Frequently asked questions

Yes — in your own name or through a company, with the same basic ownership rights as citizens: hold title, rent out, sell, pass on to heirs. Restrictions apply only to certain zones, including the 10 km strip along the border.

There is no single threshold — it depends on the property. At the start you typically pay a reservation deposit and 10–20% on signing; with a mortgage, foreign buyers usually put down 30–40%. On top come the lawyer, the notary and the registry.

No. The purchase can be handled under a power of attorney granted to a Panamanian lawyer — notarised, and apostilled if signed abroad. But visiting is still the best way to read a neighbourhood: distances, traffic and atmosphere do not come through a screen.

There is no single timeline: each stage lasts as long as the signed documents say. A completed unit moves through a short sequence — reservation, due diligence, closing, registration; a project under construction runs until handover. The developer's instalment plan stretches over 18–36 months or more, and that is a payment schedule, not the length of the purchase.

Yes. Foreigners may own property in Panama on the same terms as citizens, and the apartment is registered in your own name. An apartment with full title is a property (finca) recorded in the Public Registry (Registro Público), and that registration is what proves ownership. Right of possession (ROP) is not title. It is a right to use and occupy land that has no registered title, and it becomes title only through a separate procedure with ANATI. In the capital, apartments are normally sold with full title. Even so, the title is checked in the Public Registry before the deal.

Yes. Foreigners can generally own titled property in Panama in their own name or through a legal entity, with the same basic ownership rights as citizens: holding title, registering ownership, selling, renting out, mortgaging and passing it to heirs.

No. There is no general requirement to be a Panamanian resident before buying — you can buy as a tourist, a future resident, an investor or through a corporate structure.

Usually the seller, especially on the resale market. But this is market practice, not a rule: if the buyer signs a representation agreement or engages an advisor, separate fees may apply. Who pays, and when, must be written explicitly into the contract.

Yes. A buyer can grant a power of attorney to a Panamanian lawyer or representative to sign documents, file applications and obtain certificates. The power of attorney must be properly drafted, notarized, and apostilled or legalized if executed abroad.

Yes, though the process is usually more demanding than for local residents. Foreign buyers typically see these ranges: a down payment of 30% to 40%, a loan-to-value ratio of around 60–70%, a term of often 15–20 years, a rate often around 5–9%. These are general market ranges, not guaranteed terms.

Not always. Some buyers close the deal through escrow without a local account. An account is useful for managing the property, utilities, HOA fees and rental income, but bank compliance is strict — do not count on opening one overnight.

Yes. Foreigners can generally buy titled property in Panama, with certain restrictions in specific areas such as some coastal, island, border or concession zones.

If residency matters, choose the visa strategy first. Then choose the property.

Foreign income is not taxed in Panama. The annual property tax depends on how the property is classified — for a primary home under $120,000 it is 0% — plus monthly condominium fees. Exact rates and exemptions are checked unit by unit.

US dollars — Panama's economy has run on the dollar since 1904. There is no currency risk for a buyer from abroad.

On the resale market the seller usually pays the property transfer tax — generally 2% of the higher of the sale price or the updated cadastral value — and an advance on capital-gains tax, usually 3% of the same value. The buyer’s costs are the lawyer’s fee, notary fees, Registro Público fees, the escrow fee and, with financing, bank charges.

Some newer properties still carry tax exemptions on improvements. The rules have changed over the years, so no single rate and no single exemption term exist — and we deliberately quote neither. The status is checked per unit: which exemption was granted, for how long, and whether it is still in force. Your lawyer requests this together with the tax-arrears check.

No. Buying property does not automatically give residency. The property must fit a qualifying immigration program and be documented correctly.

It depends on the program, structure, payment stage and registration status. This must be reviewed before signing.

Often yes, but dependents require additional documents and sometimes additional financial proof.

Rules vary by visa category. Some programs require periodic presence or limit long absences.

Residency and work authorization are not always the same. Some visas allow residence but do not automatically grant the right to work locally.

Usually no. It is better understood as a temporary legal stay option.

Not necessarily. The key factor is usually qualifying lifetime pension or annuity income.

It remains useful, but it is not as simple as older descriptions suggest. It now usually involves temporary residency first.

No. A property investment can support residency, but citizenship requires a separate naturalization process once the residence and legal requirements have been met.

