Immigration services in Costa Rica
Digital nomad visa in Costa Rica
Immigration routes: Costa Rica
8 routes to move to Costa Rica: grounds, requirements, documents and timelines. Each route carries a link to the official source and the date we checked it. The terms change several times a year, so we check the requirements for your case on a free consultation.
Temporary residence for annuitants (Residencia temporal — Rentista)
Temporary residence for investors (Residencia temporal — Inversionista)
Remote worker stay (Estancia — Trabajador remoto, Ley 10008)
Temporary residence for company executives and specialists (Residencia temporal — ejecutivo, representante, gerente, especialista)
Temporary residence for pensioners (Residencia temporal — Pensionado)
Income-based residence permit
Grounds: Ley 9996 on attracting investors, annuitants and pensioners, and its implementing regulations.
Financial requirement
A lifetime pension from 1,000 US dollars a month or the equivalent in colones at the Central Bank of Costa Rica's rate. The fee is 50 dollars for the application for lawful stay in the temporary resident category. On a change of category from non-resident, a further 200 dollars is paid into account 242480-0 at Banco de Costa Rica.
Documents
A certificate from the competent authority confirming the lifetime pension; where issued abroad, legalised, certified or apostilled. Plus recent confirmation that the pension is active, and proof of registration with the CCSS health insurance system.
Timelines and rights
Right to work
Temporary residents may engage only in the paid activity that the Directorate General has authorised.
Permanent residence through a relationship with a Costa Rican national (Residencia permanente por vínculo con costarricense)
Family reunification
Financial requirement
A fee of 50 US dollars or the equivalent in colones — for the application for lawful stay in the permanent resident category.
Documents
The general pack plus an express statement in the application that permanent residence is what is being sought. The certificate of the relationship is issued by the Costa Rican Civil Registry and must be no more than two months old at the time of filing. For siblings with a disability, a medical report is added and, where required, a court custody document.
Timelines and rights
Right to work
Permanent residence allows any paid employment or intellectual activity.
Permanent residence (Residencia permanente)
Permanent residence
On a change of category an annuitant asks for the deposit to be released, if it was placed with a state bank.
Financial requirement
A fee of 50 US dollars or the equivalent in colones — for the application for lawful stay in the permanent resident category.
Timelines and rights
Right to work
Permanent residence allows any paid employment or intellectual activity.
Residence conditions
Three consecutive years in temporary resident status are required.
Naturalisation (Naturalización)
Naturalisation
The immigration service does not publish the periods of residence, the exams or the fees.
Timelines and rights
Residence conditions
After naturalisation a person cancels their temporary or permanent residence with the immigration service.
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