Immigration & residency
Make Costa Rica your home, legally
Costa Rica offers residency options for retirees, people with a stable income, investors, families and workers. We help you choose the right category and handle the process from start to finish.
Residency categories
Find the right path
Each category has its own requirements. In your free consultation we confirm which one fits you.
- Pensionado
Retirees
Pension of at least $1,000 per month
For people receiving retirement income from their home country's social security or pension system. Disability income also qualifies, and your spouse and children can be included.
- Rentista
Fixed income
At least $2,500 per month
Show a stable income, either by depositing $60,000 (two years of income) in a bank in Costa Rica or abroad, by certifying your income from abroad, or through a trust.
- Inversionista
Investors
Investment of at least $150,000
Invest in a Costa Rican business or in assets such as real estate.
Marriage to a Costa Rican
Citizenship after 2 years
For foreign nationals married to a Costa Rican. After two years of marriage and residence in the country, you may apply for citizenship.
Parents of a Costa Rican
Foreign nationals with children born in Costa Rica are eligible for residency.
Self-employed & entrepreneurs
No minimum investment
For people who want to work for themselves or run a business here. Skilled professionals can qualify based on their expertise, and owners of a physical business, such as a hotel or restaurant, have their own option.
Foreign workers
Costa Rican regulations offer several options for companies to hire foreign executives, managers, technicians and consultants. We help you find the right one.
Timeline
How long it takes
A temporary residency application goes through three stages.
About 8 weeks
Gathering documents
We help you obtain the documents you'll bring to Costa Rica and prepare the rest of the application.
Typically 9–12 months
DGME review and decision
We file your application with the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (DGME). The law sets a 90-day limit, but processing currently takes much longer.
About 4 weeks
Registration
Once you're approved, we register you with the CCSS (Caja) and obtain your DIMEX residency card. This completes the process.
While your application is pending
- After filing, the DGME issues a receipt that, together with your passport, serves as valid ID.
- You may stay in Costa Rica while your application is pending, without leaving every 90 days to renew your visa.
- You can't get a Costa Rican driver's license until your DIMEX is issued. To keep driving on a foreign license, you must leave the country every 90 days to renew your entry stamp, a rule set by a different government department.
- If you travel during the waiting period, you may be asked for a return ticket when you re-enter, by plane or by bus depending on how you arrive.
What you'll need
General requirements
Whatever the category, most applications include the following. Items marked "We handle it" are prepared by our team.
Proof of eligibility
Documents showing you qualify for your category, such as a pension letter for retirees, investment certifications for investors, or a Costa Rican marriage certificate.
Background check
Issued by a national authority in your home country: the FBI for US citizens, the RCMP for Canadians, or ACRO Criminal Records Office for UK nationals.
Birth certificate
A recently issued copy, no more than six months old.
Application form We handle it
Completed by our team.
Cover letter We handle it
A letter with your personal details for the application, prepared by us.
Fingerprints We handle it
Taken at a police station. We arrange the appointment in San José or Liberia, take you there from our office and handle the forms.
Certified passport copy We handle it
We certify your passport copy.
Consular registration We handle it
Registration with your country's consulate, completed by our team.
Passport photos
Passport-size photographs.
Government fees
$251 when you apply and $433 at the end of the process.
Ready to make a move?
Book a free consultation and we'll walk you through your options.