Costa RicaWork residence permit

Residence for executives and specialists in Costa Rica

The programme is intended for executives, representatives, managers, scientists, professionals and technical staff of companies registered with Costa Rica's Directorate General, including companies operating through the COMEX export system. It is a work residence category granted for an initial term and renewed provided the sponsoring company and the resident continue to meet the prescribed requirements. The foreign worker must receive a salary above the minimum set by the labour authority. The resident may engage only in licensed activity authorised by the immigration authorities.

Source: Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (Costa Rica) — Regularización

Two routes to residence

The programme provides two distinct categories for foreign professionals, depending on the post and the specialisation.

The executive route

Company executives and directors
Representatives and managers of foreign firms
Key management staff
Requires certification from the company as to the post and the timeframes

The specialist employee route

Specialists with rare technical knowledge
Professionals not found on the local labour market
Scientists and researchers
Requires the Ministry of Labour's opinion on the need for them

When the programme will not suit

Looking for work in tourism, hospitality or non-specialist posts without a specialisation

A work permit for specialists in particular occupations, or the service staff programme

Wanting to live in Costa Rica without being tied to a particular company

Investor, pensioner or annuitant residence, which requires financial independence

Family migration through marriage and blood relationship

Residence through a link with a Costa Rican national or a family member

What it costs

Fee for filing the temporary residence applicationPaid on the initial filing of the residence application	50 USD
Fee on renewal of the residenceRequired when the residence is renewed after it expires	50 USD
Additional charge on a change of category from an unregistered statusCharged only on a change from the non-resident category, or on moving to permanent residence after three years	+200 USD
Penalty for late renewal (for each month of delay)Charged in addition to the renewal fee where the residence is renewed after the expiry date	+3 USD
Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table. “Additional charge on a change of category from an unregistered status” adds 200 USD; “Penalty for late renewal (for each month of delay)” adds 3 USD. Charges with no official price list are in the list below.	100–303 USD

Paid separately

Court fees — Not part of the government residence fee; charged separately where required
Lawyer's or apoderado's services — The application may be signed before a lawyer or in the presence of a Directorate General official; legal fees are not part of the government charge

Documents to gather

A set of documents must be provided evidencing the identity, qualifications and financial position of both the applicant and the employing company.

The temporary residence application, signed by the company's legal representative and certified by a lawyer, or signed in the presence of an official of the Directorate General of Migration
A certificate of the employing company's legal personality, issued no more than a month earlier
A letter or certification from the company's representative stating the foreign national's post, the intended length of stay in Costa Rica and the monthly salary
An insurer's certificate of payment of occupational risk insurance contributions
Proof that the company has paid its national and municipal taxes
A copy of the applicant's passport (the data page)
A criminal record certificate issued no more than a month earlier and apostilled
The employment contract between the company and the applicant, stating a salary at least 25% above the minimum
A birth certificate, apostilled and translated into Spanish
Education and qualification documents, apostilled (particularly for the specialist category)

How the process runs

The process consists of several stages: preparing the documents, filing the application, consideration by the immigration authorities, receiving the decision, registering with the social insurance system and obtaining the DIMEX card.

1
Preparing and gathering the documents
2-3 weeks
Obtain all the necessary documents from your company (letters, certifications), prepare your personal documents (passport, criminal record certificate), translate foreign documents into Spanish and have them apostilled.
2
Filing the application with the Directorate General of Migration
1 day
File the completed application together with all the documents at a Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería office. Make sure the application is signed before a lawyer or in the presence of an official. Pay the fee of $50 USD.
3
Consideration of the application by the immigration authorities
30 days (accredited companies) up to 12 months (non-accredited)
The immigration authorities examine the documents and request further information where necessary. For companies registered with COMEX and accredited, the review period is considerably shorter. At accredited businesses the applicant may start work from the moment the application is filed.
4
Receiving the decision
1 day
Receive notification from the Directorate General approving temporary residence. The notification usually arrives by post or may be collected at the immigration office.
5
Registering with the social insurance system
22 working days after approval
Once residence is granted, register with Costa Rica's social insurance fund (CAJA) and obtain an insured person's number. This is a mandatory condition for working in the country.
6
Obtaining the DIMEX card
1-4 months after approval
Complete the biometric enrolment and receive the national DIMEX card (Documento de Identidad Migratorio para Extranjeros). The card is issued at Banco de Costa Rica branches. It may take longer than the officially prescribed 30 days.

Timelines and rights

Work

Temporary residents may engage only in the paid activity that the Directorate General has authorised. The employer is responsible for complying with the Directorate's conditions and with an employer's duties under the law.

Who you can bring with you

Family members may be included in the residence as dependants, extending the programme's reach to close relatives.

Spouse

May be included as a dependent family member on production of an apostilled marriage certificate. Same-sex marriages are recognised.

Minor children (under 18)

Included as dependants on production of an apostilled birth certificate. The guardian (the resident) must submit the required documents.

Children over 18 with a disability

May be included as dependants where there is a medical report confirming the disability and the inability to support themselves.

Renewal and the grace period

Temporary residence is granted for an initial term and renewed for two-year periods for as long as the sponsoring company and the resident continue to meet the programme's requirements. Renewal requires payment of a fee of $50 USD, and late renewal attracts an additional penalty of $3 USD for each month of delay. After three years of continuous temporary residence, the resident may apply to change category to permanent residence for an additional fee of $200 USD.

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

After three consecutive years of temporary residence you may apply for permanent residence.

Frequently asked questions about Residence for executives and specialists

Can I start work in Costa Rica as soon as I have filed the temporary residence application?

If your company is registered and accredited with the Directorate General, you may start work from the moment the application is filed. For non-accredited companies you must wait for approval before starting work.

What minimum salary is required for temporary residence as an executive?

The salary must be at least 25% above the minimum wage set by Costa Rica's Ministry of Labour and Social Security for the relevant post and period.

Can I move to permanent residence after temporary residence?

Yes, after three years of continuous temporary residence you may apply to change category to permanent residence. This requires an additional fee of $200 USD and the resubmission of certain documents.

What happens if I do not renew the residence on time?

For each month of delay after the residence expires a penalty of $3 USD is charged in addition to the basic renewal fee of $50 USD. To avoid the penalty, start the renewal process early.

Other ways to move to Costa Rica

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Costa Rica.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.