Immigration Law
Castro & Castro is a firm specializing in immigration procedures, with extensive experience in immigration and labor migration laws. For more than 20 years, we have assisted our clients in processing all types of residence visas, whether temporary or permanent, work permits, naturalizations.
By clicking below, you can review the different types of residence visas. We encourage you to contact our Law Firm to advise and provide you with a free consultation to determine the residence visa that best suits your needs.
- NON RESIDENT
- PERMANENT RESIDENT
- TEMPORARY RESIDENT
- NATURALIZATION
- OTHERS
- WORK PERMITS
NON RESIDENT
- Tourist’s Visa.
- Extension of Tourist’s Visa.
- Extension for Migratory Category Change.
- Sailor’s Visa.
- Passers-by or Casual Worker’s Visa.
- Domestic Worker’s Visa.
- Entertainment Worker’s Visa (Show Visa)
- Short Stay Visa.
- Short-Stay Visa for Business.
- Short-Stay Visa to Visit Relatives
- Short-Stay Visa for Researchers and Scientists.
- Short-Stay Visa for Medical Treatment.
- Short-Stay Visa as Merchants and Investors by Special Laws.
- Short-Stay Visa for International Humanitarian Assistance.
- Short-Stay Visa for the Banking Sector.
- Visa for Passengers and Crew of Ships for Recreational or Tourism Purposes.
- Visa Extension for Passengers or Crew Members in Transit.
- Transient Worker’s or Temporary Worker’s Visa – Artists.
- Multiple Visa.
FOR ECONOMIC REASONS:
- Macro-Company Investor
- Self-Economic Solvency by Opening a Time Deposit
- Self-Economic Solvency by Real Estate Investment
- Self-Economic Solvency by Mixed Investment (Time Deposit and Real Estate).
SPECIAL POLICIES:
- Retired Independent
- Retired or Pensioned
- Forest Investor (Reforestation Investor)
- Investor of the Panama-Pacific Special Economic Area
- Permanent personnel hired by the developer, the operator, or the agency of the Panama Pacific Area within 10% of ordinary workers.
- Investor in Export Processing Zones.
- Investor of a Call Center for commercial use.
- Fullbright Educational and Cultural Exchange Program foreigner.
DEMOGRAPHIC REASONS:
- Family Reunification as Married to a Panamanian Citizen
- Family Reunification as Dependent of a Permanent Resident
- Family Reunification as Foreigners with Panamanian Children
FOR SPECIAL LAWS:
- Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation Treaty between the Republic of Panama and the
Republic of Italy. - Foreign Nationals of Specific Countries that maintain friendly, professional, economic,
and investment relations with the Republic of Panama. - As a Foreign Professional.
- As Diplomat and Members of International Organizations of countries that maintain friendly diplomatic relations with the Republic of Panama, who have stopped providing their services in their respective positions.
Labor Reasons:
- Foreigners hired by the National Government or Autonomous or Semiautonomous institutions.
- Foreigners hired by companies under contract with the Government.
- Foreigner hired as an Executive by a Colon Free Zone Company.
- Foreigner Paid from Abroad that does not have Diplomatic Status.
- Foreign personnel hired by private companies within 10% of ordinary staff.
- Foreign personnel hired as an expert or technician within 15% of ordinary staff.
- Hired as Press Correspondent for Written Press, Radial or International Television and Compensated from Abroad.
- Foreigner hired by companies in virtue of the Marrakesh Agreement.
- As a Sport’s Professional.
- As an employee for Aviation companies based in the Republic of Panama.
Investment Reasons:
- Agricultural Investor
- Reforestation Investor
Special Policies:
- Foreigner hired by companies in the Film and Audiovisual industry.
- Researcher of the City of knowledge foundation.
- Professor of the City of Knowledge Foundation.
- Entrepreneur or Executive of the City of Knowledge Foundation.
- Technician of the City of Knowledge Foundation.
- Student of the City of Knowledge Foundation.
- Foreigner Hired by the Panama Canal Authority..
- As an employee of subcontractor company under contract with the Panama Canal Authority.
- Personnel hired within the Panama Pacific Area to work as personnel specializing in technical aspects or matters relating to the management of the administration in a percentage not exceeding fifteen percent (15%) of ordinary employees.
- Staff hired within the Panama Pacific Area by a company, the developer, or an operator, not exceeding 10% of ordinary workers.
- Personnel hired in positions of trust, expert executives, and/or technicians in companies within free zones.
- Staff employed in positions of trust, expert executives, and/or technicians in companies of call centers for commercial use for export (Call Center).
- Temporary permit for staff employed as executives of international companies whose functions have effects abroad.
- Staff Employed by the headquarters of multinational companies.
Educational Reasons:
- Temporary Permit for Educational Reasons.
