Before you book a one-way flight
Start with the legal route for every person moving. A visitor admission, permission to live long-term and permission to work answer different questions. Use the residency-route guide to identify a likely route and its missing evidence before committing to a property purchase or a start date.
| Task | What to confirm | Record to keep |
|---|---|---|
| Immigration route | Eligibility, dependants, work rights and where the application is filed. | Current official requirements and your adviser’s written document list. |
| Documents | Which police, civil and pension records are needed; accepted issue dates; apostille/legalisation and translation requirements. | A document register with issuing authority and appointment dates. |
| Healthcare | Cover from arrival, local provider access and any exclusions. | Policy wording and confirmed start date. |
| Home-country departure | Which residence, employment and filing issues remain open. | Departure timeline and adviser questions. |
Order documents in the sequence your receiving authority requires. A new police certificate obtained too early may need replacing; an unofficial translation may not be acceptable. Ask about the validity window before ordering.
Official reference: Panama Migration: Pensionado requirements (Spanish PDF) · Panama Migration: specific-country residency (Spanish PDF).
Days 1–30: establish a workable daily routine
- Housing: test the actual neighbourhood and commute before choosing a long lease. Ask who pays utilities, what the deposit covers and how early termination works.
- Connectivity: test internet at the specific address during working hours and arrange a backup if your income depends on it.
- Health: locate the providers covered by your policy and confirm how prescriptions and emergencies are handled.
- Banking: ask the chosen bank for its own onboarding list, including income/source-of-funds evidence. Keep a second payment method while the application is assessed.
- Immigration: keep receipts and record the status, next appointment and any restrictions on travel while an application is pending.
These are practical checks, not promises about processing times. Do not schedule a payment that depends on an account opening by a date the bank has not confirmed.
Days 31–90: replace assumptions with confirmed arrangements
Review the move after a month of ordinary life. Replace budget guesses with actual housing, transport, groceries, insurance and work costs. Reconcile arrival/departure dates, confirm the next immigration step and check whether tax registration is needed for your activities.
Official reference: Panama DGI: individual tax registration and residence (Spanish).
For a long-term home, ask about maintenance, building charges and the owner’s responsibilities. If buying, arrange independent title and property-tax review before committing. Property taxes and exemptions need their own assessment; a sales brochure is not proof of an exemption.
Official reference: Panama DGI: property tax (Spanish).
Work out the cash needed before reliable income arrives
Separate a refundable deposit from an expense: both require cash today, but they have different effects on your long-term budget. Record when income is expected and what happens if a start date or bank transfer is delayed.
Your next step: make one arrival plan
Use the worksheet to give each important task an owner, target date, dependency and evidence of completion. Start with the three uncertainties that could stop the move, then review progress weekly.
If leaving Canada or the UK, pair this plan with the Canadian departure checklist or UK departure checklist. Arrival in Panama does not settle your former country’s tax position.
General preparation information. Examples are hypothetical. Official requirements, your facts and any applicable decree control the result; obtain qualified advice for personal immigration, tax and filing decisions.
Your next step
Prepare your arrival plan
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