Residency Requirements and Classifications in Costa Rica

20 March 2024

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If you're thinking about moving to Costa Rica and also have no idea what the mandatory residency procedures are, you've arrived at the right place. With regards to applying for residency in Costa Rica, there are general and specific requirements that require to be filled and documents that must be submitted. You need to submit any request for residency in Costa Rica to the Costa Rican Consulate in your country. We recommend you begin this technique at least 3 months prior to your anticipated departure.

The following are the overall requirements that need to be filled for any residency application in Costa Rica:

1. You should fill out an application addressed to the Director General of Migration. If you can't be there personally, you should grant a special power of attorney - notarized, authenticated, and in Spanish - to a representative in america who will sign the residence application form and submit all the documents to the Consulate.

2. You should grant special authority to a representative (apoderado) by submitting a document, signed by you and notarized and authenticated in the Consulate, that presents the personal details of the representative and the address to which they receive notifications within the judicial perimeter of San Jose.

3. Birth Certificate that clearly shows the parents' name (required for all applicants, spouse, and dependent children around 18 years or around 25 if a university student with a proof enrollment)*

4. Police Certificate (not more than six months) issued by hawaii where you have lived for the past two years (necessary for all applicants, spouse, and all dependent children aged 18 to 25)*

5. Applications received after November 15th, 2002 will require an FBI identification record. (Necessary for all applicants, spouse, and all dependent children aged 18 to 25)

6. Marriage Certificate (if found)*

7. Photocopy of the passport certified by the Consulate or certified and authenticated by a Notary Public (necessary for all applicants, spouse, and any dependent children)

8. Four recent forehead passport-size photographs (required for all applicants, spouse, and any dependent children)

9. Eligible individuals can claim their spouses, children under 18, and teenagers with disabilities as dependents. A kid between 18 and 25 can be considered dependents if they are signed up for a university.

10. In the case of a family group, a person file is required for each member. Parents should sign applications with respect to their minor children.

11. For practicing a profession, you should provide your diplomas. For pursuing other professional activities, relevant documentation - such as courses and studies undertaken - ought to be submitted as well.

*All documents listed in 3, 4, and 6 must be authenticated by the Costa Rican Consulate and translated into Spanish. Before they're submitted to the Consulate, these documents must be notarized and in addition apostilled by the respective states where they originated.

You should send all the required documents first to the Consulate of one's jurisdiction to be checked. If the documents are complete, you - or your representative - will be asked to visit the Consulate for an interview and sign the application form you have previously sent.

The documents will be sent to Migration in Costa Rica, who'll contact your representative in Costa Rica. For this function, you will need to pay for the courier service.

As well as the general requirements mentioned above for residency application, you need to match the following specific requirements based on your immigration category. There is no need to send those documents alongside the ones mentioned previously. However, if they are missing, you - or your representative - will be notified once Migration receives and processes the documents sent by the Consulate. You can be given 10 days to perform those documents if they are issued in Costa Rica, or 30 days if they're issued abroad. Please be aware that some documents ought to be authenticated by the Costa Rican Consulate first.

Retirees (Pensionados):

12. If you're a retiree, you have to be receiving at the very least US $600 per month from the qualified retirement plan or a lifetime pension source outside Costa Rica.

13. Original Income Certificate from the business, government, or institution guaranteeing that the monthly income will be sent to Costa Rica in your name

14. You might demonstrate that you receive the minimum level of US $600 from interests or dividends from investments on forex deposited in a Costa Rican government bank.

15. THE AUTHORITIES Certificate mentioned above ought to be issued by hawaii where you have lived going back six months.

16. The foreign currency you obtain as a monthly pension should be converted into the Costa Rican currency (colones). This could be certified by the Costa Rican Central Bank or any other government bank.

17. You (as well as your dependents) cannot work and/or earn an income in Costa Rica. It is possible to, however, administer your own investments but with out a salary. In addition, a physical presence in Costa Rica for at the least 4 months every year is required.

(Rentistas):

12. If you're a rentista, you should prove that you would receive income from an investment such as a certificate of deposit or annuity of at the very least US $1,000 per month per person (or couple) and US $500 per children under 18 in exactly the same family group.

13. https://www.discoverpuravida.com/five-things-to-do-in-dominical-costa-rica/ from the banking institution (in a foreign country or in Costa Rica) guaranteeing that they hold sufficient funds in a well balanced and permanent account to supply an income folks $1,000 per month for at the very least five years and that the monthly income will undoubtedly be delivered to Costa Rica in your name.

14. Your income should be converted into Costa Rican colones, whose exchange rate is set up by the Central Bank.

15. You could have a deposit of US $60,000 in an approved Costa Rican bank to meet up the federal government requirements for the residency status.

16. You (and your dependents) cannot work and/or earn an income in Costa Rica. It is possible to, however, administer your personal investments but with out a salary. In addition, a physical presence in Costa Rica for a minimum of 4 months each year is required.

Investor (Inversionista):

12. If you are an investor, you will be required to invest at the very least US $50,000 having an approved organization in a field such as for example tourism or export businesses.

13. You can be required to invest US $100,000 in a reforestation project.

14. In other styles of business, an amount of US $200,000 invested will be required.

15. As an investor, you need to spend at least six months each year in Costa Rica.

Foreign Relatives of a Costa Rican Citizen:

12. For those who have first-degree family members such as parents, siblings, spouses, or children who are citizens of Costa Rica, you can apply for permanent residency.

13. If you're married to a Costa Rican citizen, the Marriage Certificate ought to be issued by the Civil Registry (Registro Civil) in Costa Rica. In case of children or siblings born in Costa Rica, Birth Certificates should also be issued by the Civil Registry in Costa Rica.

14. You need to submit a photocopy of the ID (c�dula de identidad) of the Costa Rican citizen who is related to you.

Students:

12. If you're a student looking to obtain a Student Visa, you need to provide: (a) proof enrollment in an educational private or public center identified by Costa Rica, (b) relevant academic diplomas authenticated by the Consulate, and (c) proof of sufficient economic resources for the duration of the educational program.

Temporary Workers (Work Visa):

12. The next individuals might obtain a temporary work permit in Costa Rica: (a) scientists, professionals, teachers, technicians, and specialized staff hired by companies or institutions located in Costa Rica and (b) businessmen and board members of national and international companies.

13. The employing company or institution should provide a document describing the: (a) functions to be undertaken by the employee, (b) length of the contract, (c) salary or wages to be received, and (d) why they need to employ that particular individual (justification of employment).

14. THE AUTHORITIES Certificate mentioned above ought to be issued by the state/place where you have resided going back five years.

All the residency status will require, upon approval, US $300 per person as a return trip guarantee deposit in addition to US $150 per person for the issuance of an ID card.

Moving to Costa Rica might seem just like a paperwork nightmare. These classifications and the associated process for every are more for the "do-it-yourself" sort of person; however, it usually is very easy and simple by making use of a lawyer who specializes in this process. All the steps involved are very procedural, and all you need to do is take them one step at a time.

Pura Vida!

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