On August 31, 2026, the Ministry of Public Security published Executive Decree No. 16 in the official gazette. The decree amends the list of countries whose nationals are entitled to apply for a friendly nations residence permit, adding Ecuador as the 51st country on the list.
The qualifying countries are as follows:
Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay.
The program grants a two-year temporary residence permit, after which the holder may apply for permanent residence.
Among other requirements, applicants must prove economic ties to Panama through employment, real estate investment, or a fixed-term bank deposit. This residence status does not exempt holders who wish to work in Panama from the requirement to obtain a work permit from the Ministry of Labor.
The decree took effect on September 1, 2026.
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