What Changed
On September 8, 2026 Panama issued Executive Decree 17, published in the Official Gazette on September 16, 2026, which updated the Qualified Investor (residency by investment) program. The real estate route now has two thresholds: $300,000 for a new, previously unoccupied property bought directly from the developer or promoter on its first sale, and $500,000 for a resale (secondary-market) property.
What This Means
Buyers purchasing directly from a developer can still qualify at the $300,000 level. Buyers planning to buy on the resale market now need a property that clears $500,000. The wider requirements are unchanged in outline: the property must be free of liens, bought with funds from abroad, and registered in the Public Registry in the applicant's name, and the investment must normally be maintained for about five years. Approval leads to permanent residency.
Why It Matters Now
The change lands after a year in which much of the buyer demand in Panama concentrated in the $300,000 to $400,000 band. That band still reaches quality two- and three-bedroom condominiums in central Panama City, ocean-view condos along the Pacific beach corridor, and solid mountain homes in the highlands. The resale tier at $500,000 is a real shift for secondary-market buyers, so anyone planning a purchase around the threshold should confirm how their transaction will be classified before committing. Panamanian law firms also report a transition window: investments made, or binding purchase contracts perfected, before the decree took effect on September 16, 2026 can still use the earlier thresholds if the residency application is filed within roughly six months, by about mid-March 2027, and the widely repeated claim of an October 15, 2026 deadline does not appear in Decree 17, which keeps the $300,000 first-sale level without a sunset date.
Where to Get the Full Picture
For the detailed current requirements, see our full guide to the Qualified Investor visa thresholds, the Panama real estate FAQ, and the relocation guide.
Immigration information last verified: November 9, 2026. This run re-confirmed the Decree 17 thresholds and transition window against Panamanian law-firm and Gaceta Oficial reports; no changes were found since the November 2, 2026 verification. Sources: Executive Decree 17 of September 8, 2026 (Official Gazette, September 16, 2026), Panamanian law firm analyses (Icaza, González-Ruiz & Alemán; Gala Abogados), and 2025-2026 program guidance (Punta Pacifica Realty). Rules change frequently; confirm thresholds and your individual eligibility with a qualified Panama immigration attorney before acting. This is general information, not legal or immigration advice.
