Panama · Country guide

Moving to Panama from the US

Visas, residency routes, citizenship and tax for Americans moving to Panama, with the law behind each rule.

Source-checked28 sources, 28 officialHow we check

Currency: the US dollar (alongside the balboa, at 1 to 1)

CapitalPanama City

Visa-free (US)Up to 180 days

Residency income from$1,000 a month of pension

CitizenshipAfter 5 years of permanent residence

Tax on foreign incomeNo: only Panamanian income is taxed

Dual citizenshipBeing checked

Panama in brief

Visit visa-free: up to 180 days per entry, a special rule for US and Canadian citizens.
Remote workers: a 9-month visa, renewable once, for $36,000 a year of income.
Retirees: a $1,000 lifelong pension gives permanent residence straight away; $750 if you own Panama property bought for over $100,000.
Friendly Nations: $200,000 in property or a bank deposit gives residence, permanent after 2 years.
Foreign income isn't taxed: a retiree on US pensions and interest owes no Panamanian income tax.
Citizenship: after 5 years in a row as a permanent resident.

About Panama

Panama is a narrow isthmus between the Caribbean and the Pacific, cut by the canal. Panama City is the hub, with island chains, highlands and rainforest elsewhere.

A small palm-covered island with thatched huts in turquoise water in Guna Yala (San Blas). — Palm island in Guna Yala

A quiet brick street in Casco Viejo, Panama City, lined with colonial buildings and iron balconies. — Balconied street in Casco Viejo

A container ship entering the Miraflores Locks of the Panama Canal, with the Panamanian flag in front. — A ship entering Miraflores Locks

By the numbers

4.5 millionPeople, 2024 estimate

90% of South CarolinaLand area

66%Live in cities

30 yearsHalf are younger

6World Heritage sitesNeeds review

$19,800GDP per person

Needs reviewA 2025 report counts 6; the official list may count the new route differently.

Regions

Central Panama: Panama City, the canal, Colón and Coclé.
Pacific West: Chiriquí highlands around Boquete, and the Azuero towns of Herrera and Los Santos.
Caribbean West: Bocas del Toro's islands and the Ngäbe-Buglé lands.
Eastern Panama: Darién's forests and swamps, and the Guna Yala (San Blas) islands.

Culture and daily life

Language: Spanish; English is more common in Panama City and around the canal than elsewhere.
Food: Rice and beans with chicken, pork or fish, fried plantains (patacones) and fresh fruit drinks.
Religion and holidays: Largely Catholic; Carnival, just before Holy Week, is the country's main celebration.

Economy and politics, briefly

Dollar economy: Panama has used the US dollar since 1904, and inflation was 2.8% in September.
Politics: José Raúl Mulino is president.

Sources (10)

Cities in Panama

Where our city guides are planned. Hover a city to find it on the map.

All Panama guides

Every rule with its legal source.

Entry and visasUp to 180 days visa-free Residency4 routes: remote work, retiree, Friendly Nations and investor Citizenship5 years as a permanent resident TaxesWhat retirees and remote workers pay

Free tools

Count your days in PanamaTourist days used and left, the tax-residency test, and the US 330-day count.Social Security and Medicare in PanamaPayments, direct deposit, agreements and what Medicare covers.

Still being checked

Remote-worker visa: whether family can join; don't count on it.
Remote-worker tax: no special tax exemption is confirmed.
Fees: the full current fee list for registration and residence cards, before any all-in total.
Friendly Nations: all extra fees and real processing times.

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