VISAS, RESIDENCES, PERMITS | Embajada de Costa Rica en DC (2024)

FAQs

How much money do you need to get residency in Costa Rica? ›

Costa Ricans are welcoming and friendly. The essential requirement for applying as a rentier ('rentista') resident is that the applicant, including their family group (either spouse or partner, parents, single siblings and children), must receive a monthly income of at least US$2,500 for a minimum period of two years.

Requirements for Pensionado Residency

To obtain Residency for Pension in Costa Rica, you need to fulfill certain requirements. These include: Proof of a permanent pension or retirement fund providing a monthly income of at least $1,000 USD. Reside in Costa Rica for at least one day per year.

(Either to return to your country or to go to another country). US passport must be valid for a minimum of one day from the day you enter Costa Rica. As a tourist US nationals cannot stay more than 180 days. For a stay longer than 180 days a residence permit must be established.

How Can I Become a Permanent Resident in Costa Rica? You can become a permanent resident in Costa Rica after two or three years with a temporary residence permit. Moreover, you can become a permanent resident immediately if you have a Costa Rican family member related by blood.

By acquiring a property, with a minimum threshold of $200,000 to $250,000, you can become eligible for the resident investor visa category. This means that by owning real estate in Costa Rica, you'll have legal residency that will allow you to perform almost all activities that a Costa Rican citizen can do.

Before relocating to Costa Rica long term, it's crucial to understand the residence and visa regulations. American citizens can visit as tourists for up to 90 days without a visa. However, if planning to stay longer or obtain residency, navigating Costa Rica's immigration process is necessary.

Cost of living, of course, depends on lifestyle. But in many ways Costa Rica is much more affordable than back home. A single person can live on between $1,600 and $2,000 a month. Some single people scrape by on considerably less, and others spend hundreds of dollars more, depending on their lifestyle.

Quepos/Manuel Antonio

Quepos and Manuel Antonio are sister cities located on Costa Rica's Central Coast. This part of the country is breathtaking, and there is a good reason why expats are drawn here. Quepos is home to a world-class marina, Pez Vela, in one of the most spectacular settings in the world.

Retiring in Costa Rica - FAQ

You can live comfortably on $1,600 to $2,000 per month as an individual or $2,000 to $3,000 per month as a couple — so a million dollars would buy you decades of comfortable living.

Both US citizens and foreign nationals can apply for a Costa Rica retirement Visa. For Americans, travelling to Costa Rica is not difficult because it is only a short flight away. But in order to stay and take use of your retirement once you're there, you'll need the necessary documentation.

What is the 2 year visa for Costa Rica? ›

Rentista visa, which is valid for 2 years (and can be extended) but requires them to pay tax, or. Inversionista visa, which requires foreigners to make an investment of at least $100,000–150,000 in Costa Rica to be granted a temporary 2-year stay.

Testing and Approval Process.

The citizenship process typically takes ten to twelve months for resolution and official approval. Dual citizenship is permitted, allowing individuals to hold citizenship in both their home country and Costa Rica.

To maintain residence status, residents must keep their investment or continue to receive a monthly pension or income (depending on the chosen program option), visit Costa Rica once a year (for at least one day), and maintain their social security registration. The processing time is nine to twelve months.

If you overstay, you can be banned from coming back for three times the period you overstayed. This can make it tough to visit Costa Rica again or get visas for other places. It's best to follow Costa Rica's immigration laws. If you need more time, look into legal options to extend your stay before your visa runs out.

With housing costs and consumer prices much lower than in the U.S., it's easy to stretch your dollars and live like a king in Costa Rica. In fact, most people should be able to live relatively well on just $2,000 a month in Costa Rica.

Obtaining Costa Rica residency is one of the most important steps if you are considering moving to Costa Rica full time. To gain permanent residency, you must first obtain temporary residency and this takes about 18-24 months.