Executive Decree No. 17 of 2026: Updates to Panama’s Qualified Investor Residency
Panama reaffirms its commitment to legal certainty and foreign investment through Executive Decree No. 17 of September 8, 2026, published in Official Digital Gazette No. 30613 and in effect since September 16, 2026. The regulation updates and consolidates the provisions of the permanent residency program under the Qualified Investor category, with rules on investment modalities, ownership structures, value verification, investment maintenance, and the inclusion of new dependents.
The decree replaces Executive Decree No. 722 of 2020 and its amendments. It also provides that naturalization applications filed by qualified investors must be submitted through the window of the Ministry of Commerce and Industries (MICI), while continuing to comply with the applicable constitutional and legal procedures and requirements. .
