Living in Panama as a French National: Stay, Residence, Schooling, Safety, Health and Daily Life

France Diplomatie states that French nationals do not need a visa for a stay of under 90 days. The passport must be valid for at least three months on arrival, with six months strongly recommended, and the authorities ask for a return ticket (or a ticket to another destination) as well as minimum proof of funds of 500 USD in the form of cash, a credit card, a bank reference or traveller’s cheques. All travellers should check that the stamp showing their date of entry has been placed in the passport: its absence exposes them to a fine of 1,000 to 5,000 USD, to being refused boarding and, in the event of a check, to administrative detention.

Beyond 90 days, an extension can be requested for a serious reason (loss of documents, health problem), and using a lawyer is compulsory for any long-stay visa procedure. France Diplomatie advises against entering through the airports or ports of the Darién province, because of security and formality difficulties. The checklist for the first 90 days helps you put the formalities in order, and the Panama country page gathers the health insurance benchmarks.

The SNM publishes the conditions of each permit in its requirements sheets (requisitos), with as common documents a notarised power of attorney stating the identity of the applicant’s parents, three photographs, an authenticated copy of the passport, a criminal record certificate, a health certificate and a sworn statement. Amounts are expressed in balboas (B/.), and income from abroad can be justified in foreign-currency equivalent.

• Jubilado pensionado: a lifetime pension from a foreign government, an international body or a private company of at least B/.1,000 a month, or B/.750 if the applicant personally acquires a property worth more than B/.100,000; additional proof of funds of B/.250 a month per dependant; spouses can add their pensions together; indefinite permit, with no extension to request.
• Rentista retirado: a monthly income of B/.850 coming exclusively from the interest on a term deposit at the Banco Nacional de Panamá or the Caja de Ahorros, free of any pledge for at least five years; five-year permit, renewable for the same period.
• Nationals of specific countries (“Friendly Nations”): provisional two-year permit, then permanent residence, to carry out an economic or professional activity, justified by a job, a property of at least B/.200,000 or a term deposit of B/.200,000 free of pledge for three years; the list of eligible countries is set by decree (Executive Decree No. 226 of 20 July 2021, which amends Decree No. 416 of 2012).
• Remote worker: short-stay non-resident visa, nine months renewable once for the same period, for foreign-source income of at least B/.36,000 a year (B/.3,000 a month) and a health insurance policy valid in the country for the whole duration.

Holders of a provisional permit pay certified cheques of B/.250 and B/.800 on request. The page on retiring in Panama details the retiree statuses, and the page on working in Panama the work-related permits. The guide to digital nomad visas compares the schemes.

The official sources consulted do not rank cities by their appeal to expats; they indicate where services are located and which areas call for vigilance. Panama City is home to the French embassy, the international French school and a branch of the Alliance française; David, in the province of Chiriquí, hosts the other branch, the two together counting 1,259 pupils according to France Diplomatie. The SNM provides special schemes for investors and workers in the Panama-Pacífico special economic zone, which points to a hub of international activity near the capital.

France Diplomatie recommends reinforced vigilance in Panama City, particularly at night in certain neighbourhoods (El Chorillo, Calidonia, Curundu, Juan Díaz, Santa Ana), advises against Colón and several outlying municipalities except for imperative reasons, and formally advises against the border area with Colombia. To choose a place to live, the criteria that matter are the distance to a full healthcare facility, the state of the roads (sometimes dilapidated, with unclear signage) and proximity to a school. The guide to the Panamanian healthcare system details the care facilities.

The official sources consulted publish neither average rents nor budgets by city; the “Economic indicators” block above gives the updated indicators. The minimum wage is set by the Ministry of Labour (MITRADEL); its portal could not be consulted when this page was written, so no amount is given here. On taxation, the tax authority (Dirección General de Ingresos, DGI) applies the territoriality principle: the return covers income and expenses of Panamanian origin, with 0% up to B/.11,000, then 15% on the portion up to B/.50,000 and 25% above.

A tax treaty binds France and Panama: it provides that France eliminates double taxation through a tax credit. The details are in the page on working in Panama. To budget for health, the guide to budgeting for health abroad offers a method.

France Diplomatie lists one French school in Panama, the international French school of Panama, which has about 900 pupils since the extension inaugurated in February 2022, as well as two branches of the Alliance française (Panama City and David). The French community registered on the consular register numbered 1,661 people in 2023 according to the same source. A mutual recognition agreement for diplomas was concluded in September 2016.

For a child, three points to prepare: health cover (see children’s health cover abroad and expat family insurance), the proof of parentage requested for dependants in residence applications, and school enrolment, whose fees and availability should be confirmed with the school.

France Diplomatie ranks areas on three levels: formally advised against (the border with Colombia, because of the presence of armed groups and traffickers), advised against except for imperative reasons (the Darién province, the east of the Guna Yala comarca, the Gulf of Mosquitos, the city of Colón and several municipalities on the outskirts of the capital) and reinforced vigilance (Panama City). The practical advice applies day to day:

• use only yellow taxis, avoid vehicles with tinted windows, note the taxi number and do not share the vehicle with strangers;
• be extra careful on the road and on foot: pedestrian accidents are frequent, roads sometimes dilapidated and signage unclear;
• for forest hikes, prepare according to the rainy season; women travellers avoid isolated places, especially at night;
• call 911 for medical rescue, 104 for the police and 103 for the fire brigade; the French embassy keeps an on-call line for serious emergencies involving French nationals.

France Diplomatie considers an assistance or insurance contract covering all medical costs, including hospitalisation and repatriation, essential. The page on long-stay travel insurance presents the short-stay options.

The tropical climate shows mainly as a wet season: France Diplomatie states that dengue, chikungunya, Zika and yellow fever circulate all year round, with an increase from April to November. Malaria presents a particular risk in the Darién region, and a hantavirus is reported in the provinces of Herrera and Los Santos. Bottled water is recommended outside Panama City, Colón and David; food hygiene and repellents complete the precautions. Keep your French vaccines up to date; yellow fever is recommended for the mainland areas east of the canal; hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid and rabies (especially for young children in rural areas) should be discussed with a doctor.

Immigration and tax procedures are written in Spanish, and the SNM publishes its requirements sheets in that language. For health, the page on healthcare reimbursement in Panama explains who pays in each situation, and Expavy helps you compare contracts once the residence status is chosen.