Your Guide to the Panama Digital Nomad Visa (Short-Stay Remote Worker Visa)
Dreaming of working from a tropical paradise? Panama is calling! This guide breaks down how to get your Short-Stay Remote Worker Visa. Let’s dive in!
Who is this visa for?
This visa is for foreign individuals who:
- Work as employees for a company located outside of Panama.
- Are self-employed and their clients are located outside of Panama.
- Perform work that has an impact outside of Panama.
- Earn at least thirty-six thousand Balboas (B/. 36,000.00) per year from a foreign source (this is about $36,000 USD).
What does this visa allow you to do?
Once you get this visa, you can work remotely from anywhere in Panama. You don’t need any other special permits to work or live in the country.
How long is the visa valid?
The visa is initially valid for nine (9) months. You can apply to extend it once for another nine (9) months.
What is the cost of the visa card?
The card you receive once the visa is approved costs fifty Balboas (B/. 50.00).
How to Apply: Requirements for Employed Remote Workers
If you work for a company outside of Panama, you will need to provide the following documents:
- Power of Attorney and Application: A legal document (Power of Attorney) giving someone permission to act on your behalf in Panama. This needs to be officially certified (notarized). You will also need to fill out the official application form. The Power of Attorney must include the names and nationalities of your parents.
- Photographs: Three (3) passport-sized photographs of yourself.
- Passport Copy: A clear copy of your entire passport. This copy needs to be officially certified (notarized or authenticated).
- Criminal Record Certificate: A document from your home country (or any country where you have lived for a significant period) showing that you have no criminal record.
- Health Certificate: A medical certificate from a doctor in Panama confirming that you are in good health.
- Personal Background Affidavit Form: A form where you declare information about your personal history.
- Commitment to Cover Costs: You will need to state in your application that you will pay for your return trip to your home country or another destination if necessary.
- Health Insurance: A copy of your health insurance policy that is valid in Panama for the entire time you plan to stay.
- Proof of Company Existence: Official proof that the company you work for is legally registered in the country where it is located.
- Letter from Your Company: A letter from your company on their official letterhead, signed by a legal representative, that includes:
- Your full name and personal information.
- Your job title and what your responsibilities are.
- Your monthly income (which must be at least three thousand Balboas (B/. 3,000.00) or the equivalent in another currency), how often you get paid, and confirmation that this income comes from outside of Panama.
- Confirmation that your job is remote work.
- A promise from the company to cover the costs of your return trip to your home country or another destination if necessary.
- Affidavit of No Local Employment: A sworn statement signed by you saying that you will not seek or accept any job or provide services to Panamanian individuals, residents, tourists, or companies while in Panama.
- Payment to Immigration: Proof that you have paid two hundred fifty Balboas (B/. 250.00) to the National Immigration Service of Panama.
- Proof of Foreign Income: You need to show that your income comes from outside of Panama. You can do this by providing one of the following:
- A bank statement that clearly shows your income coming from a foreign source and that it matches your declared employment.
- A statement from a foreign bank or a local Panamanian bank (with official stamps from the foreign bank if applicable) that proves money has been transferred to you and that it is related to your declared employment.
How to Apply: Requirements for Self-Employed or Independent Remote Workers
If you are self-employed or an independent contractor, you will need to provide the same documents as employed remote workers (points 1 through 9 and 12 and 13 above), but instead of points 10 and 11, you will need to provide:
- Proof of Your Company: Official proof that your own company is legally registered outside of Panama and that you will be conducting your business through this company.
- Sworn Statement of Client Relationships: A sworn statement (affidavit) before a notary public where you describe your business relationships with your clients. This statement must include:
- Your full name and personal information.
- The full name and general information of your clients.
- The services you provide to each client.
- How much you earn for these services.
- Where the money comes from (the source of the funds).
- How often you receive payments for your services.
How to Extend Your Short-Stay Remote Worker Visa
If you want to extend your visa for another nine (9) months, you will generally need to provide the same documents you submitted for your initial application. This includes the documents proving your foreign income (as mentioned in point 13 above).
Important Note for Non-Profit Work and Student Exchanges:
If you are coming to Panama to provide non-profit social services under agreements with the government or recognized organizations, or if you are participating in a student exchange program and also working remotely, you may be eligible for a one-time extension of the same length and may be exempt from paying the immigration service fees.
Legal Basis:
This information is based on Decree Law 3 of 2008, Executive Decree No. 320 of August 8, 2008, and Executive Decree No. 198 of May 7, 2021 of Panama.
Documents from Outside Panama:
Any official documents that you get from outside of Panama need to be properly legalized or apostilled as required by Panamanian law.
This guide provides a general overview. It is always a good idea to check the official website of the National Immigration Service of Panama for the most up-to-date information and any specific instructions.
This guide was prepared on April 16, 2025, based on information from the National Immigration Service of Panama. The Digital Nomads Central America Team retains all rights to the guide.
