Nowadays, foreign employees or freelancers can apply for a nonimmigrant visa to live and work in Panama temporarily. This type of visa can be acquired by digital nomads in Panama.
Requirements to apply for a telework visa in Panama
- Employment contract with a foreign company. If the foreigner is a freelancer, he/she must work remotely for a foreign company based overseas and receive foreign source income.
- Foreign worker must perform functions that take effect abroad.
- Employee or foreigner freelancer (digital nomad) must receive an anual income of at least US$36,000.00 or its equivalent is a foreign currency.
Holders of the type of visa are able to work remotely and they do not require a work permit in Panama
- Application form
- Three (3) ID size photographs
- Medical insurance policy. Health insurance must be valid.
- Certificate of existence of the foreign company showing the place of registration to do business
- Employment letter. It must be signed by the legal representative, and it must include the full details of the applicant, his/her position and duties, his/her monthly salary which needs to be of at least US$3,000.00 per month, frequency of payments and that they come from a foreign source.
- Sworn statement indicating that the applicant will not accept a job or service offer in the Republic of Panama.
- Cashier’s check for US$250.00 payable to the National Immigration Service of Panama
If the foreign worker is a freelancer, self-employed or an independent contractor, items 4 and 5 do not apply. Instead, he/she must submit the below documents:
- Certificate of good standing of the company or business through he/she conducts business
- Sworn statement made before a Panamanian Notary Public in which the foreign applicant describes the type of business relationship between him/her and his/her customers. Affidavit must include the full name of the digital nomad and his/her clients, description of the services that he/she provides to his/her customers, how much he/she earns for such services, the source of funds and the frequency of payments received for services rendered.
Foreigners must prove that their income comes from abroad by providing the following documents:
- Bank certification indicating that the income received comes from abroad and that it is related to the declared working status. Spanish certified translation of the document if it was written in a foreign language.
- Foreign bank statement, or an account statement from a Panamanian local bank, showing the funds transfer. Bank statement must be stamped by the issuing bank, and it must indicate that transaction is related to the declared working status. If the document was written in a language other than Spanish, it must be translated by a Panamanian sworn translator.
The digital nomad visa is granted for a period of nine (9) months, and it can be extended once for the same period.
Please call us or send us an email if you need a Spanish translation service or a lawyer to handle your remote worker visa application in Panama.