The Panama digital nomad visa is officially the short-stay visa for remote workers, issued by Panama’s National Migration Service (SNM). You need at least US$36,000 a year (US$3,000 a month) from foreign sources and health insurance valid in Panama, and it gives you 9 months, renewable once for another 9.
Last checked: September 2026
In short:
- The SNM checklist requires foreign-source income of at least B/.36,000 a year, or B/.3,000 a month, which Kraemer & Kraemer quote as US$36,000 a year.
- The visa is valid for 9 months and can be extended once for the same period, so 18 months in total.
- Panama taxes only Panamanian-source income, so foreign income earned while on this visa isn’t taxed in Panama, per PwC’s tax summary (reviewed August 2026).
Who it’s for
Employees of foreign companies and self-employed people whose income is paid from abroad and whose work is delivered abroad. You have to sign a sworn statement that you won’t accept work or services inside Panama. This is a temporary stay, not residency, and on its own it doesn’t lead to residency.
Legal basis. The current SNM requirements sheet cites Decree-Law 3 of 2008, Executive Decree 320 of 2008 and Executive Decree 198 of 7 May 2021. Kraemer & Kraemer also describe the programme under Decree 198. You’ll often see “Executive Decree 133 of 2021” quoted online, but we didn’t find it on the official sheet, so treat that number as unverified.
Income and financial requirements
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Annual income | At least B/.36,000 (or the equivalent) |
| Monthly income | At least B/.3,000 |
| Source | Must come from outside Panama |
| Proof | Bank certificate, or authenticated foreign bank statements |
| Employer evidence | Signed letter on letterhead from the foreign company (role, salary, remote-work status) and the company’s registration certificate |
| Self-employed | Foreign business registration plus a notarised declaration about your client relationships |
Length, renewal and family
- First period: 9 months.
- Extension: once, for another 9 months.
- Total: up to 18 months.
The SNM sheet doesn’t set out a separate dependant route, so ask your lawyer how family members will be handled before you file.
How to apply
The SNM checklist starts with a notarised power of attorney and application, which means in practice the file goes in through a Panamanian lawyer at the SNM.
Documents on the official list:
- Power of attorney and application (including your parents’ names and nationalities)
- Three photographs
- Authenticated copy of your full passport
- Criminal record certificate
- Health certificate
- Sworn personal-background statement
- Commitment to cover repatriation costs
- Health insurance policy valid in Panama for your whole stay
- Foreign company registration, and the employer letter (or the self-employed equivalents)
- Sworn declaration that you won’t take local work
- Bank evidence of foreign income
Fees (SNM sheet): B/.250 migration service payment plus B/.50 for the card. Lawyer and notary costs are extra.
The sheet doesn’t give a processing time.
The longer-term route: Friendly Nations
If you want to stay in Panama for good, the usual route is the Friendly Nations residence permit (Specific Countries). The 2021 reform (Executive Decree 226 of 20 July 2021, cited on the current SNM sheet) changed how it works:
| Feature | Current rule |
|---|---|
| Structure | 2-year provisional residence, then permanent residence |
| Economic tie (one of) | A job in Panama, real estate worth at least US$200,000, or a 3-year fixed-term deposit of at least US$200,000 |
| Fees | B/.250 to the Treasury plus B/.800 to the Migration Service |
| Work | Residence doesn’t give you the right to work; you still need a Ministry of Labour work permit |
Latest change: Executive Decree 16, published on 31 August 2026 and in force from 1 September 2026, added Ecuador, bringing the list to 51 countries, per EIG Law. The list includes the US, UK, Canada, Australia and most of the EU. Check the current list before planning around it.
Tax: when you become tax resident
PwC’s summary says you’re a Panama tax resident if you’re physically in Panama and generating income there for more than 183 days in the year. Even then, the system is territorial: residents and non-residents alike are taxed only on Panamanian-source income, and the top rate is 25% on taxable income over US$50,000. Since this visa bars local work, your foreign income stays outside the Panamanian tax net. Your home country may still tax it.
Practical tips and common refusal reasons
- Authentication. Foreign documents (passport copy, bank statements, criminal record) generally need to be authenticated or apostilled. Unauthenticated paperwork is a common reason for delay.
- Employer letter detail. The letter must be signed by the company’s legal representative and spell out the role, salary and remote arrangement.
- Insurance wording. The policy must explicitly cover you in Panama for the full stay.
- Plan the bridge early. At 18 months the visa ends. If you want Friendly Nations, decide early whether you’ll use the US$200,000 property or deposit route or a local job.
See the full list: Digital nomad visa countries: which countries have one (2026 list)
Related guides: Digital Nomad Visa Index 2026: income requirements for 28 open visa routes, ranked · Visa processing times tracker (2026): real dates from members · Retire abroad (2026): retirement visas, pension tax and healthcare · Territorial tax countries compared: where foreign income isn’t taxed · Panama residency (2026): Friendly Nations, Qualified Investor, Pensionado
Quick answers
Q: How much income do I need for the Panama digital nomad visa?
Panama’s National Migration Service requires foreign-source income of at least B/.36,000 a year, or B/.3,000 a month, which lawyers quote as US$36,000 a year. You prove it with a bank certificate or authenticated foreign statements, plus an employer letter or self-employed business evidence.
Q: How long does the Panama remote worker visa last?
The short-stay remote worker visa is valid for 9 months and can be extended once for another 9 months, giving 18 months in total. It doesn’t lead to residency. For a permanent route, most people look at the Friendly Nations permit: 2 years provisional, then permanent.
Q: Do digital nomads pay tax in Panama?
Panama taxes only income from Panamanian sources, for residents and non-residents alike. The remote worker visa bars local work, so foreign salary or client income isn’t taxed in Panama. Tax residency starts after more than 183 days, but your home country may still tax you.
Sources
- Servicio Nacional de Migración: Requisitos visa de corta estancia como trabajador remoto
- Servicio Nacional de Migración: Requisitos países específicos
- Kraemer & Kraemer: Visa for remote workers, Executive Decree 198 of May 7 2021
- EIG Law: Panama expands Friendly Nations residence permit to Ecuadorean nationals
- The Rio Times: Panama Friendly Nations visa, Ecuador, Executive Decree 16
- PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries: Panama, residence
- PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries: Panama, taxes on personal income
This is general information from the Nomad Forums team, not immigration, tax or legal advice. Rules change; check the official source or a qualified adviser before applying.
Over to you: If you’ve had the remote worker visa approved, how long did SNM take and what did your lawyer charge on top of the B/.300 in government fees? And has anyone gone from it straight into Friendly Nations without leaving Panama?