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Guía Expatriación: Panamá 2026

Panamá ofrece una combinación única: economía dolarizada, excelente sanidad, cero impuestos sobre ingresos de fuente extranjera, clima tropical y uno de los programas de visado de jubilación más famosos del mundo: el Pensionado. Está sistemáticamente clasificado como uno de los mejores destinos de jubilación en las Américas.

Última actualización : Marzo 2026 — Equipo editorial, eVisa-Card.com

Panama de un Vistazo

CapitalPanama City
MonedaBalboa / USD
IdiomaSpanish
Costo mensual~$1,200–2,500/month

📋 Índice

  1. Visa & Residencia
  2. Salud
  3. Seguro de Salud
  4. Cuenta Bancaria
  5. Comprar Propiedad
  6. Fiscalidad & Exilio Fiscal

🛂 Visa & Opciones de Residencia

Tipo de VisaDetalles
Pensionado VisaPanama's flagship retirement visa. Requires a guaranteed lifetime pension of $1,000/month from a government or private pension. No age minimum. Permanent residency from day one. No stay requirement. Includes a long list of discounts (20–50%) on healthcare, restaurants, entertainment.
Friendly Nations VisaFor citizens of 50+ 'friendly nations' (including USA, EU, UK, Canada, Australia). Requires $200,000 in a Panama bank account OR employment with a Panamanian company OR business ownership. Permanent residency.
Self-Employed / Business VisaFor investors or business owners. Capital investment of $40,000+ (with at least 3 Panamanian employees). 2-year permit, path to permanent residency.
Digital Nomad Visa (Short-Stay Permit)Panama introduced a Remote Worker Permit in 2021. Monthly income proof $36,000+/year. 9-month renewable permit. Not full residency.
Tourist Visa / StampUS, EU, UK, Canadian citizens: 180 days visa-free. Many nomads use Panama as a hub and renew easily with a short border run.

Proceso Paso a Paso

  1. Choose your visa category (Pensionado for retirees, Friendly Nations for qualified nationals)
  2. Hire a Panamanian immigration lawyer (~$1,500–3,000 in legal fees)
  3. Reúna los documentos: passport, pension letter, police clearance, health certificate, bank statements
  4. Apostille and translate all foreign documents to Spanish
  5. Submit application to the National Immigration Servicio (SNM)
  6. Initial temporary residency issued (~3–6 months processing)
  7. Permanent residency card (Carnet) issued — usually within 6 months
  8. Apply for cedula (national ID) at the Civil Registry
  9. Obtain RUC (tax ID) at the DGI if conducting business
💡 Consejo Pro: The Pensionado Visa is one of the world's best retirement programmes — permanent residency with a modest $1,000/month pension, no age limit, and remarkable discounts on healthcare and daily expenses. It can be obtained with a pension as small as a US Social Security benefit.

🏥 Salud en Panamá

Salud Pública

Panama has a two-tier public system: Social Security (CSS) for formal workers and public hospitals (MINSA) for the general population. Pensionado visa holders can access CSS at discounted rates. Quality en Panamá City is good; rural areas are underserved.

Salud Privada

Panama City has excellent private hospitals: Hospital Nacional, Hospital Punta Pacifica (affiliated with Johns Hopkins), Clínica Hospital San Fernando, Hospital Chiriquí (David). English-speaking doctors are common. Costos are significantly lower than the US.

Costos Típicos

ServicioCosto
Consulta médico general (privada)$40–80
Consulta especialista$80–200
Urgencias (private)$200–800
Hospitalización (privado, por noche)$400–1,500
Limpieza dental$40–80
Major dental work50–70% cheaper than US
ℹ️ Recomendado: Most expats use a combination of private health insurance and occasional CSS access (if eligible via Pensionado). Panama City's private hospitals offer US-quality care at 30–50% of US prices.

🛡️ Seguro de Salud Complementario

Health insurance is not legally required for residency en Panamá but is strongly recommended. Hospitalisation and specialist care at private hospitals can be expensive without coverage. Pensionado holders receive a 20% discount on private medical services.

Mejores Aseguradoras para Expatriados

Pan-American Life Insurance (PALIC)
Major regional insurer with strong Panama network. Widely accepted at private hospitals. From ~$150/month.
BlueCross BlueShield (Panama)
Popular with US expats. Good network of hospitals. From ~$180/month.
ASSA Compañía de Seguros
Panama-based insurer. Planes integrales, dental included. From ~$120/month.
Cigna Global
International plan covering Panama and worldwide, including US. From ~$150/month.
Aetna International
Good for US citizens who need US coverage too. From ~$200/month.
💡 Consejo Pro: Pensionado visa holders receive a 20% discount on private healthcare services — keep this in mind when comparing insurance plans. Even with insurance, you'll pay a fraction of US costs for the same procedures.

