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It is necessary to qualify for and establish legal residency if one plans to
live in Costa Rica for an extended period of time. To this end, Costa Rica
offers several alternatives for legal residency: a pensionado
(pensioner), a rentista (a foreigner with a guaranteed income), an
investor, a relative of a resident, or one with a foreign government assignment
or an international mission (Lawrence Publication, 1995).
The pensionados and rentistas program
has historically been the
easiest method of establishing temporary residency in Costa Rica. Keep in mind
when receiving advice from current ensionados and rentistas who
have been residing in Costa Rica since before 1992, that the laws governing such
residency status have changed. In 1992, the legislature revoked the tax
exemption laws that allowed pensionados and rentistas to bring all
of their possessions into the country duty free. Under the current law, these
groups are no longer exempt and must pay import taxes of up to 100 percent on
their belongings
To qualify for the pensionado status, one must fulfill three basic
requirements (1) prove that one earns at least $600.00 per month from a
qualified pension or retirement account or from Social Security, (2) change at
least $500.00 per month into colones, and (3) live in Costa Rica for at least
four months out of the year. In order to quality for rentista status, one
must fulfill three similar requirements: (1) prove that one has outside
investments that will guarantee $1,000.00 income per month for five years, (2)
change at least $1,000.00 a month into colones, and (3) live in Costa Rica for
at lease six months out of the year. Neither pensionados nor rentistas
pay taxes on money earned outside of Costa Rica.
Pensionadosand rentistas have restrictions as well as rights
in Costa Rica. While either may set up their own business, as discussed below
under the investor classification, neither may work for someone else.
Individuals of either residency status must first become permanent residents in
order to obtain a work permit.
The investor status is granted to those who invest at least $50,000 in
special projects such as reforestation, tourism and exports, or who invest at
least $200,000 in any other business. The investor must also reside in Costa
Rica for at least six months out of the year. If there are no problems, the
investor may become a permanent resident in two years.
The two other methods of achieving legal residency are atypical, since both
are contingent upon very particular circumstances. The resident as a
first-degree relative status is the easiest method, as one need only be closely
related to a Costa Rican. One with such status has all of the rights of a Costa
Rican save for the right to vote. Another method is employment by a foreign Government or an internationalmission.
by Marie C. Wold -
Revised January 1998 by Steve Olson and Jose M. Quiros US Embassy.
General Requirements
1. An application addressed to the Director General of Migration by the person concerned. If the applicant is not going to be able to go in person, he/she should grant a special power of
attorney to a representative in the USA, who will submit the documents at the Consulate. This power of attorney should be in
ink, notarized and follow the authentication procedures.
2. The applicant should grant special authority to a representative (apoderado). This document could be either signed or authenticated in the Consulate. It should indicate the personal particulars of the representative (apoderado) and the address where to receive notifications, both within the judicial perimeter of San Jose
3. Birth Certificate (required for applicant, spouse and all dependent children up to 18 years or up to 25 if a university student – proof of enrollment is required) *
Every certificate should have the parents' name.
4. Police Certificate (not older than six months) issued by the State/last place where the applicant has lived for the past two years (required for applicant, spouse and any dependent children aged 18 to 25) *
5. Marriage Certificate (if the applicant is married)*
6. Photocopy of the passport certified by the Consul, Costa Rican Notary Public or by an American Notary Public, but in this last case, the copies will also have to be authenticated. (This is required for applicant, spouse and any dependent children).
7. Four recent forehead passport size photographs (required for applicant, spouse and any dependent children).
8. Eligible individuals can claim their spouses and children under 18, as dependents, as well as older children with disabilities. A son or daughter between 18 and 25 can be included as dependent if he or she is enrolled in a University.
9. In the case of a family group, an individual file is required per member. Parents should sign applications on behalf of minor children.
10. In order to practice a profession, the individual concerned should provide his or her diplomas. Concerning other professional activities, relevant documentation such as courses and studies undertaken should be submitted.
* NB: All documents listed in paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 must be authenticated by the Costa Rican Consul and translated to Spanish language. (A Costa Rican Consulate will charge US$ 40 in official stamps for authentication of each document).
Once you have all the required documents, send them FIRST to the Consulate of your jurisdiction, where they will be checked. If documents are complete, you will be asked to go to the Consulate for an interview and sign the application you have already sent, as well as the power of attorney. As mentioned in point 1., if you are not going to appear in person, you should grant a power of attorney to someone in the USA who will submit the documents to the Consulate. In this case, since you are not going personally to the Consulate, the power of attorney mentioned on point 2. should be already signed by you, and it should be notarized and authenticated.
The documents will be sent to Migration in Costa Rica, who will contact your representative in Costa Rica. For this purpose, you will have to pay for the courier service.
Additionally to points 1-10, you should fulfill the following requirements depending on your immigration category. Those documents do not need to be sent together with the ones mentioned in points 1-10, but if they are missing, your representative will be notified once Migration receives and processes the documents sent by the Consulate. He/she will have 10 days to complete those documents which are issued in Costa Rica, or 30 days if they are issued abroad. Please consider that some need to be authenticated by the Costa Rican Consulate first.
For detail information on migratory categories, please visit The Costa Rica Embassy web site at
Costa Rica Embassy
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