Visas and Residency in Costa Rica

Obtaining Your Visa or Residency in Costa Rica

Citizens of the U.S. and Canada do not require a visa to enter Costa Rica. An immigration validation will be stamped into the passport upon entry, and this provides proof of legal status in the country. Your passport should be in good condition; Costa Rican authorities may deny entry if the passport is damaged.

Residency applications are processed by the Costa Rican Department of Immigration

(Direccion General de Migracion y Extranjeria), which is governed by the Ministry of Public Security and Police (Ministerio de Gobernacion, Policia y Seguridad Publica).

All applications for residency must be filed in your country of origin, through your local consul, or directly with the Department of Immigration in San Jose.

The only current exceptions are 1) Rentista and Pensionado (retirement) Residency, and 2) Immediate Relative Residency Petitions.

The Department of Immigration states that it “favors applicants that can demonstrate that they will provide a financial benefit and contribute to create employment for Costa Rica citizens either in the form of direct investment or indirect investment.” “Direct” investment refers to direct investors and entrepreneurs, while “indirect” investment refers to Pensionado and Rentista visas.

Pensionado Visa

The applicant must be able to demonstrate a permanent fixed income from a pension or other, of at least $600 per month. Included are government or private sector pensions, or Social Security retirement benefits.

Rentista Visa

The applicant must be able to demonstrate a permanent fixed income of at least $1,000 per month. You will need to provide proof of the investment, and evidence that it will generate the $1,000 per month required under this program.

The applicant must supply a letter from the bank or financial institution (not necessarily in Costa Rica) certifying that the income has been deposited. The financial institution in question must be registered with Polk’s Bank Directory, as well as Costa Rican banks.

For both the pensionado and rentista visa, each year you will have to prove the required funds were deposited in Costa Rica and exchanged into the local currency. You must also reside in the country for at least four months.

Applying for a Rentista or Pensionado Visa

You should apply for rentista and pensionado status at the Costa Rican consular office in your area. The following documentation is required, all of which should be authenticated by the Costa Rican Consulate:

• A certified copy of your birth certificate and that of your dependents

• If you have a spouse who will also be applying, then you must provide a certified copy of the marriage certificate

• If your income draws from a government pension, you must obtain a letter from your government certifying the income. If the income is from a bank or financial institution, then it must issue the letter

• You will have to supply a certificate of good conduct from the police department where you last resided. Note: the certificate is only valid for six months from the date it is issued

• The Ministry of Public Security in Costa Rica will carry out an Interpol background check (including fingerprinting). You will be required to fill out an application form, which is addressed to the Department of Public Security and signed by the Department of Immigration

• You will need to supply many passport-style photographs throughout the process--at least 10 photographs facing the front, and five facing the side

• Once you have compiled all your documentation, it must be translated into Spanish.

The Consulate will be able to advise you in this regard

• Sworn statement: The applicant and spouse (if any) must appear before a Costa

Rican Notary Public, and issue a sworn statement stating that they agree to abide by the pensionado/rentista law.

The Consulate will send your application to the Department of Immigration, which will only process applications with all the supporting documentation.

You will also have to provide the following information:

Your full name, nationality, occupation, father’s name, mother’s name, spouse’s name*, race, color of your eyes and hair, height (in meters), weight (in kilos), marital status, birthplace, date of birth, original entry date* into Costa Rica, where you entered Costa Rica*, and your address and phone number in Costa Rica*.

(*If applicable)

Investment Visas

If you wish to obtain residency in Costa Rica as an investor, you will have to fit in to either the broad inversionista (investor) category, or the empresario (enterprise) category.

Investor Visas (Inversionista)

Investor visa programs cover 1) tourism and exports, 2) reforestation, and 3) non-priority investment.

1) Tourism and exports

Investments of at least $50,000 in projects approved and prioritized by the Center for the

Promotion of Exports (PROCOMER) may entitle the individual to apply for resident investor status. Included are tourism-related investments, and investments in ventures that create Costa Rican exports.

2) Reforestation

An applicant who invests at least $100,000 in Costa Rican reforestation projects may apply for an investor visa.

3) Non-priority Investment

If the investment does not fall into the two categories above, then the applicant must demonstrate an investment of at least $200,000. The investment must be deemed suitable by PROCOMER, which will then issue the relevant certification. Once this initial process has been completed and the certification issued, you can begin the application process for the visa with the Department of Immigration.

Enterprise Visa (Empresario)

This is a temporary residence visa, available to individuals who can demonstrate to the Department of Immigration that the business enterprise they will establish in Costa Rica will create employment for Costa Rican citizens and contribute to the local economy.

Immediate Relative Visa

This visa is available to those who are immediate relatives of a Costa Rican citizen--i.e., a spouse or parent. You should apply directly to the Department of Immigration.

Citizenship

After living in Costa Rica as a permanent resident for seven years, you can apply for citizenship.

If you have been married to a Costa Rican citizen for at least two years and lived in the country for a minimum of two years, you are also eligible to apply to become a citizen.

You will need to prove that you have the ongoing financial means to live in Costa Rica.

The naturalization process can take over a year. We recommend you contact a reputable attorney if you wish to apply for citizenship. Dual citizenship is allowed in Costa Rica.

Embassy

2114 “S” Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20008; tel. (202) 234-2945 and

(202) 234-2946; fax (202) 265-4795; website: www.costarica-embassy.org.