🏦 Abrir una Cuenta Bancaria en Panamá

Panama is a major banking hub in Latin America. However, post-FATCA compliance has made account opening stricter, especially for US citizens. A Panamanian bank account is essential for visa purposes (Friendly Nations) and daily life.

Bancos Recomendados

Banco Nacional de Panamá — State-owned bank. Most accessible for new residents. Competitive rates. Good for retirement pension deposits.
BAC Credomatic — Largest private bank in Central America. English service, good digital banking. Popular with expats.
Banistmo (HSBC affiliate) — Good for international transfers, especially to/from Europe. English support available.
Multibank — Expat-friendly, good for Friendly Nations visa applicants (requires bank balance proof). Good English service.
Global Bank — Relatively easy account opening. Good for Pensionado applicants.

Documentos Requeridos

  • Pasaporte válido
  • Panamanian residency card (Carnet) or tourist visa
  • Comprobante de domicilio (contrato de alquiler or factura de servicios)
  • Proof of income (pension letter, employment contract or investment proof)
  • Personal and professional reference letters (2 each, some banks)
  • Depósito inicial ($500–5,000 depending on bank)

Proceso Paso a Paso

  1. Obtain your residency card or at minimum a tourist entry stamp
  2. Visit bank branch in person (no online opening for non-residents)
  3. Presente todos los documentos including reference letters
  4. Compliance interview (standard KYC process)
  5. Account opened within 1–4 weeks (compliance checks take time)
💡 Consejo Pro: US citizens face the most scrutiny due to FATCA reporting requirements — some banks decline US applicants entirely. Multibank and Global Bank are more open to US expats. Non-US expats typically have a smoother experience.

🏠 Comprar Propiedad en Panamá

Panama has among the most foreigner-friendly property laws in Latin America. Foreigners have the same property rights as Panamanian citizens. No restrictions on type of property, location or amount owned. The property market is dollarised.

Opciones de Propiedad para Extranjeros

Freehold (Titled Property)
Full ownership, same rights as citizens. Most condos, houses and commercial properties. Registered at the Public Registry.
Rights of Possession (ROP)
Untitled land where occupants have use rights but not formal title. Common in rural and coastal areas. Higher risk — verify carefully.
Pensionado Property Exemption
First purchase of primary residence by a Pensionado is exempt from certain taxes. Confirm with your lawyer.

Proceso de Compra

  1. Hire a Panamanian real estate lawyer (abogado)
  2. Obtain your RUC (tax ID) from the DGI
  3. Sign a Promise to Purchase contract (Promesa de Compraventa) — pay 10% deposit
  4. Lawyer conducts title search at the Public Registry
  5. Verify no liens, encumbrances or property tax debts
  6. Sign the final Purchase Deed (Escritura de Compraventa) before a Notary
  7. Register at the Public Registry (Registro Público) — takes 2–8 weeks

Costos Típicos

ConceptoCosto
Transfer tax (ITBMS)2% of higher of sale price or registered value
Notary and legal fees1–2% of purchase price
Public Registry fee~$500–1,500
Impuesto anual sobre bienes inmuebles0% up to $120,000 value (primary residence exempt to $300,000 for new construction)
Comisión del agente3–5% (pagado por el vendedor)
💡 Consejo Pro: Panama's primary residence tax exemption is excellent — new properties up to $300,000 are exempt from property tax for 20 years. Always verify titled property (vs Rights of Possession) before purchase. Coastal property near the beach requires additional due diligence on concession rights.

Acerca de esta Guía

Esta guía es investigada y mantenida por el equipo editorial de eVisa-Card.com. Última actualización : Marzo 2026. Verifique siempre los requisitos actuales con fuentes gubernamentales oficiales y consulte a un profesional autorizado antes de tomar decisiones importantes.

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💰 Fiscalidad & Exilio Fiscal

Impuesto sobre ganancias
0%
Régimen fiscal
Territorial
Cripto-compatibilidad
9/10
Exit Tax
No

Impuesto sobre ganancias: 0% on foreign-source income (territorial)

Puntos clave

  • Territorial tax: 0% on foreign-source income
  • Crypto gains from foreign exchanges are tax-free
  • Pensionado visa: easy residency with $1,000/month pension
  • Friendly Nations visa for 50+ qualifying countries

Simule sus ahorros fiscales

Use nuestro simulador gratuito de exilio fiscal para comparar sus ahorros en Panamá.

🚀 Simule sus ahorros fiscales →

Desarrollado por Taxes-Crypto.eu

Información fiscal proporcionada solo como orientación general. Consulte a un asesor fiscal cualificado.

📚 Fuentes Oficiales & Referencias

Equipo Editorial — eVisa-Card.com

Guías escritas por expertos en viajes, especialistas en inmigración y expatriados con experiencia directa en Panama.

✔ Información verificada ✔ Actualizado Marzo 2026 ✔ Fuentes oficiales citadas