Guyana or Panama
Two countries side by side across the same rows as the full comparison. A dash means the value is missing: fields are not filled with guesses. about the data
| Guyana | Panama | |
|---|---|---|
| Salary in IT | — | — |
| Citizenship | 6 years | 5 years |
| Partner can work | — | — |
| Parents | — | — |
| Pets | difficult | no trouble |
| Pet limit | no limit | no limit |
| Quarantine | — | no |
| Residence permit fee | — | — |
| Rent, 2 bedrooms | $ 909 · estimate | $ 1 418 · estimate |
| Basket | $ 43,2 | $ 36,7 |
| Life expectancy | 70.32 | 79.78 |
| Homicides/100k | 14.08 | 12.78 |
| Natural hazards, 0–10 | 4.5 | 5.2 |
How the two sets of routes differ
Long-stay routes in this reference: Guyana — 25, Panama — 65. Types present in both: work, study and family. Guyana adds: repatriation. Panama adds: remote work, investment, talent and retirement.
Fees, thresholds and deadlines
Guyana: fees range from 20 to 28,700 GYD. Routes with a published decision deadline: 9; the shortest is 7 days. Panama: fees range from 100 to 250 PAB. Routes stating an income threshold: 10; the lowest is 850 PAB a month.
Beyond the first permit
Permanent status: Panama after 2 years; the other country publishes no term. Citizenship: Guyana after 6 years, Panama after 5 years. Guyana allows a second citizenship, Panama does not.
Guyana in brief
Guyana is the only English-speaking country in South America: English is enshrined as the sole official language. The immigration regime is built on temporary Landing Permits under the Immigration Act, Chapter 14:02 (s. 12): a permit to remain in the country is issued for up to 3 months for a specific purpose (employment, business, study, etc.) and may be extended by the Chief Immigration Officer, but not beyond a cumulative 3 years from the date of entry - the Act does not provide for a separate permanent residence status. Citizenship by naturalisation is available after a cumulative 6 years of residence (12 months immediately before applying plus 5 years within the preceding 7 years - Second Schedule, Guyana Citizenship Act, Chapter 14:01); a spouse of a Guyanese citizen is entitled to register as a citizen immediately after marriage, with no minimum length of marriage set (Constitution, s. 45). Deprivation of citizenship for acquiring a foreign passport, under the Constitution (s. 46), is not automatic but at the President's discretion, and does not expressly apply to acquisition through marriage - the country generally allows dual/multiple citizenship. Graduates of the University of the West Indies and the University of Guyana who are citizens of one of the 12 CARICOM states are entitled to enter and work without a work permit (Immigration Act, Schedule); the CARICOM Secretariat headquarters is also located in Georgetown. Since 2019 the country's economy has been one of the fastest-growing in the world on the back of offshore oil production (estimated reserves of 11.2 billion barrels; GDP grew 43.4% in 2024), which is accompanied by rising prices, primarily for food (World Bank, worldbank.org, accessed 03.08.2026). Outside Georgetown and New Amsterdam, malaria risk persists in the country - preventive antimalarial medication is recommended for travel to the interior (including Linden, Bartica, Lethem) (CDC Yellow Book, updated 23.04.2025). The built-up coastal strip, including Georgetown, where most of the country's population is concentrated, lies on the low-lying Atlantic coast and is protected by a system of sea and river dykes, the maintenance of which is regulated by a separate law in force since 1883 (Sea Defences Act, Chapter 64:01): according to the World Bank, coastal flooding remains a significant environmental challenge threatening Georgetown and Atlantic-coast agriculture. Importing dogs and cats requires a written permit (Import Permit) from the Ministry of Agriculture - specific quarantine periods, a requirement for rabies antibody titre testing, and the minimum preparation period before import are not published in open official sources.
Panama in brief
Panama rests on three things its neighbours lack: the dollar in circulation, the canal with the region's largest banking and logistics hub, and a position south of the hurricane belt — INFORM rates its cyclone risk at zero. Panama's famous "friendly nations" route is not open to everyone: the list of countries is closed. And since 2021 it has not been quick even for those on it: two years of temporary residence come first and permanent status only after, with an economic basis required — an employment contract or property worth at least 200,000 dollars. Citizenship takes five years after permanent residence, three with a Panamanian spouse or Panamanian children, and the previous passport must be renounced expressly and irrevocably; a basic-knowledge exam was added in August 2025. Homicide above the regional average and seismicity also weigh: earthquakes 7.8 and tsunamis 8.6 out of 10.
Other comparisons
Guyana or… Costa Rica · Peru · Ecuador · Trinidad and Tobago · El Salvador · Cuba · Honduras · Nicaragua
Panama or… Belize · Bolivia · Colombia · Greenland · Jamaica · Bahamas · Guatemala · Dominican Republic
More on each: Guyana · Panama. Build your own comparison — up to four countries
This material is for reference and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Visa rules, tax thresholds and prices change. Before deciding anything, check the official sources and consult a licensed professional in the relevant country.