Digital Nomad Visa in Panama

Digital nomad visa requirements

The visa is issued for up to 9 months and can be renewed for another 9 months.

Who can apply

The visa is open to foreign nationals working for a company based outside Panama or owning such a company.

Income requirements

You need to prove an annual income of at least $36,000 or a monthly income of at least $3,000.

Taxes and cost of living

Personal income tax in Panama runs from 0% to 25%. Estimated monthly expenses for a family of four are about $2,500 excluding rent, and about $700 for a single person excluding rent. Renting a one-bedroom flat in the city centre costs about $800 a month.

What this visa is

The remote worker visa is a short-stay visa created by Executive Decree No. 198 of 7 May 2021. Panama's National Migration Service issues it for up to 9 months, and it can be extended once for the same period, so up to 18 months in total. It is not residence: time on the visa does not lead to permanent status, and you can only work for a company or clients outside Panama.

What the visa and the move cost

State fees come to about $500 per applicant. Most of the budget is living in the country and insurance, so we calculate costs for the chosen city and family.

Documents and where to get them

• A passport with ample validity.
• A police certificate from the country of residence or citizenship, apostilled and translated into Spanish.
• A letter from the employer on letterhead signed by a manager: position, duties, income of at least $3,000 a month from a foreign source, the remote arrangement and the company's commitment to cover the worker's repatriation if needed. Freelancers prove income with contracts and client invoices.
• Bank statements for the last 3-6 months.
• A health insurance policy covering hospitalisation, emergencies and repatriation.
• Two sworn declarations: on personal details and that you will not accept job offers in Panama.

Step by step

1. Checking income and work arrangement, about a week.
2. Police certificate, apostille, translations, employer letter and insurance, usually 3-6 weeks.
3. Entry to Panama: Russian citizens need no visa for up to 90 days within 180.
4. Filing at the special procedures window of the National Migration Service, in practice often through a local lawyer.
5. Decision and visa issue; extension in advance, before the first 9 months end.

Taxes for remote workers

Panama taxes income on a territorial basis: tax is paid only on income from Panamanian sources. A salary from a foreign company or payments from foreign clients for remote work are, as a rule, not taxed in Panama, and taking local clients on this visa is not allowed anyway. A 7% tax on the transfer of goods and services applies to purchases in the country. Taxes in your country of citizenship depend on its rules and on how many days you spend outside it, so we calculate them before the move.

How to get approved the first time

• Income below $3,000 a month, or no proof that it comes from a foreign source.
• The employer letter lacks mandatory points: position, amount, remote arrangement or the commitment to cover repatriation.
• The police certificate is not apostilled, not translated or too old.
• The insurance does not cover Panama or ends before the visa.
• The applicant already works for a Panamanian company or has overstayed before.

Before filing we match the employer letter against the statements and check the validity of all certificates.

Alternatives in Latin America

Panama is convenient for its dollar economy, strong banking sector and tax exemption for foreign income, but its visa term is shorter than in Colombia and Costa Rica.

Where to live in Panama

Most remote workers choose Panama City: it has the business centre, coworking spaces, international schools and direct flights to the US, Europe and Latin America. Boquete in the mountains is cooler and calmer and popular with families and those tired of the heat. The Pacific coast and the Bocas del Toro islands suit life by the sea, but healthcare and internet there are weaker. Panama uses the US dollar, so costs are easy to plan without currency risk.

What comes after 18 months

The remote worker visa cannot be extended beyond 18 months and does not turn into residence. Those who want to stay need another status: for example, residence by investment or on another basis under the migration law, see the Panama residence page. We plan the switch in advance, a few months before the visa ends, so there is no gap between statuses. Note that Panama requires giving up previous citizenship on naturalization, so for many its passport is not the goal, while residence is a convenient base.

What changes in 2026

In 2026 the visa terms remain the same: income of at least $36,000 a year from foreign sources, a term of up to 9 months with one extension and fees of about $500. Before each filing we check the requirements against the migration service, and we prove income with regular payments rather than one-off transfers before filing.

What we do

Murblz specialists check income and work arrangements, prepare the employer letter to the migration service's requirements, arrange the apostilled police certificate and translations, choose insurance and support filing and extension. If the nomad visa does not suit you, we suggest another country in the region. A consultant will calculate the cost in the chat.

Benefits of the Panama digital nomad visa

FAQ