Second Passports

If it’s wrong to discriminate against people based on their race, ethnic group or gender, why is it OK to discriminate against people based on their citizenship or the passport they carry? That is a question we like to pose to governments, but we never got a straightforward answer.

If your freedom to work, invest, or purchase property where you choose is restricted by your current citizenship, then you should be thinking about acquiring a second citizenship.

Second Passports and Citizenship in Panama

Generally, it is hard to obtain citizenship in Panama. In the past, it was easier, but now we know of numerous people who have lived in Panama many years and applied for naturalization without success. Not that they have been rejected by the Panamanian authorities, but simply that the files have not been processed, sometimes for years on end. Citizenship is a big political issue in Panama at the moment.

There is a program which allows you to acquire a Panamanian travel document (Passport equivalent) by depositing a large amount of money at the National Bank. However, this does not grant you citizenship. The document you receive is rather like a refugee passport, and for all intents and purposes it is useless. You cannot even open a bank account in Panama with it. About the only thing you can do is enter and leave Panama on it without showing another passport… but it is very doubtful whether any other country will accept it.

Of course, that was not always the case. Prior to September 11th, 2001, the Panamanian non-citizen passport was widely accepted by other countries. Equally, it was much easier to obtain citizenship through naturalization. Back in the Noriega era, it is widely rumoured that Panamanian passports could be bought on the black market. None of this is the case today.

A Better Alternative to Panamanian Second Citizenship: the Dominican Republic

Our associated law office in Santo Domingo has obtained second citizenships for a number of our clients. This up and coming Caribbean nation is known to be relatively liberal in granting citizenships to newcomers, and has a simple application procedure.

Clients wishing to acquire passports there must generally go through a three step process: first obtaining a provisional residence card from the Immigration Office, proceeding after a year of temporary residence to permanent residence status, and then applying for naturalization, which entitles them to citizenship and passport.

Apart from other special cases provided for by law, a foreign person may become a citizen there after a continuous period of residence in the country of at least two years. This residence requirement can however be reduced to six months:

  1. If the foreigner has fixed legal domicile in the country (note: domicile is not the same as residence, and is quite complicated to establish. Our lawyers will advise.)

  2. If the foreigner owns a business or real estate in the country, or

  3. If the foreigner has married a local citizen. (A special note for ladies: Citizenship for ladies is instant on marrying. Gentlemen must wait six months if marrying a lady citizen.)

It’s worth noting that trips abroad of up to a year made with the intention of returning to the island are not considered as an interruption of continuous residence in the country.

Our lawyers will be happy to assist with your application for citizenship. Please contact us for an initial consultation at your convenience.