Panama Passport 2026: A Complete Guide to Visa-Free Travel for Foreigners

Panama’s passport is one of the strongest travel documents in Latin America, offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival travel to over 140 countries. It also allows you to enter and exit the country freely, as well as enjoy the many benefits that make Panama a popular destination for high-net-worth individuals, including a territorial tax system and a stable dollar economy. 

In this guide, we’ll examine the Panama passport, detailing the countries it allows you to enter visa-free. We’ll also explain the procedure for acquiring a passport as a foreign national, and discuss the newly implemented Special Passport for certain categories of permanent residents.

Panama’s Passport: An Overview

Panama’s passport grants you an unlimited stay and full rights in a country often considered a safe haven for people interested in preserving wealth. As a passport holder and a citizen, you don’t have the renewal or mandatory maintenance requirements for your investment, and you don’t have to worry about changes in immigration policy. 

When it comes to international travel, the passport’s biggest strength is that it allows holders to enter the entire Schengen Area of Europe without a visa. Some major global financial hubs, such as Hong Kong and Singapore, also do not require a visa for Panama’s citizens, nor do most Latin American countries. For destinations such as the United Kingdom, Panama’s passport facilitates travel with an electronic travel approval. 

Panama Passport Visa Free Countries List

Below is a full list of countries you can travel to without a visa by holding a Panama passport:

Region	Countries
Europe	Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, Vatican City
North and Central America and the Caribbean	Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago
South America	Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay
Asia	Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Vietnam
Africa	Angola, South Africa, Zambia
Oceania	Kiribati, Micronesia
Middle East	Palestinian Territories, Turkiye

Holding a Panamanian passport also allows you to enter 46 countries with a visa available upon arrival or an eVisa, and another seven with an electronic travel authorization. 

Can Foreigners Get a Passport in Panama?

As a foreigner, you might be eligible for two different types of Panama passports:

1. The ordinary Panama passport, issued to citizens
2. The Special Passport, issued to residents under specific permanent residency programs

While both passports serve as travel documents, the rights they confer differ. As a holder of an ordinary passport, you have the full rights and international mobility of a Panamanian citizen. The Special Passport clearly identifies you as a foreign national, and it might not provide the same travel rights as the regular passport, depending on the country you’re entering.

How To Obtain an Ordinary Panama Passport

To receive a regular Panama Passport as a foreigner, you first have to become a citizen through naturalization.

The steps in the process include:

1. Securing residency in Panama
2. Maintaining the conditions of the residency
3. Applying for naturalization
4. Applying for a Panama passport

1. Securing Residency in Panama

Citizenship by naturalization in Panama is only available to foreigners who have held permanent residency in the country for at least five years. Some of the residency programs that can help you meet that condition include:

Residency Program	Main Requirements
Qualified Investor Visa (Red Carpet Visa)	Purchase real estate for at least USD 300,000, or Invest at least USD 500,000 in securities, or Deposit at least USD 750,000 in a local bank
Friendly Nations Visa	Be a national of one of the 50 friendly nations, and  Purchase real estate for at least USD 200,000, financed through a Panamanian bank, or Deposit at least USD 200,000 in a local bank
Economic Self-Solvency Visa	Purchase real estate for at least USD 300,000, or Deposit at least USD 300,000 in a local bank, or Purchase real estate and make a bank deposit with a minimal combined value of USD 300,000
Retired Pensioner	Have a minimum monthly pension of USD 1,000, or Own real estate for USD 100,000 and have a minimum monthly pension of USD 750
Retired Rentier	Make a deposit in the National Bank of Panama or the Savings Bank that generates at least USD 850 per month
Reforestation Visa	Invest at least USD 100,000 in an accredited reforestation project, or Invest at least USD 350,000 in an accredited project for automatic permanent residency
Macro-Business Investor Visa	Invest at least USD 160,000 in a company in Panama

When you decide on the program under which you want to apply and make the appropriate investment, it’s important to hire an immigration lawyer in Panama. According to the country’s laws, they have to submit an application for permanent residency on your behalf.

2. Maintaining the Conditions of the Residency

You will have to maintain the initial investment to continue to meet the conditions of your residency. Failure to do so will lead to your permanent residency being revoked and disqualify you from eligibility for Panamanian citizenship and the country’s passport.

The exact period for which you have to hold the investment depends on the program you applied to. Some of them award you a five-year permanent residency automatically, while others have a two-year provisional period before you receive a five-year permanent residency:

• Automatic permanent residency: Qualified Investor, Retired Rentier, Reforestation (larger investment)
• Two-year provisional permit: Friendly Nations, Economic Self-Solvency, Macro-Business Investor, Reforestation (smaller investment)

As a Retired Pensioner Visa holder, you get indefinite permanent residency.

In addition to maintaining the conditions of the residency, you should also ensure that you spend at least three years living in Panama as a permanent resident. Doing so will increase your chances of being awarded citizenship.

