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Provisional Residence Permit as a Professional Foreigner

If you hold a Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctorate degree in a field that is valid for practice in Panama, this permit represents a unique opportunity to professionally integrate into a country that values and promotes international talent.

If your degree is from a foreign university, you must first undergo a recognition process.
If your degree is from a Panamanian university, you can apply immediately for this Residence Permit.
You can include your family group (Spouse, child, and parents)
In 5 days you receive your processing card - Final approval in a maximum of 6 months.
This residence allows you to apply for a work permit.

Main Applicant
$3,000

Dependents ea
$2,200

Under 12 years old
$1,400

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Visa Extranjero Profesional

Detail

Who can apply?

Directed at foreigners with bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degrees in fields open to non-Panamanian nationals, a permit designed for professionals interested in contributing their knowledge and experience.

[ Reserved Careers ]

Panama reserves the practice of certain professions for its nationals, which include: Nursing, Dentistry, Architecture, Pharmacy, Psychology, Medicine, Accounting, Journalism, Economics, Law, Sociology, and others.Check out the full list on our blog.

A Visa for the Whole Family

It is only necessary for the main applicant to hold a Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctorate degree in a field not reserved for nationals; they may include their spouse, children (single under 25 years old studying in Panama), and parents in their application.

A entry for Permanent Residency

With the Residence Permit as a professional foreigner, you will obtain a provisional residence for two (2) years, and after this period, you will have the right to apply for permanent residence. Permanent residence is for an indefinite period.

Work Permit

Once you have obtained residency, you have the right to apply for a work permit valid for 2 years and renewable.

Our lawyers review every detail of your application to ensure its successful approval

Power of Attorney and Application signed by the foreigner (notarized).
Three (3) photographs.
Properly certified copy of the passport (Notary or corresponding authority).
Criminal Record Certificate from your country of origin or last residence, properly apostilled.
Health Certificate.
Certified Check for B/.250.00 in favor of the National Treasury.
Certified Check for B/.800.00 in favor of the National Migration Service.
Affidavit of Personal Background Form.
Copy of the diploma or university degree, bachelor's, master's, or doctorate duly apostilled or authenticated (if the diploma is Panamanian, it must have the seal of true copy of the original from the university)
Foreign diploma must provide the certification of equivalency.
In the case of dependents: Letter of responsibility, Proof of relationship, Proof of residence, If over 18 years old, present a certificate of single status and certified studies. Bank certification or account statement from the last month reflecting a balance equal to or greater than four medium figures or another document that demonstrates your income and is acceptable by the National Migration Service. Upon expiration of this residence, you may apply for Permanent Residence by presenting the previous requirements except for the certificate of Criminal Records, proof of affiliation to the CSS, and the Checks.

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Process

How do we work at Legalys?

Validate online that you qualify for this residency and that you have the necessary documents.
Download the requirements, a family budget, and get a free call from our team to clarify any questions.
If you include your family group, validate the supporting documents of your affiliation (Birth Certificates, Marriage Certificates).
Get an online quote to lock in the rate for 90 days.
We will enable your user account on our platform ORBIS so that I can upload all the documents to our cloud.
Our team will review that all your documents are appropriate to apply for this visa.
We will coordinate with you your visit to Panama or the start of your process if you are already here.
Once the process is started, you will have your provisional Resident Card in your hands in 5 days.

Price

Main Applicant

$3,000

Dependents each

$2,200

Dependents under 12 years old

$1,400

All immigration fees and processing costs are included in this rate.

$350 Notary fees, forms, processing and provisional card, multiple entry visa.

$250 Treasury Check

$800 Check to National Migration Services

$1,600 Professional Fees.

The most competitive rates with the most experienced team in Migration.

Unlimited access to our platform ORBIS - Track the status of your application online, direct assistance available at all times.

All our rates include ITBMS taxes.

Assistance

Assistance Center

These are some common questions about the Provisional Residence Permit as a Professional Foreigner

Frequently Asked Questions

I can include my family group in my application for a Foreign Professional Visa?

The immigration law allows you to include your spouse, single children under 25 years old (if they are over 18 and under 25, they must be studying in Panama), and your parents in this Residence Permit. You can include your family group at the time you make your request or later without a time limit.

The Professional Foreign Residence Permit allows me to obtain a work permit?

Yes. Once residency is obtained, you have the right to apply for a work permit valid for 2 years and renewable with MITRADEL. Legalys can manage it separately. The costs of the work permit are not included in the residency permit fees..

What process should I follow to obtain the validation of my university degree?

To apply for this Residence Permit if your degree has been issued by a foreign university, it is necessary for your degree to be validated in advance by the University of Panama; this process may take several months and you must submit documents for this procedure to the university. Read the article on the blog.

I can apply for the Professional Foreign Visa with a TSU (Higher University Technician) degree)?

Currently, it is only possible to apply with Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctorate degrees. Since 2018, applications with Associate's degrees are not allowed..

What are the careers reserved for Panamanians?

There are more than 25 reserved programs, including Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Pharmacy, Architecture, Engineering, Law, Accounting, Psychology, Chemistry, Economics, Social Work, Sociology, Veterinary Medicine, Journalism, Physical Therapy, Medical Radiology, among others... See the complete list on our blog. Contact us and we will find the best alternative for your case..

It is necessary to travel to Panama to start the process of validating a university degree?

No. The validation process can be carried out by an authorized person in Panama. It is not necessary for the applicant to be present to initiate the procedure at the University of Panama..

How long does the entire process take to obtain the Professional Foreign Visa?

The processing card is obtained in approximately 5 business days after submission. The final resolution takes up to a maximum of 6 months. If a degree validation is required, this additional process can take between 2 and 10 months and is carried out at the University of Panama..

What happens if my profession is regulated but I have another unregulated degree?

If you have a different postgraduate degree or another non-reserved profession, you can apply for this residency with the degree that is not restricted by law.

Can my spouse work in Panama if I include them as a dependent?

Yes, as a dependent, the spouse obtains residency and can apply for their work permit with MITRADEL. At Legalys, we also manage Work Permits.

Can the process for Residence as a Professional Foreigner be carried out from abroad?

The document preparation and the revalidation process can be initiated from abroad. However, the submission of the application and biometric data requires physical presence in Panama..

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Provisional Residence Permit as a Professional Foreigner