Panama Business Investor Visa
- Last updated on . Written by Offshore Protection.
Panama Business Investor Visa Description
Designed for those who wish to establish a business in Panama (retail businesses and some professions are reserved to Panamanians). There must be a minimum investment of US$160,000 and minimum of five Panamanian employees hired.
It is granted provisionally for one year and after renewal it is granted permanently with the right to be issued a Cedula (local identity card). Five years after obtaining the permanent visa, holders will be eligible to obtain Panamanian nationality.
General Rules
- All visa applications must be made through a Panamanian lawyer.
- All documents from overseas must be authenticated, please see below 'Documents required from Home'.
- There is no age limit or maximum required for applying for any of these visas, save for the minimum legal age of 18 years. Youngsters under 18, will qualify for a visa as dependents of their parents.
None of these visas grant work permits.
Documents
Documents Required from Home
Document Specifications
- All documents must be authenticated by a Notary and by the Panamanian Consulate nearest you, or by a Notary and the Apostille. The Apostille (The Hague Convention of 1961) is a faster way of authenticating documents and is normally obtained through the Secretary of State Department in your home state (in the USA) or through the Foreign Office (in UK and Canada).
- All documents must be fresh (within 2 months of visa application) and passports must have at least 1 year to run.
- Dependents: If your spouse will be covered by your visa, you need to bring Marriage Certificate. However, original marriage certificates are not acceptable if over 2 months old, you need to request fresh ones. If your children (under 18), are to be covered by your visa, you need to bring fresh Birth Certificates (not the original ones).
Documents Required
- Valid Passport
- 6 passport-size photos (gentlemen in suit and tie; ladies in blouses or dresses with sleeves).
- Police Record of your place(s) of residence for the past five years.
- Marriage Certificate (if your spouse is to be included as dependent in your visa).
- US$150,000 to invest in a company plus US$4,000 for each dependent.
IMPORTANT NOTE: This visa will also require setting up a corporation.
Documents to be Obtained in Panama
There will be a number of documents which must be obtained or issued in Panama, for example, Health Certificate, HIV test, Applications, etc. We will assist you with all documentation to be obtained in Panama.
Panama Visas