3. Applying for Naturalization

After you’ve held Panama’s permanent residency for five years, you can legally apply for naturalization. The application will be submitted by a Panamanian immigration lawyer, and it will have to contain:

• Your personal documents, including your passport and marriage certificate 
• A sworn statement containing the reasons for applying and a renunciation of other citizenships
• Proof of no criminal record and a medical certificate
• Two documents that prove your financial solvency, such as an income tax return, proof of investment, bank statement, or a retirement certificate
• A copy of your residence permit
• Documents for your dependents

You will also be required to fill out a detailed naturalization interview form and pass a test on Panamanian electoral law and civics. If awarded citizenship, you’ll have to attend a swearing-in ceremony, and the decision will be published in the Gaceta Oficial. 

4. Applying for a Panama Passport

As a naturalized citizen, you can apply for a Panamanian passport to the Passport Authority. The documents you need to provide include:

• A valid national ID card (cédula), the original
• A copy of the national ID card, authenticated by the Electoral Tribunal
• A certificate of naturalization, authenticated by a notary public
• The original certificate issued by the National Migration Center

After being issued a Panama passport, you’ll have to renew it every five years. The renewal process is simple, requiring you to provide only your national ID card and your expired passport. 

How To Get a Panama Special Passport

In October 2025, the Panamanian law regulating passport issuance was amended to include provisions for a new type of passport: the Special Passport. Compared to the regular one, the new passport differs in the following ways:

• It can be issued to non-citizens who have permanent residency in Panama
• The passport’s validity period is tied to the validity of the residency
• Holding the passport doesn’t imply citizenship 
• It is not a replacement for a regular passport from your country of origin, although you can still use it for travelling purposes

The process of obtaining the Special Passport involves two steps:

1. Becoming a permanent resident under a qualifying program
2. Applying for the passport

1. Becoming a Permanent Resident Under a Qualifying Program

The first step towards acquiring the Panama Special Passport is the same as for the regular passport. You need to become a resident in one of the two qualifying categories:

1. Qualified Investors
2. Retired Rentiers

The residency application process is also the same. You need to make an investment that matches the program’s requirements, gather the necessary supporting documents for the application, and have a Panamanian immigration lawyer submit the application.

2. Applying for a Special Passport

After securing residency under one of the two eligible programs, your next step should be to apply for the passport by:

1. Presenting a certificate of your residency status issued by the National Migration Service
2. Paying the fees associated with the application 
3. Providing all the necessary documents as required by the Panama Passport Authority

The passport can be issued to you as the primary applicant, as well as your dependents. As of the time of writing, an official list of fees or necessary documents hasn’t been made public. 

How Much Does a Panama Passport Cost?

The cost of issuing a Panama passport is B/. 100 (Panamanian balboas) if it’s issued in Panama. If you find yourself in need of a new passport while abroad, the charge might be higher. For example, passport renewal at Panama’s U.S. embassy comes with an additional fee of USD 90, on top of the regular renewal fee of B/. 100.

As a foreign citizen, however, the total costs of getting a Panama passport will be higher if you calculate the costs of the whole procedure. For example, applying for residency can cost you B/. 1,050 in fees, or B/. 10,000 if you’re applying as a Qualified Investor. The final step of the naturalization process, registering the Letter of Naturalization, will cost B/. 150 alone. 

What may initially appear as a minor or incidental fee often masks more substantial obligations. Some costs embedded in the process, such as the initial investment, require careful deliberation and planning. For foreign nationals, acquiring a Panama passport represents a significant financial and time commitment, and continuing without experienced guidance can expose applicants to unnecessary risks. To make sure the process runs smoothly, partner with an advisory firm such as Nomad Capitalist.

Become Eligible for a Panama Passport With Nomad Capitalist

Nomad Capitalist is a consulting firm focused on international tax planning and global mobility. We use our expertise to help clients protect and preserve their wealth, find new investment opportunities abroad, and create a lifestyle that maximizes personal and financial freedom. 

The crux of our services lies in providing tailored strategies—Action Plans—that help our clients navigate complex international regulations, guiding them through multi-stage processes such as acquiring a second passport. 

Here is how our process works in practice:

1. We ask you to fill out a form to help us determine quickly if we’re a good fit
2. We schedule a 45-minute onboarding call to learn more about your specific situation and objectives
3. Our team develops an Action Plan and presents it to you for approval
4. We start the implementation of the Plan over a 12-month period
5. You receive lifelong support after the Plan is implemented

Our first line of order is to ensure that the strategy we devise is in perfect alignment with your relocation goals. If acquiring a Panama citizenship and passport is the way to achieve this, we will make sure the process runs smoothly from beginning to end. In case there is another way you may wish to proceed, we’ll be able to devise a plan that completely matches your particular situation.