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Short Stay Remote Worker Visa

Panama Digital Nomad Visa 2026

Panama wrote one of the world's first remote-worker visas — Executive Decree 198 of May 2021 — and its design shows the country's pragmatism. There is no points system, no degree check, no interview: prove US$3,000 a month from a foreign employer or your own foreign business, carry health insurance valid in Panama, and a licensed attorney files the rest. The reward is nine months in a dollarized economy with first-world banking, a genuinely territorial tax system, and Panama City's startling skyline, renewable once for eighteen months total. The catches are structural rather than hidden. First, the attorney requirement is not optional, and legal fees — quoted per firm, not fixed by the state — dwarf the US$300 government fee; this is the rare nomad visa where professional fees are the headline cost. Second, eighteen months is a hard ceiling with no bridge to permanent residence on this permit, so Panama works as a chapter, not a base — though the separate Friendly Nations visa remains one of the world's easiest permanent residencies for citizens of 50 listed countries. For remote workers who want a low-friction, tax-sane Central American stint with excellent US flight connections, the Short Stay Remote Worker Visa remains one of the most honest deals in the region.

Verified October 8, 2026Official source: Servicio Nacional de Migración de Panamá (official portal) ↗Report an error

Panama digital nomad visa for your nationality

For AmericansFor British applicantsFor CanadiansFor Australians

Key facts at a glance

Minimum income

€2,760/month

Approximately €2,760/month (US$3,000) or US$36,000/year from foreign sources; about US$4,000/month for families.

Savings required

None set

No savings alternative is published; the test is annual foreign-source income of US$36,000.

Maximum stay

Up to 1 year

Renewable

Processing time

Around 30 days once the file is complete

document apostilles and translations add weeks before filing.

Application fee

US$300 government fee. A Panamanian attorney is required to file

and legal fees are the main real cost — get quotes from several firms.

Degree required

No

Income does the filtering

Full requirements

Program
Short Stay Remote Worker Visa
Minimum income
€2,760 per month (Approximately €2,760/month (US$3,000) or US$36,000/year from foreign sources; about US$4,000/month for families.)
Savings
No fixed requirement — No savings alternative is published; the test is annual foreign-source income of US$36,000.
Duration & renewal
Up to 1 year. 9 months initial, renewable once for another 9 months (18 months total). It is not a path to permanent residence — the Friendly Nations visa is Panama's long-term route.
Processing time
Around 30 days once the file is complete; document apostilles and translations add weeks before filing.
Fees
US$300 government fee. A Panamanian attorney is required to file, and legal fees are the main real cost — get quotes from several firms.
Family
Family members are not automatically included — confirm the correct immigration basis for a spouse and children with your attorney before filing.
Apply from abroad
Yes — Filed through a Panamanian attorney, who can submit the application on your behalf.
Apply in country
Yes — Most applicants enter as tourists and complete the filing in-country through their attorney.
Degree / experience
Not required — No degree or experience requirement.
Remote work history
Not officially specified — No remote-work history minimum is published; the employer letter and bank statements carry the file.
Health insurance
Required — must be valid for the full stay

Tax notes

Panama's territorial system does not tax foreign-source income. Note that the program's labor and social-security implications have never been tested in court — take local advice on your specific setup.

Tax rules are simplified here and change often. Confirm your position with a qualified tax advisor before making decisions.

Frequently asked questions

US$3,000 per month (US$36,000 per year) from foreign sources for a single applicant — about US$4,000/month for families. The income must come from work whose effects are abroad; representing your foreign employer in Panama can cancel the permit.

Sources & verification

Not legal advice. Visa rules change frequently and consulates interpret them differently. Always verify current requirements with the official consulate or immigration authority before applying.

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