For most applicants, eligibility to apply arises roughly five years after qualifying permanent residency, though certain categories may qualify earlier; processing after filing takes additional time.

No. Permanent residency and citizenship are separate legal statuses; naturalization requires its own application and the state's approval.

Applicants are generally expected to have a working command of Spanish and basic knowledge of Panama's history and civic institutions.

No. Panama offers residency through qualifying investments, not direct citizenship by investment.

Obarrio, Marbella and Bella Vista: steady demand all year round from business travelers. The seafront districts command higher prices, but the cost of entry is higher too.

Yes. The Casco Antiguo is a historic ensemble protected by Panamanian law. It has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1997. Restoration and building work there follow an official restoration manual, approved by Executive Decree 51 of 2004. That manual sorts buildings into four protection categories, and the category decides how far a building may be changed. Visible changes to a building need prior approval from the heritage authority. Breaches are sanctioned. In 2015 one property was fined $150,000. Before buying, check the building's category and the approvals for any work already done.

Tocumen international airport is 30–40 minutes from the center, 20–25 from Costa del Este. Domestic flights leave from Albrook, 10–15 minutes from the center.

From twenty minutes to two hours, depending on the district. There is one road — the Pan-American Highway. The main delay is not on the coast but on the way into the capital: the Arraiján — La Chorrera stretch stands still at peak hour.

Yes. This stretch of shore belongs to what is called the Arco Seco — the dry arc — where noticeably less rain falls than in the rest of the country. The dry season runs from about December to April.

In Coronado and San Carlos, yes: there are clinics, a 24-hour hospital, schools, supermarkets and banks. In the other districts, for serious medical care people drive either to Coronado or to the capital. That is the first thing to check against your own scenario.

It depends on the district. Tocumen International near the capital takes the main flow of flights. Scarlett Martínez airport in Río Hato is closer to the western part of the coast, but it works with seasonal charters, mainly from Canada, and has no scheduled domestic flights.

Dark and volcanic — not Caribbean white. The tides are strong: the range reaches several metres, and at low tide the beach retreats a long way from the line of houses. This is worth seeing in person before buying, rather than in photographs.

In the sea and the weather. On the Caribbean the tide is about half a metre against five to six on the Pacific, the water is clearer and calmer, the sand lighter. In return there is more rain, the dry season is shorter, and a downpour is possible in any month. There is no resort strip with hospitals and supermarkets of the kind found around Coronado.

About an hour to Colón along the motorway beside the canal, an hour and a quarter to María Chiquita, roughly an hour forty-five to Portobelo. To Bocas del Toro it is an hour by air from the capital; by road almost a day, and hardly anyone travels that way.

The city of Colón itself is a working port city with a difficult reputation, and foreigners do not usually choose to live in it. Our properties stand beyond its limits: in gated developments along the road to Portobelo and on the shore east of the port. When choosing, look at the specific address rather than at the name of the city in the listing.

Thin. Inside Playa Escondida there are restaurants, a beach club and a marina, but the hospital, the international school and the large supermarket are in Colón, half an hour each way, or in the capital. This is an address for weekends and for rental; for permanent life with children the drive has to be weighed.

Island life. The airport is on the main island, boats run between the islands, and a car is barely needed. There are many foreigners and much English. For serious medicine people fly to the capital, everything imported costs more, and building on an island is a story of its own. We have no properties in the archipelago yet.

About half a degree for every hundred metres of climb. At six hundred metres the days are still close to thirty. At twelve hundred it is around twenty-five by day and fifteen at night. At fourteen hundred it is a couple of degrees lower again. At fourteen hundred the nights are cool all year round.

Two ways: about six hours on the Pan-American Highway, or roughly an hour by air to David and forty minutes by car from there. Most of those who travel regularly fly.

Boquete has clinics and English-speaking doctors. For specialist care people go to David, forty minutes down, or to the capital. This is the main limitation of mountain life, and it is worth weighing in advance if there are chronic conditions that need monitoring.

Above a thousand metres usually neither: warm by day, cool at night, a fan and a blanket are enough. That lowers the electricity bill noticeably compared with the coast.

In distance and altitude. Coclé, Panamá Oeste and Cerro Azul are one to two hours from the capital, six hundred to a thousand metres, the logic of a second home. Chiriquí is six hours or an hour by air, twelve hundred metres and above, the logic of moving.