Work Permit
Another option of residence is the Work Permit. Companies are entitled to include 10% of foreign workers on their payroll (the 10% applies either to the number of employees or the salaries earned).

Immigrant married to a Panamanian national
Another way to get residency is if you apply as an Immigrant married to a Panamanian national. In the case of males, they need additionally to have a work permit, however women don't have this requirement.

Dependent of a Panamanian resident
Another case when you can apply for residence is as a Dependent of a Panamanian resident, which includes only dependents directly related to the resident such as parents, spouses or sons over 18 years, but less than 25 years if still studying. All of these cases are the most used by lawyers to apply for residence permits.

Tourist Pensioner
Panamanian law allows for another type of residence permit, with the advantage that the immigrant can obtain permanent residency in just one phase. This is as a Tourist Pensioner, designed for persons whose pension from a Government entity or Private Corporation is $500 or more per month. In this case the favored person also receives a series of tax exemptions.

Private Income Retiree
Another type of visa is as a Private Income Retiree, which is a provisional visa for foreigners who have a sum which may be deposited on a 5-year Certificate of Deposit with the National Bank of Panama, yielding at least $750 a month. This visa is renewable every five years, as long as the Certificate of Deposit keeps being renewed.

All the types of visa just mentioned can be combined with the dependent visa type in order to cover a family group.

I agree with many experts in this field that the easiest way of getting Panamanian Residency is through the Person of Means Visa, because of the simplicity of the requirements for the application.

Another good way is if you are a Tourist Pensioner, for foreigners with a permanent pension.
When people don't have a permanent pension, I always recommend the option of Person of Means Visa, because is easier to get a fixed-term bank deposit than establish a company and other related requirements of the Investor Visa and the Small Business Visa.

I hope this is of help to you and I am at your service, related to this subject or any other of Panamanian Law.

For information consult Rodrigo Manuel Tapia M., Attorney at law Cel.: 6708-3080 Email: rodtapia&cwpanama.net Office: Balboa Avenue, Plaza Bay Mall, 3rd floor, Office #304.