Married to National
Main Requirements:
The foreigner must be duly married to a Panamanian citizen.
What would be the requirements for this residency procedure?
Present a marriage certificate issued by the Civil Registry in Panama
Criminal record certificate from the country of origin or the country where you have resided for the last 2 years. Adults only.
US Citizens: FBI
Citizens of Canada: RCMP
UK Citizens: NPCC
Comply with the marriage interview conducted by the immigration office
There are other requirements, but these are managed with you in Panama and many are provided by the contracting company.
Who applies?:
Foreigners may apply.
How is the procedure carried out?
For the application process it is mandatory that the foreigner be in Panama
Once all the requirements have been met, it is required to submit the application and marriage interview.
During the processing period, the National Immigration Service will provide the main applicant and dependents with identification as a “person in the process of residence”
During the period of residence processing, the foreigner may travel outside of Panama without any restrictions.
Approval of the procedure takes on average 4 and a half months.
The initial approval will be a provisional resident status for 2 years, and prior to the expiration of the 2 years, the process for permanent residence will be carried out.
What documents need to be legalized?
Criminal record
Document validation:
It is extremely important to note that any type of document issued by another nation MUST be duly legalized. The legalization process is carried out at the Panamanian Consulate in the country where the documents are issued or through the Apostille seal, which is regularly obtained from the foreign ministries of the country of origin.
Benefits:
The program grants temporary resident status initially for 2 years and prior to the completion of the 2 years, an application for permanent residence must be submitted.
Option to apply for Panamanian citizenship after 5 years or even in less time if the applicant is a citizen of a country with a diplomatic agreement for the elimination of time.
Grants the right to obtain a work permit.