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Family Moving to Panama

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Escarra05
  3/5/2016 17:23 EST

My family. Husband and 3 young children are moving to Panama as soon as we sell our house. Looking for house to rent and jobs, schools etc. Any suggestions?

Inpanama
  3/6/2016 06:44 EST

Your questions are far too broad for anyone to answer effectively. There are many jobs here that only Panamanians are allowed to hold. What skills do you have, or can you start an internet business that doesn't require someone to employ you?

Rent, etc. varies by location, so where are you planning to be? I suggest you try to do a search on this and every other blog about Panama you can find and start to learn about the country, the areas and cost of living in each area.

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lapapuja
  3/6/2016 09:00 EST

Finding a home is easy enough with all the ads for them. Jobs are another matter. If you are not a Panamanian (maybe you are and did not mention it) you cannot work without a permit to do so. To get a permit, one needs some kind of residency visa that allows it. Schools cost money if you want your children to get a decent education here. You can home school or pay for one of the tuition schools. Most are Spanish speaking so if your children speak Spanish you have more choices.

jonoyakker
  3/7/2016 19:08 EST

IMO, the first question to ask yourself is do you want city (hot), beach (hot), mountain town (cool/temperate) or rural/farming (varies)

TB1
  3/9/2016 12:39 EST

Finding work in Panama depends on your skills , that said, a lot of professions are reserved for only Panamanians . Also getting a visa if your going for the pensionado visits is for the most part easy . All the others a bit more ridged in requirements . I live in Panama, and as another person said, do you want hot and beach or cool and mountains? Housing cost depends where you want to live, if it's Panama City your going to pay more then say David .
All things you need to think about. Panama is a great place but you have to adapt, I don't know where your coming from so I can't say how much of a culture shock your going to have . You might also look at Belize very nice and English is the language . Visa is easier also , and you can work in any field . I spent 15 years living in Cali Colombia . , and the last 6 here in Panama . There are a lot of good people in this blog and most will help you in answering your questions . If you have more questions feel free to send me a PM .

Escarra05
  3/9/2016 12:46 EST

Thank you for your answers. I know we want to live outside of the city. Possibly near beaches. We have 4 yr old, 2 yr old and a 7 month old. My husband speaks Spanish and English. He's from Venezuela. I have lived overseas before. Looks like an internet based business will be our best option as far as work. What kind of visa will let us work there indefinitely?

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William Russell's private medical insurance will cover you and your family wherever you may be. Whether you need primary care or complex surgery, you'll have access to the best hospitals & doctors available. Unlike some insurers, we also include medical evacuation and mental health cover in our plans (except SilverLite). Get a quote from our partner, William Russell.

William RussellWilliam Russell

William Russell's private medical insurance will cover you and your family wherever you may be. Whether you need primary care or complex surgery, you'll have access to the best hospitals & doctors available. Unlike some insurers, we also include medical evacuation and mental health cover in our plans (except SilverLite). Get a quote from our partner, William Russell.
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jonoyakker
  3/9/2016 16:29 EST

Probably Friendly Nations Visa. Come here for a trial first before you spring for visas. You probably don't need it for the biz but rather to keep you from having to do the border hop every six months.

stgibson
  3/14/2016 09:43 EST

A friendly nations visa is probably your best bet. It may also depend on what passports you carry. If you as his wife apply under him as a dependent you will not be able to apply for a work permit. If your business is based outside of Panama you will not need a work permit nor will you have to pay tax on income to Panama. I have a US passport and have to wait 5 years before applying for citizenship and Panamanian passport. My wife carries a Brazilian passport and can apply for citizenship in 3 years. With citizenship you can work anywhere.

stgibson
  3/14/2016 09:57 EST

I would also check out the David area. It is close to the beaches, the border and also the fastest growing city in Central America. You can live 15 - 20 minutes outside of David and enjoy cooler temperatures, live in the country and not need air conditioning which is expensive to run here. We live at 1500', look out over the Pacific and are a 15 minute drive into David. There is also a good international school 5 minutes away.

Escarra05
  3/14/2016 16:15 EST

Thank you. We will be starting an internet based business here in the USA. My husband will be the main person doing it while I work with the kids. So you think applying for a Friendly Nations Visa is best? Also having an Internet based business here in the USA we DONT need to apply for a work permit in Panama? Does anyone know of a good immigration lawyer that can help with our paperwork? I need to know how much it will cost us (2 adults 3 children under 18) Also David is one of the places we were looking at. So were would we look for a place to stay 2BR 1 BA?

tasnuck
  3/14/2016 16:42 EST

Most people with families come here with a job with an international organization or as an executive with a company. These jobs pay well and that allows the families to pay the private school fees and live in the areas safe enough for your expat kids. Coming without a job sounds a bit scary unless you have a lot of savings or have some sort of skill where you work for yourself or from here but overseas. What sort of work are you hoping to find, what area are you thinking of living? That might help me suggest a few things. I lived in canal zone with family of four for two years.

William RussellWilliam Russell
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William Russell's private medical insurance will cover you and your family wherever you may be. Whether you need primary care or complex surgery, you'll have access to the best hospitals & doctors available. Unlike some insurers, we also include medical evacuation and mental health cover in our plans (except SilverLite). Get a quote from our partner, William Russell.

William RussellWilliam Russell

William Russell's private medical insurance will cover you and your family wherever you may be. Whether you need primary care or complex surgery, you'll have access to the best hospitals & doctors available. Unlike some insurers, we also include medical evacuation and mental health cover in our plans (except SilverLite). Get a quote from our partner, William Russell.
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tombseekers
  3/14/2016 16:58 EST

Before you sell your house, I'd advise you to come and visit for a week or two. Also, if your husband is traveling with a Venezuelan passport, he may have different rules than you with a US passport. If you want an International School (English) school for your kids, you will need to be in a larger town, not a suburb of PC. Work permits are expensive, take a long time to process and need to be renewed every 2 years (I think) You cannot compete in any profession that competes with a Panamanian. You can start a business and hire Panamanians, which a lot of people do.

Escarra05
  3/14/2016 17:06 EST

Thank you. My husband and I are both US Citizens.

Inpanama
  3/15/2016 09:16 EST

Keep in mind that you do not need to apply for a visa before moving here - the cost of a permanent visa is high, and if you've never visited or lived here before, I strongly suggest you plan to live here on your tourist visa (good for 6 months for Americans) before you apply for a permanent visa. There is no cost for the tourist visa (which is just a stamp in your passport when you arrive), but the permanent visa can cost thousands depending on the type of visa.

golric
  3/15/2016 13:50 EST

If you plan to come as a tourist to check out if you like it you will have to leave the country every 90 days if you plan to drive a car.

You can check out about international schools & prices in the internet.

tasnuck
  3/17/2016 05:49 EST

Canal Zone is the best area for schools but all good ones are private schools and expensive. I can't stress enough that the public schools in PA are NOT anywhere near acceptable by N,American standards. Budget $15k/yr/child once they are into the primary years. Metropolitan School of Panama, Balboa School (Ciudad del Saber) or ISP (I believe it is Brisas del Golf) These are all just outside PC. These are the best schools in Panama and approved by the US embassy and United Nations personnel Hope this helps.

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  5/5/2016 02:09 EST

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BoqueteGirl
  5/5/2016 12:21 EST

Please be very cautious of Attorney's who have to solicit on this type of forum. Make sure you do your due diligence before hiring ANY Attorney. Go with the recommendations from other Expats. That is just my opinion. I'm sure many others agree. No reference intended.

William Russell
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