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Free: the Panama Expat Survival Guide

Relocate to Panama. We handle the legal side.

Residency visas, your cédula, bank account and property, in English or Spanish.

I'm moving to Panama

Need a lawyer for your business? See how we help companies

Hassim Patel Bhana, founder of Patel & Bhana

Panama is waiting.

Relocate today. Relax tomorrow.

Which visa fits you?

Pick what brings you to Panama, choose a visa and see what you will need.

Pensionado visa (retiree or pensioner)

For retirees with a lifetime pension from a government, an international organization or a private company.

Key requirement

A lifetime pension of at least $1,000 a month, or $750 if you own property in Panama worth over $100,000.

Permit
Permanent residency, with no renewals.
Timeline
3 to 6 months from filing to approval. When we file, you receive a 6-month in-process ID card.

Specific requirements

  • Certificate of your lifetime pension
  • Couples can combine both pensions to reach the minimum

+3 more requirements, and where to get each document

Email me the checklist

Book a free call

Every file also needs a power of attorney and application, three photos, a certified passport copy, a criminal background check, a health certificate and a sworn personal statement.

Based on the National Immigration Service requirements. A guide, not legal advice.

Permanent residents must enter Panama at least once every 2 years, or Migración may cancel their residency.

Your move, step by step

Step 1 of 5

Consultation

A free 30-minute video call to choose your visa and your plan.

Start with step 1

1. Consultation: A free 30-minute video call to choose your visa and your plan.

2. Documents at home: Valid 6 months from issue, apostilled in the country that issued them.

3. Arrive and file: We file and you receive a 6-month in-process ID card.

4. Residency and cédula: Approval usually takes 3 to 6 months.

5. Settle in: Bank account, home and everything else, with us beside you.

Panama Residency, Done Right

Your residency, cédula and bank account: one fixed price in writing before you sign, and our fees back if we get it wrong.

What's included

  • Your residency, end to end: from the 6-month in-process ID card to the approved resolution
  • Your cédula: we go with you to the Tribunal Electoral
  • Your Panamanian bank account: we prepare your file and present it to the bank
  • Every document reviewed before anything is filed
  • 12 months of follow-up after approval

One price, in writing

Before you sign, you get our fee and a list of every government cost. Nothing is added later.

Pay as we deliver

50% of our fees and all government costs when you sign your filing documents: the power of attorney, the application forms and the rest of your file. The other 50% when your residency is approved.

Done Right Guarantee

If Immigration denies your residency because of an error by our firm, including a document we reviewed and approved, we refund 100% of our legal fees.

The guarantee refunds our legal fees only, not government or third-party costs, and it does not promise approval: residency is decided by Panama's authorities, and bank accounts by the bank.

Get your fixed price

What clients say after the move

4.9 · 15 reviews on Google

“He had his staff precede me at the immigration office and so I was ushered through the process and out the door with my permanent visa in under 20 minutes!”
Anita · Permanent residency
“Hassim's knowledge of Panamanian laws and procedures made what could have been a complicated experience remarkably smooth and stress-free.”
Tina · Visa, cédula, bank and lease

Start with a free 30-minute call.

Hassim reviews your case and tells you which route fits, in English or Spanish.

Open the booking calendar

Or reach Hassim directly:

WhatsAppCall +507 6965-6885
hpatel@patelbhana.com

Buying property? It can be your residency too.

One firm for the purchase and your residency: from $300,000 in new property, with funds from abroad.

Residency through propertyOr book a free 30-minute call
Hassim Patel Bhana signing a property purchase agreement
  1. 01Residency by investment
  2. 02Title and lien search
  3. 03Purchase agreement
  4. 04Closing and registration

Free guides for your move

Written by Hassim and our team. Free with your email.

See all resources
Your visa, document by document16 visas, English and SpanishChecklistThe checklist for your visaEvery document, where to get it and in what order.
Read the summary: Your 90-day move plan
Hassim Patel Bhana at the Patel & Bhana office

Meet your lawyer

Hassim Patel Bhana

Founder, Patel & Bhana

Legal & Tax Director, Baker Tilly Panama

Hassim sees his role as your counsellor, not just your lawyer: he walks with you from the first question to the day you settle in, and explains every step in plain language, in English or Spanish.

He has worked in legal and tax advisory since 2010, first at PwC and Deloitte and then at Williams & Williams. He graduated in law in 2015, holds a Master's in Tax Law from Universidad Externado de Colombia and founded Patel & Bhana in 2019. Beyond relocation, he advises companies on corporate, tax, employment, real estate and trademark matters.

“There are no silly questions. An informed client makes better decisions.”
years in legal and tax
16years in legal and tax
on Google, 15 reviews
4.9on Google, 15 reviews
founded Patel & Bhana
2019founded Patel & Bhana
Book a free callRead The Fine Print

Recent outcomes

Relocation

Permanent visa in under 20 minutes

Anita. Our team went ahead of her to Migración, so her appointment was quick.

Company and residency

Ahead of the estimated timeline

Muhammad (UK) and his wife (US): company set up and residency for both.

Real estate

Liens found before the purchase

Before our client bought, our title review revealed a mortgage and a court attachment on the property: issues that would have derailed a smooth purchase.

Real estate

A broken purchase promise, settled

After one party breached a signed purchase promise, we stepped in and closed the process in a simple way that worked for both sides.

Every case is different. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes, and approvals are decided by Panama's authorities.

Also for your business

Many of our clients move to Panama and build something here. The same team that handles your residency sets up and looks after your company, from day one.

See all business servicesBook a free call

Companies that trust us

Ecomm Digital GroupVizion GroupChampion MotorsSLA Trading, S.A.