Temporary residence for specific individuals in Ciudad del Saber.

This Work Visa program allows foreign investors to obtain work permits for their employees in Panama, on the condition of leasing an office or building within the facilities of Ciudad del Saber in Panama (located within the former US military base, Fuerte Clayton), in order to operate their business from Panama.

Since the reversion of the US military bases in Panama, the Panamanian government has designated part of Fuerte Clayton as Ciudad del Saber, with the aim of attracting foreign investments and businesses by offering similar tax benefits to those in the Colón Free Zone (the second-largest distribution center in the world).

Certain businesses operated from Ciudad del Saber in Panama enjoy various fiscal advantages, such as manufacturing plants, assembly plants, software creation and development facilities, call centers, and other businesses engaged in the export of products and services. These businesses also benefit from substantial tax reductions on local sales of their products and services.

Investors who enter Panama as researchers, professors, entrepreneurs, technicians, or students with the purpose of contributing to the development of a project in the Ciudad del Saber Foundation of Panama, as established in Law Decree 6 of 1999, are eligible to apply for this type of work permit in Panama.

APPLYING AS A RESEARCHER AT THE CIUDAD DEL SABER FOUNDATION OF PANAMA.

In addition to the basic requirements established in Article 28 of Law Decree No. 3 of February 22, 2008 (except for items 2 and 4), the applicant must provide the following documentation:

• Certification issued by the Executive Director of the Ciudad del Saber Foundation of Panama, certifying the existence of the company where the applicant works, the function or work performed by the foreigner, and the duration of the stay in Panama.
• Letter of responsibility issued by the company, certifying the research activity performed by the researcher and providing information about their salary.
• Proof of affiliation with the Social Security system, as well as a copy of the Social Security card.

APPLYING AS A TEACHER AT THE CIUDAD DEL SABER FOUNDATION OF PANAMA.

In addition to the basic requirements established in Article 28 of Law Decree No. 3 of February 22, 2008 (except for items 2 and 4), the applicant must provide the following documentation:

• Certification or documentation issued by the country of origin, verifying the applicant's status as a teacher.
• Certification issued by the Executive Director of the Ciudad del Saber Foundation of Panama, verifying the existence of the study center and the functions or work performed by the applicant, as well as the duration of their stay in Panama.
• Letter of responsibility issued by the study center, stating the teaching activity performed by the applicant and reflecting their salary.
• Proof of affiliation with the Social Security system, as well as a copy of the Social Security card.

APPLYING AS AN ENTREPRENEUR OR EXECUTIVE AT THE CIUDAD DEL SABER FOUNDATION OF PANAMA.

In addition to the basic requirements established in Article 28 of Law Decree No. 3 of February 22, 2008 (except for items 2 and 4), the applicant must provide the following documents:

• Certification issued by the Executive Director of the Ciudad del Saber Foundation of Panama, certifying the existence of the business, the position held, the work performed, and the duration of the stay in Panama.
• Letter of responsibility issued by the parent company, certifying the activity to be carried out by the executive in Ciudad del Saber, stating that they will not engage in any other activity in a different company within Panama's territory, and indicating the duration of their stay in Panama.
• Proof of affiliation with the Social Security system, as well as a copy of the Social Security card.

APPLYING AS A TECHNICIAN AT THE CIUDAD DEL SABER FOUNDATION OF PANAMA.

In addition to the basic requirements established in Article 28 of Law Decree No. 3 of February 22, 2008 (except for items 2 and 4), the applicant must provide the following documents:

• Letter of responsibility issued by the company, including information about the salary received by the applicant.
• Certification issued by the Executive Director of the Ciudad del Saber Foundation, certifying the existence of the business, the work performed, and the duration of their stay in Panama.
• Work permit and a copy of the card.
• Proof of affiliation with the Social Security system, as well as a copy of the Social Security card.

APPLYING AS A STUDENT AT THE CIUDAD DEL SABER FOUNDATION OF PANAMA.

