A new decree in force from September 16 lifts the Qualified Investor real estate threshold to US$500,000 for resale homes, keeps US$300,000 for new first sale property and adds a cheaper deposit option.
Panama has rewritten the rules of its fastest route to permanent residency. Executive Decree 17, signed on September 8, 2026 and published in the Gaceta Oficial, Panama's official gazette, on September 16, replaces the framework that has governed the Qualified Investor program since 2020. It took effect on publication.
The change most people will notice is the price of property. The single US$300,000 real estate minimum is gone. Buyers of resale property now need to invest at least US$500,000, while new property bought first hand from a developer still qualifies at US$300,000.
The Qualified Investor program, run through the investment office of MICI, Panama's Ministry of Commerce and Industries, grants permanent residency directly, without the two years of provisional residency most other Panamanian visas require. In exchange the investor must keep a qualifying investment for at least five years. Approved investors only need to visit Panama occasionally to keep their status, and can apply for naturalisation after five years of residence.
The US$300,000 property threshold was always meant to be temporary. When the program was created by Executive Decree 722 of October 15, 2020, the standard real estate minimum was US$500,000, with a reduced US$300,000 figure allowed for a transitional period. In October 2022, Executive Decree 109 extended that reduced amount until October 15, 2024. As that date approached, applications surged, and in October 2024 the government decided to keep US$300,000 rather than let it rise. That settlement has now been replaced.
Property is counted at the lower of the price paid and its supported market value, minus any mortgage, and MICI can ask for an independent valuation. Funds must be the investor's own and traceable, which rules out gifts from third parties. Investors must now file an annual compliance report, and if an investment is sold during the five years they have up to 90 days to reinvest.
The government's stated reason for the split is to favour new construction, which it says creates more jobs than resales.
The decree includes a transition period. Applications already filed with MICI or the National Migration Service continue under the rules in force when they were filed. Investors who had already bought, or signed a binding purchase contract, before the decree can still use the old regime, including the single US$300,000 property minimum, as long as they file within six months. Existing MICI investment certificates remain valid until they expire.
If you are buying new, little has changed: US$300,000 still works, and the state bank deposit gives cash investors a cheaper option than before. If you prefer an established home in a finished building, budget for US$500,000.
The Qualified Investor route is also not the only door. Citizens of the 50 or so countries on Panama's Friendly Nations list can qualify with property worth US$200,000, a US$200,000 fixed deposit or a job offer, starting with two years of provisional residency. Retirees with a lifetime pension of at least US$1,000 a month can use the pensionado route. If you have a contract signed before September 16, the six month window matters, so it is worth acting promptly. We help clients choose a route, work with our local team in Panama and quote a fixed fee in writing.
Buying property as part of a residency or citizenship plan? Our real estate due diligence service checks the title, the developer and the valuation before you commit, so the purchase also satisfies the visa rules.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or investment advice.
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ReadThis is a big decision, and there is a lot of information to take in. That is why we start with a free 15 minute call: we look at your situation and your goals, then tell you which programs genuinely fit you, and which do not. We never push one program over another. If staying where you are is your best move, we will tell you that and sell you nothing.
