U.S. citizens visit Panama without a visa. Consular visa work therefore concerns third-country nationals resident here and people moving for work, retirement or investment — an area where Panama has been unusually active, with residence programmes aimed directly at foreigners.
Quick facts
Residence applications in Panama must be filed through a Panamanian lawyer, which is a legal requirement rather than a convenience, and the documents come from here: police certificates, birth and marriage certificates, proof of income.
Fees breakdown
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist entry for U.S. citizens | No visa required | Permission granted on arrival |
| Consular visa | Consular tariff | By nationality and category |
| Residence categories | Charged in Panama | Plus legal fees |
| Apostille of supporting documents | $3–$25 per document | Secretary of State |
| Certified translation | Per page | By an accepted translator |
Panama’s pensioner programme is well known for the discounts it carries on transport, health care and utilities, and it turns on documented, permanent income.
How to apply
- Check whether your nationality needs a consular visa at all.
- For residence, choose the category and confirm its requirements with a lawyer in Panama.
- Order police and civil documents and have them apostilled.
- Arrange translations by a translator Panama accepts.
- Send the file to your lawyer in Panama, who files it there.
- Carry an onward ticket whenever you travel.
Required documents
- Passport valid beyond the intended stay.
- Onward or return ticket.
- Proof of funds and accommodation.
- Police certificate, apostilled, for residence categories.
- Proof of pension or income where the category requires it.
- Birth and marriage certificates where family ties matter.
Where to apply
At the consulate covering your state for consular visas; through a lawyer in Panama for residence.
Consulate General of Panama
View details →Long BeachConsulate of Panama Los Angeles
View details →MiamiConsulate of Panama
View details →New OrleansConsulate General of Panama
View details →New YorkConsulate General of Panama in New York
View details →PhiladelphiaConsulate General of Panama
View details →TampaConsulate General of Panama
View details →TampaConsulate of Panama
View details →WashingtonPanama Embassy
View details →WashingtonConsulate General of Panama
View details →Additional notes
Documents expire
Police certificates have a short validity in Panamanian files, and the apostille does not extend it. Order them close to filing.
Panamanians need no visa
A Panamanian citizen enters on a Panamanian passport. Anyone with a claim through a parent should read the citizenship page.
The banking angle
Opening accounts in Panama involves substantial documentation, and residence does not by itself resolve it.
Watch the translations
The rule on who may translate is strict, and it is covered on the civil records page. It applies to residence files too.