In addition to the basic requirements established in Article 28 of Law Decree No. 3 of February 22, 2008 (except for items 2 and 4), the applicant must provide the following documents:

• Original certified certification issued by the Ciudad del Saber Foundation, certifying the existence of the study center.
• Certification issued by the study center, stating that the applicant is enrolled as a full-time student and has successfully completed their courses.

To apply for an extension, the applicant must provide:

• Certification issued by the study center, stating that the applicant is a full-time regular student and has passed the courses of the previous years.

The credits from completed subjects can serve as proof that the applicant is a regular student and reflect their academic record for the years completed.

PROCEDURE TO APPLY FOR A WORK VISA IN PANAMA:

• Provide all the required documents and sign a special power of attorney to a lawyer from our legal firm to handle all your documentation and assist you in the process.
• Our firm will submit your application for a work permit for 2 years under the Ciudad del Saber program in Panama. You will be issued a temporary immigration card valid for three (3) months. During these three months, the National Immigration Service will process your visa to obtain the work permit for 2 years. After three months, you will receive a new work permit card valid for 2 years.
• Once the two-year work permit expires, our law firm will submit a new application to extend the work permit in Panama for up to 2 more years.

As part of the process, it is necessary for you to make a short visit to Panama to apply for the visa to obtain the work permit.

Please note that the National Immigration Service requires the applicant for any type of visa to be physically present at the time of applying.

The National Immigration Service does not allow applicants to visit while wearing shorts, t-shirts, or sandals.

Once your visa is approved, plan to visit Panama for a period of at least two (2) weeks, as your passport will be retained for five (5) business days to insert the official stamps and visa information inside.

PROCEDURE TO OBTAIN TEMPORARY RESIDENCE PERMIT IN PANAMA:

1. Passport registration with Immigration.
2. Submit the application with all required documents to Immigration, along with proof of payment of government fees and the repatriation deposit (if applicable).
3. The National Immigration Service issues a provisional residence permit valid for three (3) months and a multiple-entry and exit visa.
4. The National Immigration Service issues a Temporary Residence Visa valid for two (2) years. Steps 3 and 4 will be repeated each time the Temporary Residence Visa needs to be renewed.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS TO APPLY FOR A WORK PERMIT IN PANAMA:

1. Photocopy of the valid passport of the applicant and their dependents (if applicable), including the page showing the photograph, name, date of birth, passport number, place of issue, etc., as well as the pages with entry and exit stamps from different visited countries.
2. Original certificate of criminal records issued by the police authority of the applicant's country of residence (if applicable), duly notarized and authenticated by the nearest Panamanian Consulate to you.
3. Original birth certificate of the dependent children of the main applicant (if applicable), duly notarized and authenticated by the nearest Panamanian Consulate to you.
4. Original marriage certificate of the applicant and their spouse (if applicable), which must be notarized and authenticated by the nearest Panamanian Consulate to you.
5. Six (6) passport-sized photographs of the applicant and their dependents (if applicable).
6. Certificate of good health issued by a Panamanian clinic or hospital, signed by a registered doctor, indicating that the main applicant and their dependents (if applicable) do not have contagious diseases and are in good mental and physical health. This medical report must be obtained during your initial visit to Panama.
7. Certificate issued by the Ciudad del Saber Foundation of Panama, certifying the relationship between the applicant and a company located and registered in Ciudad del Saber.

DOCUMENTS PROVIDED BY International Relocation Firm:

1. Special power of attorney duly signed by the applicant and their dependents (if applicable), authorizing our firm to process the immigration application and the required documents.
2. Letter of responsibility signed by the applicant, assuming responsibility for each of their dependent family members (if applicable).

Please note that the main applicant and dependents (if applicable) for any type of immigration visa in Panama must be physically present at the offices of the National Immigration Service when submitting the application.

Once the Immigration Visa is approved, plan to visit Panama for at least two (2) weeks, as your passport will be retained for five (5) business days to insert the official immigration stamps and visa information.