This study case illustrates my method of relocating to Panama in my 70s, complete with visas, logistics, and a significant lifestyle change; all handled, with my direction, by a dedicated relocation team. I lay out, in visualized format, the step-by-step process I used to overcome challenges and find not just a beach, but a beachside condo. If I can do it, so can you.
In what ways does a Pensionado Visa render it affordable and easy to retire in Panama?
Why creating a relocation team is your stealth advantage.
The early paperwork milestones to tackle
The way in which physically going out and scouting cemented a childhood goal of becoming a director of photography.
Hints for reducing the number of your belongings and parting with them without feeling remorseful.
Why Does Moving to Panama at 70 Even Matter?
Relocating to another country as you age isn’t merely a shift in location; it is the recapturing of adventure and the building of a new community.
A Pensionado Visa offers a lower cost of living, healthcare benefits, and tax advantages.
A culture that is warm and welcoming, where respect is shown for all ages.
A pace that is slower and lets you taste each sunset.
Chance to associate with other digital nomads and retirees.
Starting on my own felt totally overwhelming; expertise was required to transform my chaos into clarity. So, I hired experts.
Moving coach: drew up a schedule, broke work down into easy tasks, and kept me on track.
Panama lawyer: deftly steered through all legalities in Spanish, guaranteed in no uncertain terms that the Pensionado Visa was granted.
On-the-ground facilitator: collecting from the airport, finding a place to live, setting up a bank account, and giving a cultural orientation.
Envision a situation where you have a personalized guide at every turn. This guide doesn't speak your language; it knows only the language of the people with whom you interact. Moreover, these people don't speak your language either. You must get by on gestures and the goodwill of your guides, who have only a hazy understanding of what you want. Your every attempt to ask for help is a fruitless exercise in charades. Sound like a nightmare? That's what life is like for a vast number of immigrants and their children.
The Pensionado Visa was the keystone of my relocation. Here’s the way it developed:
Proof of Income
• Letter from the Social Security Administration detailing a monthly income of more than a thousand dollars, which is guaranteed.
Verification of health and experience.
• Coordination with Panamanian authorities on U.S. medical exams and FBI background checks.
Certificates of Apostille
• Documents officially authenticated for acceptance worldwide
Putting documents through the chain of submission and approval is the most common way of sharing documents in the working environment. Not all documents require sharing, and not all documents require going through the submission and approval process to be shared.
1. To ensure that the right people see the document before it is distributed.
2. To guarantee that the document is acceptable to the next user before it goes to the next person in the chain.
3. To make certain that the document is checked for quality and accuracy by its author and the reviewers before it is sent to the next person in the chain.
• Translations, filings, and follow-ups were managed by the attorney—faster than expected approvals were the result.
Beginning this process half a year before the actual event allowed me to resolve any snags that might have arisen and to remain in a low-stress condition.
Taking steps from the planning stage into actual reality occurred on a July 2023 two-week scouting trip.
With my temporary resident card in hand, I established a bank account in my new hometown.
Condominium search: strolled along the coast at Coronado, toured budget lodgings and rental properties until I discovered my ideal residence.
Community exploration: nearby shops, Panamanian food, expatriate gatherings—my intuition said "definitely"
To be there in person is more than just being a tourist; it is truly belonging.
Two months before liftoff, it was a heady mix of excitement and nostalgia that we felt back in Arizona.
Sorting through years of memories: keep, sell, donate.
Cash into Clutter: How Manoj and Friends Turned My Messy Basement into a Neat, Organized Space
I had a garage sale; I listed some stuff online. When it was over, I had made some cash and lost some clutter, but a lot of messy space remained, particularly in the basement. My basement is now a neat, organized space. How did this happen? With some help from Manoj and Friends, I found a way to make my basement a neat, organized space. I had a garage sale and listed some stuff online. When it was over, I had made some cash and lost some clutter, but a lot of messy space remained in the basement.
The plan to shrink our living space was more than just practical; it was also a powerful symbol of my husband and I shedding the inertia of our long, quiet life at Homewood and stepping into our next, most vibrant chapter. After all, by choice and design, we were moving from a safely sequestered home in a retirement community into a house in the world—an urban row house with an open floor plan. Our dream of living in the city was coming true.
Relocating to Panama at 70 revealed to me that age is no obstacle to seeking out new adventures.
It all comes down to your mindset, my friend; and the way you plan and support yourself makes all the difference!
With digitalnomad.coach guiding me every step of the way, I now live proof that you can chase new horizons at any stage of life!
And hey, if you love the idea of this story and want to take it on, contact us!
We'll help make your dream move happen!
