Inversionista Calificado
Also called Qualified Investor residence, qualified investor visa
Permanent residence granted on a qualifying investment, most often titled real estate. Created by Decreto Ejecutivo 722 of 2020; Decreto Ejecutivo 193 of 2024 holds the real estate threshold at $300,000.
What it means when you are buying
This is the route people pay extra for speed. It grants permanent residence directly and processes in months rather than years.
It is also the only route where the property is genuinely the point. Decreto Ejecutivo 722 of 15 October 2020 created the category, and Decreto Ejecutivo 193 of 2024 amended it and holds the real estate threshold at $300,000.
What has to be true of the property
- It has to be titled real estate, free of encumbrance.
- The funds have to be shown to have come from abroad.
- It has to be held for the minimum period the decree sets.
Pre-construction is the trap
What qualifies is the registered title. A unit that has not been delivered and registered is not yet what the decree asks for.
So a purchase meant to support this route has to be checked against the delivery date, not the signing date.
What $300,000 actually buys
The threshold is a number until you put it against a market. Set against the median asking price in the areas we list, it decides which neighbourhoods are even in play.
| Area | Median we list | Against the threshold |
|---|---|---|
| El Cangrejo | $291,000 | Above the median, so most of the area qualifies |
| Coronado | $311,000 | Just under the median, so about half the listings |
| Obarrio | $328,500 | Below the median, so the cheaper half |
| San Francisco | $420,000 | Well below the median |
| Costa del Este | $642,500 | Under half the median |
| Punta Pacífica | $1,200,000 | A quarter of the median |
Source: Panama Property Guide listings, September 2026. Areas with fewer than five listings are excluded. Asking prices, so read them as where the threshold lands rather than as what you will pay.
Frequently asked questions
Does buying property in Panama give me residency automatically?
No. The property is the qualifying investment for this specific route, and the route still has to be filed. Buying first and choosing the route afterwards is the most expensive ordinary mistake made here.
Can I use a pre-construction unit to qualify?
What qualifies is the registered title. A unit that has not been delivered and registered is not yet what the decree asks for, so the timeline to check is the delivery date.
Is $300,000 still the threshold?
Decreto Ejecutivo 193 of 2024 holds it there. These figures are set by decree and have been revised before, so confirm the decree in force with your attorney before you commit money.
Does this route give permanent residence straight away?
Yes, and that is what you are paying the higher threshold for. Friendly Nations runs as temporary residence first and converts later.
Sources
- Decreto Ejecutivo 722 of 15 October 2020, creating the Qualified Investor residence category — Gaceta Oficial de la República de Panamá, September 3, 2026
- Decreto Ejecutivo 193 of 2024, amending Decreto 722 and holding the real estate threshold at $300,000 — Gaceta Oficial de la República de Panamá, September 3, 2026