Panama Qualified Investor Residency 2026: $300,000 Route for New Homes

Panama issued 268 Qualified Investor certificates in a year, and buyers from the US and Canada now lead demand. A new decree lowers the threshold for new homes. Learn more about the investment amounts, residence conditions and the path to citizenship

The Qualified Investor programme in Panama is attracting buyers from well beyond Latin America. According to a sponsored feature by developer GLP Properties published on IMI Daily on 12 November 2026, the Ministry of Commerce and Industries issued 268 certificates between July 2025 and June 2026, backed by $113.6 million in investment, an increase of 38.9% on the previous year.

The change matters for anyone weighing residency by investment: since September 2026, buyers of new homes need a smaller investment than buyers of resale property.

Considering a Panamanian residence permit through property?

A Migration lawyer on Visit World checks whether the chosen property meets the Qualified Investor rules and helps prepare the application. Book a consultation with a migration lawyer before you sign a purchase.

Who is applying for Panama's Qualified Investor residency?

According to IMI Daily, investors from the USA and Canada have overtaken applicants from Colombia as the largest group in the programme.

How much do you need to invest under the new decree?

Executive Decree No. 17 has been in force since 16 September 2026. It sets two property thresholds:

• a new home bought directly from a developer — $300,000;
• property that has previously been sold, leased or occupied — $500,000.

The publication presents the difference as a $200,000 saving for buyers of new homes.

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What does the residence permit give investors?

The feature lists the main advantages of the programme:

• residence is granted on approval of the application;
• there is no requirement to live in Panama, and only one visit every two years is needed;
• the economy runs on the US dollar;
• income is taxed on a territorial basis;
• investors can apply for naturalisation after five consecutive years of residence.

About tax jurisdictions for high-net-worth investors in 2026 — read more at the link.

What this means for investors

Before choosing a property, check whether it counts as new under the decree: a home that has been leased or occupied falls into the $500,000 category. Since the source is promotional material from a developer, confirm the conditions with official authorities or an independent lawyer. Investors comparing options can also look at countries offering residency through passive investment from up to $100,000.

A mistake in the property category can cost $200,000. Book a consultation with a Migration lawyer on Visit World to verify your investment route.

We remind you! In our previous article, we wrote about the new requirements and amounts for a residence permit in Panama through investment.

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