New, first-sale property bought from a developer
Panama Qualified Investor Residency
Permanent residency from the start.
With the investment tied to something tangible.
Panama’s newly updated programme offers permanent residency through a qualifying investment, with new-build property starting from US$300,000.
It is a strong option for families who want an additional base in the Americas without being required to move there full-time.
Have a conversation with David →Panama at a glance
The useful facts.
Without the sales brochure.
Resale property or eligible Panamanian securities
Fixed-term deposit with one of Panama’s two state banks
Fixed-term deposit with an authorised private bank
Residency rather than a temporary first stage
Minimum period the qualifying investment is maintained
Why Panama?
A practical base in the Americas, without reorganising your entire life.
Panama can make sense for Americans and Canadians who want permanent residency, a dollar-based economy and a second option closer to home than Europe.
The current programme does not generally require a fixed annual stay simply to maintain the residence, although tax residence and any future citizenship application are separate questions.
Tropical does not need to mean vague. The property, source of funds and legal structure still receive the grown-up treatment.
The investment
The new-build and resale routes are now very different.
Under the September 2026 rules, a qualifying new property starts at US$300,000. A resale property starts at US$500,000.
The lower threshold applies to a new, unoccupied property acquired as a first sale from the developer or promoter. A property that has previously been sold, occupied or leased will generally fall into the US$500,000 resale category.
Eligible securities start at US$500,000. Bank-deposit routes start at US$500,000 with a state bank or US$750,000 with an authorised private bank. The funds must come from abroad, be traceable and remain invested for at least five years.
The Balboa is equal in value to the US dollar, so the programme thresholds are effectively stated in US dollars.
Talk through the options →For Americans & Canadians
The overseas opportunity still needs to work with your life back home.
For Americans
Panama’s territorial tax system does not switch off US taxation. American citizens remain subject to US tax and reporting rules wherever they live.
Property ownership, rental income, companies and financial investments should be reviewed with a US cross-border tax specialist before the structure is chosen.
For Canadians
Holding Panamanian permanent residency does not automatically end Canadian tax residency. The result depends on where you settle and the residential ties you keep.
If the plan is to leave Canada, departure-tax, reporting and the treatment of Canadian assets should be considered before the move.
I work alongside immigration, legal, tax and investment specialists so the residency decision and the financial decision make sense together.
Your family
Can the family be included?
A spouse and qualifying dependent children may generally be included, subject to current family definitions, documentation and additional government charges.
The updated rules also address certain family changes after approval. We establish who is applying from the beginning and have the local specialists confirm the correct route for every person.
How it works
A clear process.
One point of contact.
- 1
We define the objective
A second home, a permanent-residency option, a regional base—or a combination of the three.
- 2
Your eligibility is checked
The applicant, family, source of funds and preferred investment route are reviewed.
- 3
You choose the investment
The property or financial route is checked against the current September 2026 rules.
- 4
The investment is completed
Funds, ownership, valuation and supporting evidence are documented correctly.
- 5
Permanent residency is processed
The investment is certified before the immigration application is completed.
- 6
I remain with you throughout
From our first conversation through the investment, application and ongoing requirements.
The property route
New or resale?
A genuine first-sale property can qualify from US$300,000. A previously sold, occupied or leased property generally requires US$500,000.
The status and value of the property must be evidenced properly; a fresh coat of paint does not make a resale property new again.
The minimum stay
Do I have to move?
A fixed annual stay is not generally required simply to maintain this permanent residence, while the qualifying investment must normally remain in place for five years.
Tax residence and naturalisation should be planned separately around where you genuinely spend your time.
The longer-term possibility
What about citizenship?
The new decree provides a formal route for Qualified Investors to apply for naturalisation after five consecutive years of residence.
Citizenship is discretionary, not automatic, and the decree does not turn five years of owning an investment from abroad into a guaranteed passport.
Personal relationship. Global expertise.
Personal service. International expertise behind it.
You deal with me throughout. I help you make sense of the options, focus on the routes that genuinely suit your plans and coordinate the process from our first conversation through to completion.
Each case is administered through Holborn Assets Ltd, incorporated in Bahamas, an international company providing services relating to residency and citizenship, partnered with experienced immigration, legal, tax and investment specialists.
It means you have the expertise and resources of an international organisation behind you, while the experience remains personal, clear and refreshingly uncomplicated.
One person who understands you and your plans. A team of specialists supporting every stage.
Could Panama work for you?
Tell me what you want for yourself and your family.
We will work out whether Panama deserves a closer look—and, if it does, what happens next.
Message David on WhatsApp ↗david@theglobaloption.com
A useful first conversation between two actual people. Refreshingly straightforward.