Panama Qualified Investor property threshold tiered: US$300,000 new-build, US$500,000 resale (Decree 17 of 2026)
Panama · Residency planning · Verified 2026-09-20
| Country / region | Panama |
|---|---|
| Category | Residency planning |
| Date | Verified 2026-09-20 |
| What happened | Executive Decree No. 17 of 2026 of 16 September 2026 fully replaces the 2020 framework, tiering the Qualified Investor real estate threshold by property: US$300,000 for first sale (new-build sold directly by the developer) and US$500,000 for the secondary market (resale). The securities route at US$500,000 and the term deposit at US$750,000 are unchanged. The holding period is 5 years with annual maintenance confirmation required. |
| Impact on applicants | The widely circulated claim that "the threshold reverts to US$500,000 from 10-15" is an outdated misreading; the current rule is a structural tiering of "US$300,000 new-build, US$500,000 resale" (in force 2026-09-16), not a flat US$300,000. Buying resale requires US$200,000 more budget. Mainland Chinese applicants are not restricted by the "friendly nations" list and may use the Qualified Investor route directly. |
| Source: {src} | Panama National Migration Service (Executive Decree 17 of 2026, Official Gazette No. 30613); analysis by Morgan & Morgan, Arias, CLD and other firms, and IMI Daily ↗ |
Source: Panama National Migration Service (Executive Decree 17 of 2026, Official Gazette No. 30613); analysis by Morgan & Morgan, Arias, CLD and other firms, and IMI Daily ↗ · Last verified: 2026-09-20 · For reference only; not application or legal advice. Always check the official source for current rules.
FAQ
Panama Qualified Investor property threshold tiered: US$300,000 new-build, US$500,000 resale (Decree 17 of 2026) — what happened?
Executive Decree No. 17 of 2026 of 16 September 2026 fully replaces the 2020 framework, tiering the Qualified Investor real estate threshold by property: US$300,000 for first sale (new-build sold directly by the developer) and US$500,000 for the secondary market (resale). The securities route at US$500,000 and the term deposit at US$750,000 are unchanged. The holding period is 5 years with annual maintenance confirmation required.
What does this mean for applicants?
The widely circulated claim that "the threshold reverts to US$500,000 from 10-15" is an outdated misreading; the current rule is a structural tiering of "US$300,000 new-build, US$500,000 resale" (in force 2026-09-16), not a flat US$300,000. Buying resale requires US$200,000 more budget. Mainland Chinese applicants are not restricted by the "friendly nations" list and may use the Qualified Investor route directly.
Where does this information come from?
Panama National Migration Service (Executive Decree 17 of 2026, Official Gazette No. 30613); analysis by Morgan & Morgan, Arias, CLD and other firms, and IMI Daily, verified by us on 2026-09-20.
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