Initial visit...

10/17/2020

Hi Football Dad!

Make sure that you take all of your legal documents such as FBI-Police Report 1-2, Copies of your Passport 1-2 all pages including front and back cover and unstamped pages, copies of your driver's license 1-2, your birth certificate 2-3 and if married your marriage license 1-2, Proof of Income Verification letter regarding your monthly retirement income 1-2 and Bank reference letters 1-2.

Remember that all of these documents must be notarized by a notary public and then Apostilled by the Secretary of State from your state where you currently reside. This way when you arrive in Panama you will be prepared when meeting with your Lawyer.

Make sure that on your Pensionado Visa that it includes notary fees, translation fees, copies, registration fees. That it includes the temporary residence ID or Carnet, the permanent residency ID or Cedula and that your Pensionado Visa includes multi-entry stamps on the visa.  A solid rate is no more than $1,500.00.

Rent before you buy and utilize the same Lawyer from your Visa to assist you with the Real Estate portion such as rental/purchase contract (thus saving you money. Have the Lawyer include in their service the title search, surveys, preparation of the rental/purchase contract and presentation of the contract with the current owner of the property and closing docs.   Try Lawyer Mayra Lamboglia at +507-226-2895, email: 1crisma@gmail.com.   Use me as a referral   Mayra's fee for the real estate part is $943.00 which includes the above and the notary fee. 

Remember that the current owner who is selling the property/house pays for everything ie., all real estate taxes currently owed, the .3% real estate registry fee plus they pay the fee for the broker who has the property/house listed.   

If you utilize Lawyer Mayra try to give her the Finca or house number and property address and she can then pull up the property owner's name and contact information.  From that point she will communicate your points of interest of the house/property to the owner and the owner's Lawyer and then things will move forward. This way you will avoid getting hit with a 5% realtors fee from any listing agent. 

In closing, Football Dad I am envious about your trip and I wish you the very best.  Please stay in touch and when my wife and I move down which I hope is soon (been trying since June 11, 2020) we will meet for lunch on me!

- Douglas Morgan

Doug - Thanks for all the good info...  I have the FBI and Income Letter - hadn't thought about grabbing the others you mentioned - will grab and take

I am using Mayra - so great to see a vote of confidence in her abilities...  Will share updates while on the ground as the process unfolds...  Exciting times, glad to make the connection!

-TFD

Hi TFD,

On the Birth Certificates and Marriage Certificates/Licenses make sure that the they are not stamped or signed by the notary public because that will invalidate them.

Regarding  the copy of the Driver's License, Passport copies, FBI Police Report,  and the Income Verification letter you will need to use your computer ie Word and type up a cover letter for each of these legal documents that you sign and for the Notary Public to sign date and stamp. 

Then take the cover letters to your Notary Public to get notarized (make sure your Notary Public's commission has not expired ie., ask the Notary other wise your legal documents will not approved at the Secretary of States Office) and then take all of the cover letters along with the legal documents to your Secretary of State Office in the state where you reside so that they can issue an Apostille Certificate to each one of these legal documents.

Forward me your email and I'll email you a sample attachment of each cover letter for each legal document. My email is: bond7x7@gmail.com

In closing, keep an open mind and heart in Panama and if your Spanish is rusty the Panamanians don't mind and will help you even more.

Best regards TFD,

Douglas Morgan