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The widely cited "$5,000" is outdated — now $200,000

Friendly Nations Visa
Panama — for citizens of friendly nations

Property or a fixed-term deposit from $200,000 at a Panamanian bank. The widely cited "$5,000" figure has been outdated since the 2021 reform. Available only to citizens of ≈50 "friendly" nations. 2 years of provisional residency → PR → citizenship after 5 years of PR.

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Threshold (property/deposit)
$200,000
Available to citizens of
≈50 countries
Time to permanent residency
2 years
Citizenship available after
5 years of PR

Myth-busting: "$5,000" no longer applies

This programme was widely discussed online with its old threshold — don’t budget against the outdated figure.

PERIOD
REQUIREMENT
NOTE
Before 2021
REQUIREMENT$5,000 deposit + proof of ties to Panama
no longer in effect
Since 2021 (current)
REQUIREMENTproperty or deposit from $200,000
fixed threshold, doesn’t rise for a family
Alternative (any period)
REQUIREMENTemployment at a Panamanian company
no stated minimum salary

Two routes — with money and without

If the investment threshold isn’t accessible, an employment route exists — but with its own limitations.

ROUTE
REQUIREMENT
NOTE
Property
REQUIREMENTfrom $200,000, held 2+ years
per main applicant
Fixed-term deposit (plazo fijo)
REQUIREMENTfrom $200,000, locked 3+ years
at a licensed Panamanian bank
Employment
REQUIREMENTcontract + Ministry of Labor permit
no fixed salary threshold

How the process runs

01
Confirming citizenship of one of ≈50 "friendly" nations
The programme is not available to everyone — the country list is limited.
02
Choosing a route
Property from $200,000, a deposit from $200,000, or employment at a Panamanian company.
03
Filing for provisional residency
Granted for 2 years.
04
Transitioning to permanent residency
After the 2-year provisional period ends.
05
Citizenship after 5 years of PR
Subject to additional requirements.

A good fit if

You’re a citizen of one of Panama’s ≈50 "friendly" nations (US, Canada, UK, EU countries, Brazil, Australia, and others).
You have $200,000 for property (held 2+ years) or a fixed-term deposit (locked 3+ years).
Or you have an employment contract with a Panamanian company and a Ministry of Labor work permit — no investment threshold required.
You’re fine with the path through 2-year provisional residency to PR, then citizenship after 5 more years.

A poor fit if

Your country isn’t on the list of ≈50 "friendly" nations — this visa isn’t available to citizens of every country.
You’re budgeting around the widely cited "$5,000" figure — it’s been outdated since the 2021 reform; the current threshold is $200,000.
You need a threshold below $200,000 without employment — the investment route is fixed at this amount and does not decrease.
You expected the family threshold to be higher — per the available data, the amount is fixed and does not rise as family members are added.

Who runs this programme

Your request goes to two or three firms from this list. You see exactly which ones before it is sent, and you can exclude any of them.

Henley & Partners
Лондон, Великобритания · since 1997
The largest advisory firm in the industry — over 70 offices worldwide; also advises governments on designing migration programmes.
NTL Trust
Карибский регион (офисы в Латинской Америке, Европе, на Ближнем Востоке и в Азии) · since 1994
30+ years in citizenship and residence by investment, officially accredited by several Caribbean governments; also trust and corporate services.
Arton Capital
Монреаль, Канада · since 2006
Global financial advisory firm specialising in residence and citizenship by investment.
Astons
Дубай, ОАЭ (основана в Лондоне) · since 1989
One of the oldest firms in the market, over 9,000 clients from 100+ countries; Golden Visa, citizenship and RBI worldwide.
La Vida Golden Visas
Лондон, Великобритания · since 2002
Over 20 years of experience, clients from 160+ countries; specialises in Portugal’s Golden Visa and other EU programmes.
Savory & Partners
Дубай, ОАЭ · since 2009
Over 70 specialists across 8 offices on three continents, 20+ jurisdictions, over 11,000 clients.
Global Citizen Solutions
Лондон, Великобритания / Лиссабон, Португалия · since 2016
Global mobility consultancy with a Lisbon office; specialises in Portugal’s Golden Visa and Spain’s Non-Lucrative Visa.

This is an independent list of firms in the market, not our partners — we do not forward requests to them or receive payment for referrals. Contact them directly via the link.

Frequent questions

Is it true a $5,000 deposit is enough?

No — per the available data, that’s an outdated figure that applied before the 2021 reform; the current threshold for the investment route is $200,000.

Does the threshold rise for a family application?

No — per the available data, the $200,000 amount is fixed and does not increase for a family filing.

Is there a route without a large investment?

Yes — per the available data, employment at a Panamanian company with a Ministry of Labor permit is an alternative route, with no stated minimum salary.

Which countries count as "friendly"?

Per the available data, the list includes roughly 50 nations — including the US, Canada, UK, EU countries, Brazil, and Australia.

How many years until citizenship?

Per the available data — 2 years of provisional residency, then transition to PR, followed by 5 more years of PR before citizenship eligibility.

What if the property or deposit is sold/withdrawn early?

Per the available data, property must be held for at least 2 years and a fixed-term deposit locked for at least 3 years — an early exit could jeopardize visa status.

Sources

Global Citizen Solutions — overview of 2026 Friendly Nations Visa requirements: the outdated $5,000 figure, the current $200,000 threshold, the employment route, the country list, the path to PR and citizenship↗

Figures are for reference only. Verified against official sources on 27 August 2026. A precise quote is issued by the appointed firm after document review. This material is not legal advice, a public offer or investment advice.