Five years after having obtained the permanent residency permit you’ll be eligible for citizenship. This term may be shortened to three years if you bear a child born from a Panamanian parent.
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When will I be eligible to apply for Panama citizenship?
How quickly can we convert residency to citizenship? I am from South Africa. If I open a bank account and obtain residency via the friendly nations visa, how long will it take for me to apply for citizenship?
Answers
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Eligibility to apply for citizenship is after 5 years of securing permanent residency, as per the Constitution of Panama. Permanent Residency under the friendly nations visa can be secured within 6 months. The citizenship process, once started, can take from 1 to 5 years, depending on the processing timeframe of the ruling government.
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In Panama, for a foreign in order to obtain Panamanian Citizenship, it is necessary beforehand to obtain the permanent residency and immigration card. Please note that there are two ways to obtain Panamanian nationality: foreigners with five consecutive years of residence in the territory of our country; foreigners with three consecutive years of residence in the territory of Panama, who have children born in our country from a Panamanians mother, father or spouse. Naturalization is a process that needs to be approved by the President of the Republic of Panama; therefore it can take between 9 months to 3 years. And the signature it’s up to the current President. An exam regarding Panamanian issues must be approved during the process.
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