If you’ve watched my channel for a while, you know I’m basically “Mr. Colombia.” I love it here. I talk about it constantly. I’ve built my life around it.

But I’m not blind to the fact that Latin America is bigger than one country—and I get the same question over and over:

“Matt… what about Panama?”
Specifically: Panama visas and residency.

And I get it. Panama has a reputation that makes people’s ears perk up—because compared to most countries, Panama’s residency system feels like it was designed by someone who actually wanted foreigners to succeed.

But here’s the problem: Panama’s visa options sound simple on YouTube thumbnails. In real life, they’re not interchangeable.

Friendly Nations. Pensionado. Golden Visa. Digital Nomad. Reforestation. “Economic Solvency.” Work visas. Investor visas.

They all get marketed as easy.
They are not all easy.

Some are legitimately smooth and efficient.
Others are “easy” only if you have a very specific profile—or a lot of capital—or an employer willing to wrestle bureaucracy on your behalf.

So let’s do this the right way: no marketing hype, no fantasy math, no vague “it depends.”
Just a clear breakdown of what it takes, what it costs, and who each visa is actually for.

Before we get into visa categories, you have to understand the foundation.

Panama is different from many countries because:

There’s typically no Spanish test. No marathon medical exam culture. No “prove you’re integrating” performance.

A lot of countries want you inside their borders constantly to maintain your status. Panama is far more flexible. You can come and go.

In Panama, residency applications are usually filed through attorneys. That sounds intimidating until you realize it often makes the process smoother because you’re not guessing what the government wants on your own.

This is a big reason Panama stays on the radar for global citizens. Generally speaking, Panama taxes income earned inside Panama, not foreign-sourced income. (Still: don’t play games here—how and where you perform work matters, and your personal tax situation can be more complex depending on your home country.)

The bigger point is this:

Panama gives you options.
But those options live on completely different planets in terms of cost, speed, and practicality.

For many nationalities (U.S., Canada, much of Europe, UK, Australia, etc.), Panama is easy to enter as a tourist. You can often get 90–180 days visa-free depending on passport and policy.

It’s perfect for:

But Panama doesn’t love the idea of people living there permanently on back-to-back tourist entries. Officers can ask for:

So: tourism is the test drive.
Residency is the long-term plan.

If you’re retired—or you have a lifetime pension—Panama’s Pensionado program is one of the most generous residency setups on the planet.

If you qualify, this one is genuinely “red carpet.”
It’s simple. It’s proven. It’s designed to work.

Best for: retirees with stable lifetime pension income who want a straightforward residency with real lifestyle perks.

This one has a legendary reputation because it used to be absurdly easy.

Those days are gone.

It’s still a great program, but now it’s serious—and it’s designed to filter for people who can establish real financial ties.

Citizens of select “friendly nations” (including U.S., Canada, UK, EU, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and more).

There are two main pathways:

Option A: Employment in Panama
You need a job offer, work permit, social security registration, and a company willing to sponsor you. Panama protects local jobs, so this isn’t casual.

Option B: Economic Ties (the route most people use)
You establish economic ties through one of these:

Plus: a separate solvency deposit requirement (commonly mentioned as $5,000 + additional amounts for dependents).

This isn’t “cheap.” But compared to many residency programs globally, it’s still efficient if you’re capital-ready.

Best for: working-age expats who want a clean, respected residency path and can meet the investment threshold.

If you want speed and status immediately, this is the VIP lane.

Permanent residency in ~30 days (when executed correctly through the right channels).

And those investments usually must be held for at least 5 years.

Best for: high-net-worth applicants who value speed, simplicity, and a direct permanent residency path.

This is Panama saying:
“You don’t need to be Pensionado. You don’t need Friendly Nations citizenship. Just show us you’re financially solid.”

$300,000 investment, typically via:

Usually: temporary residency first, then permanent after the required period.

Best for: applicants who don’t fit Friendly Nations and want a straightforward investment path without the bigger Golden Visa tiers.

This is one of the most interesting options Panama offers—and one of the cheaper investment-based residencies you’ll find worldwide.

The key: it must be a government-approved project and your funds must be clean and documented.

Best for: someone who wants an investment-based path to residency without tying up $300K+ in real estate or bank deposits.

Panama’s Digital Nomad / Short-Stay Remote Worker visa sounds like residency. It’s not.

It’s an extended stay permit for remote workers.

It does not lead to permanent residency.
You can’t “convert” it into another residency category without starting a new process.

Best for: remote workers who want to live in Panama temporarily while they decide if it’s a long-term fit.

If you have close family ties, Panama makes this dramatically easier.

Usually:

Expect document verification and possibly a short interview to confirm legitimacy.

Best for: anyone with legitimate family ties—this is one of the smoothest paths if it applies to you.

If you’re imagining “I’ll just get a job in Panama and move,” here’s the truth:

This is often one of the hardest paths.

Panama protects many professions for citizens (often including law, medicine, engineering, accounting, architecture, and others). Even open categories require:

And your residency status can be tied to that employer.

Best for: someone being actively recruited by a Panamanian employer who’s willing to do the full process.

Here’s the practical ranking based on what you described in the script:

Panama really does have one of the most flexible residency systems in the world.

But it’s not “easy” in the same way for everyone.

It’s easy if you’re a retiree with a pension.
It’s easy if you have capital and want Friendly Nations or investment routes.
It’s easy if you want a temporary nomad stay without residency expectations.
It’s hard if you’re trying to work locally through employer sponsorship.

So the smartest strategy isn’t “what’s the easiest visa?”

It’s: which visa actually matches your income, your timeline, and your long-term plan?

Get that right—and Panama becomes one of the simplest moves you can make in the entire region.