Whether you visited Costa Rica and fell in love with the country or are yet to visit it, there are many reasons why you could want to become a legal resident of Costa Rica.
The bravest people opt to be “eternal tourists” and exit then re-enter the country every 90 days to renew their tourist visas, but if you’re planning to live here for a long time, this process can be expensive, tiring, and even annoying.
And that’s when becoming a legal resident comes into play. This process can be long and tedious, as many other legal procedures, so we highly recommend finding a professional you can trust to help you with the process.
Here’s five wats to become a legal resident in Costa Rica:
1. Pensionado
- Requires proof of US $1,000 per month income from permanent pension source or retirement fund.
- Must visit Costa Rica at least once a year.
- Can claim spouse and dependents under 18 years of age.
- Cannot work as an employee.
- Can own a company and receive dividends.
2. Rentista Residency in Costa Rica
- Requires proof of US $2,500 per month income for at least two years, guaranteed by a banking institution, OR a US $60,000 deposit in an approved Costa Rican bank. One amount covers the family.
- Must visit Costa Rica at least once a year.
- Can claim spouse and dependents under 18 years of age.
- Cannot work as an employee.
- Can own a company and receive dividends.
3. Investor
- Investment of US $200,000 in a business or property in Costa Rica.
- Must visit Costa Rica at least once a year.
- Can claim spouse and dependents under 18 years of age.
- Income allowed from the project.
- Can own a company and receive dividends.
4. Representante Residency Program – Costa Rica
- Applicant must be director of a company meeting certain requirements, such as employing a minimum number of local workers as established by the labor law, with financial statements certified by a Public Accountant.
- Must visit Costa Rica at least once a year.
- Can claim spouse and dependents under 18 years of age.
- Can earn an income from the company.
- Can own a company and receive income.
5. Permanent Residency Costa Rica
- First-degree relative status with a Costa Rican Citizen (through marriage to citizen or having a Costa Rican child) OR may apply after three years in another status.
- Must visit Costa Rica at least once a year.
- Can claim spouse and dependents under 18 years of age.
- Can work.
- Can own a company and receive income.
Bear in mind, Costa Rica’s official language is Spanish, and therefore any documents you have to present will most likely need to either be in Spanish or get translated into Spanish by the Costa Rican consulate (no one else) in the country where the document was issued, or here in Costa Rica by an “official” translator for the specific language to Spanish.
