🇵🇦 Moving from the US to Panama: Logistics, Customs & Relocation Guide.
Panama pairs a 10–14 day sailing from the US Gulf and East Coast with a Pensionado programme that grants a one-time duty exemption on up to $10,000 of household goods.
Average shipping cost
from $3,500
Door-to-door, 20ft FCL entry point
Transit timeline
3–4 weeks
Ocean freight 10–14 days to Balboa or Colón
Major ports of entry
Balboa
Balboa · Colón · Manzanillo
Panama customs & Transfer of Residence: step by step
Required registration: Pensionado duty-free certificate (up to $10,000)
- 1
Obtain your residency resolution first
The exemption attaches to approved residency. Shipping ahead of approval means paying duty and reclaiming later, if at all.
- 2
Value the shipment against the $10,000 cap
The Pensionado exemption covers a single import up to $10,000. Value above the cap is assessed normally.
- 3
File a Spanish-language inventory
Aduanas requires an itemised, valued packing list in Spanish, signed by the consignee or the appointed broker.
- 4
Pick your port by final address
Balboa serves Panama City and the Pacific side; Colón and Manzanillo suit Caribbean and northern deliveries.
Import VAT avoided with relief
7%
Filed with Autoridad Nacional de Aduanas de Panamá via Household goods declaration with residency resolution and Pensionado exemption letter.
Primary visa pathways
- • Pensionado (retiree) Visa
- • Friendly Nations Visa
- • Qualified Investor Visa
- • Work Permit Residency
Dollarised economy, tax neutrality and the most generous retiree programme in the hemisphere.
Importing a vehicle into Panama
Pensionado holders may import a vehicle duty-free every two years. Other residents pay import duty plus 7% ITBMS on the assessed value.
Calculate landed vehicle taxesPopular expat destinations in Panama
| City | Profile | Cost index |
|---|---|---|
| Panama City | High-rise living, service elevators and delivery windows | $$$ |
| Boquete | Mountain retiree community, long inland haul | $$ |
| Coronado | Beach community, straightforward access from Balboa | $$ |
| Bocas del Toro | Island deliveries requiring barge transfer | $$$ |