and did cost me only one time 25,000$ instead of putting 200,000$ in Panama Real Estate or 200,000$ as Fixed Term Deposit with a Panama Bank under the Panama Friendly Nation Visa.

I guess that the Immigration Process itself is the same and I can help you or at least provide you with feedback with the single steps I went through.

Fred said:

I just completed my Permanent Residence in Panama under The Panama Pensionado Program - figured a Company attesting me being pensioned with 1000$+ per Month

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is there an age limit to do it this way?

void said:

is there an age limit to do it this way?

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No Age Limit - I was even surprised by myself how easy the Retirement Residence Visa Option in Panama is - Minimum Age 18 Years (most Countries require Age 50+), 1000$ per Month from an Insurance Company or Pension Fund and a Clean Criminal Record with other words a PCC from any Country you have been Resident - all requirements are very straightforward and easy achievable - will update our DLS Offshore Thread in next couple of days and add this as another 0% Tax Residence Option.

I keep it for now as a 0% Tax Dubai Residence Back Up Option as it's Lifetime Permanent Residency in Panama anyway and should I ever want to build more Substance in Panama or live in Panama for some months of the Year you can even get Panama Citizenship down the line.

A lot of YouTube Expats claim it's impossible however I received insides and reality if you have a Western Passport it's not too hard to get a Panama Passport as well after some years - it's just a lot of Indians and Chinese living in Panama and they have compared to Western Passport Holders way more difficulties getting the Passport - at the end of the day the naturalization is always on each Countries own decision.

Way to passport. Documents are mostly required from within Panama so easier to gather compared to most of the CBI programs.

Regarding the permanent residency:
You are not lucky as just some years ago the friendly nation visa was reformed. Before you could establish PR with less than 10k.

Now most people who do not receive a pension either put money into a local bank (300k) or buy real estate (200k). Investment timeframe is 3 years. If you are undecided between those options, the bank deposit is more favourable.
The Panamanian real estate market for expat properties in many areas is highly distressed and very illiquid with properties selling a lot below what they are listed for. In order to make a decent purchase you need intensive knowledge of the local market. If you come from a major European or US city, do not get fooled by the prices that might look very cheap in comparison to the market of your home country.

Another option:
There are also some lawyers who create first a company which later on gives you an employment contract and applies for a work permit for you. The company needs to be operative and apply for a RUC number.
Doing this can eventually lead to a PR after a 2 year probation period. Right now, the government does not check if social security contributions are paid. As government regulations / controls can change, there is no warranty that this option will get you the PR in the end after the probation period. I would be cautious.