- Temporary Resident as a participant in educational programs of non-profit entities approved by the Ministry of Education.
Religious Reasons:
- As a religious in the service of the Catholic and Orthodox Church
- As a lay missionary in the service of the Catholic and Orthodox Church.
- As a student to become a religious of the Catholic and Orthodox Church.
- As authorities, ministers, rabbis, pastors, leaders, or faithful of other denominations or religious associations.
FAMILY REUNIFICATION:
- Temporary residence permit for family reunification
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE NATURALIZATION CERTIFICATE SECTIONS 1-2-3 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF PANAMA).
POWER OF ATTORNEY ADDRESSED TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF PANAMA.
APPLICATION:
- Supported by facts and evidence.
- Legal basis specifying the section of article 10 of the Constitution on which your application is based and Decree-Law 3 of 22 February 2008.
- Name, telephone number, and full address of the lawyer.
- Authenticated copy of the applicant’s Permanent Resident card.
- All documentation provided must be under the same name.
SWORN DECLARATION:
- Of the motives or reasons for the petition, the express and irrevocable resignation of the nationality of origin, and express the free and spontaneous desire to accept Panamanian citizenship. (Before a Notary Public).
MIGRATORY STATUS CERTIFICATION:
- When requesting this certification, the information must be as it appears on the Permanent Resident Card.
- Criminal record certificate issued by the Panamanian authorities.
MEDICAL EXAMS:
- General Medical Certificate, proving that the petitioner does not suffer from infectious or contagious diseases.
ECONOMIC SOLVENCY:
- It can be tested by presenting one or any of the following options:
- Work letter, accompanied by the social security document or paycheck stub, if you are a public official.
- Income tax return with its payment receipt.
- Bank letter.
- Prove that it complies with its tax obligations by filing a Certificate of Good Standing ( “Paz y Salvo Nacional”).
- Personal interview of the petitioner.
THE NATIONALITY OF THE APPLICANT MUST BE CREDITED WITH ONE OF THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS:
- Authenticated copy of the passport by the Consul or Embassy of the corresponding country and Foreign Relations. (with the seal of Registration of Aliens).
- In the cases that foreigners do not have a representation of their country in Panama, a friendly nation will do so.
- Two ID-size photos (ladies must wear short-sleeved blouses without cleavage and gentlemen, jacket, and tie.)
- All the documentation provided must go under the same name.
- NOTE:
- If the Naturalization Certificate is requested based on sections two or three of article 10 of the Constitution, the following documents must be attached in addition to the requirements mentioned above:
- Section 2: Marriage Certificate; Birth Certificate of the Panamanian spouse or children.
- Section 3: Photocopy of the reciprocity law duly authenticated before the Panamanian consulate of the interested country. Certification of existence and validity of the reciprocity law issued by the consulate of the country of origin of the interested party, accredited in the Republic of Panama.
- If the Naturalization Certificate is requested based on sections two or three of article 10 of the Constitution, the following documents must be attached in addition to the requirements mentioned above:
OTROS
- Requirements for Vehicle Exemptions within the Special Projects Department.
- Requirements for Applying for a Voluntary Return.
- Control Sheet (Dominican – Cuba – Venezuela – China – India)
- Requirements and Application for Family Reunification (Venezuelans).
- Travel Authorizations for Minors
- Multiple Entry and Exit Visas.
WORK PERMITS
- Affiliation Process. EXECUTIVE DECREE No.76 (December 26, 2017)
- Work Permit – Trusted Worker in Companies that Produce Their Effects Abroad. EXECUTIVE DECREE No.17 (May 11, 1999 – Article 11)
- Work Permit – Executive of the Colon Free Zone. EXECUTIVE DECREE No.17 (May 11, 1999)
- Work Permit – Foreign Professional
- Work Permit – Diplomatic Personnel
- Work Permit – Permanent Resident
- Temporary work permit
- Work Permit – Friendly Nations
- Work Permit – For humanitarian reasons (Crucible of Races)
- Work Permit – Refugees – Law No. 74. EXECUTIVE DECREE No.17 (May 11, 1999 – Article 12)
- Work Permit – Family Reunification
- Work Permit – Spouse of Panamanian Nationality
- Work Permit – Companies affiliated to the City of Knowledge
- Work Permit – With a Panamanian Nationality Spouse by virtue of parental authority
- Work Permit – Indefinite
- Work Permit – Within 10% of Ordinary Personnel. DECREE No. 20 (May 28, 2019 – Chap. 3 – Art. 6)
- Work Permit – Expert or Technician within 15% of Specialized Personnel
- Work Permit – Panama – Italy Treaty. EXECUTIVE DECREE No.67 (April 17, 2013)
- Work Permit – Marrakesh Agreement (Law No. 23 of July 15, 1997)
