About Costa Rica Citizenship and Residency

Costa Rica offers a residency by investment program. Every residency by investment program is different and what you obtain from your investment is not always the same. Here’s what you need to know about Costa Rica’s residency by investment program.

 

Types of Visa

There are several options if you are considering applying for residency in Costa Rica. Pensionados, rentistas and inversionistas can claim their spouses and children under 18 as dependents. A child between 18 and 25 can be a dependent if he/she is enrolled in a university.

 

1. Investor Visa (Inversionista)

Costa Rica grants a temporary residency visa under the category of “inversionista”, to foreign nationals willing to immigrate to the country, and who have made an investment.

Under this category, the principal applicant is allowed to obtain residency for a spouse and children as dependents.

• Temporary residency under the Investor Category is valid for two years.
• It can be renewed for additional two-year periods, as long as you keep the project you invested in (business, home, etc) and must prove that you have lived in the country at least 6 months per year, continuously or discontinuously.
• After three years of holding temporary residency, you will become eligible for permanent residency.

 

The required investment amount:

• $150,000 USD in qualifying projects: real estate, stocks, or securities
• $100,000 USD in a forestry project

 

投資オプション:

New Business 

• Investment Amount: $150,000
• This category is available for people who will invest in a new business. Whether it is a hotel, a restaurant, a factory, a service company, or any other business, you will qualify for this category
• This category requires setting up a business plan

 

Existing Business

• Investment Amount: $150,000
• This category is available for people who purchase an existing business, whether it is purchasing the whole business or just part of it.
• Purchasing part of a business refers to when you purchase some stocks or shares of an existing company. Regardless of the number of shares that you acquire.

 

Real Estate/Vehicles

• Investment Amount: $150,000
• Under this category, you will qualify if you purchase real estate and/or vehicles. Regardless of whether it is a condo, a lot, a home, farmland, cars, motorcycles, or boats as long as you invest the required amount, you will then qualify.

 

Forestry Projects

• Investment Amount: $100,000
• This option is available for people who invested in a forestry project, whether it is for lumbering, preservation, or regeneration. This option requires having all the appropriate permits from the environmental agency (SETENA) and the local municipality as well.

 

2. Retiree (Pensionado)

• This program applies to any person who is already retired from his/her usual occupation and who is already receiving pension benefits.
• To apply for residency as a Pensionado you must demonstrate at least $US 1,000 per month of guaranteed pension payments from a government or business, social security, or another fixed-income retirement plan. Article 81, Law 8764
• Once approved, the resident agrees to live in Costa Rica for at least one (1) day per year.
• Can claim spouse and dependents under 18 years of age.
• Cannot work as an employee.
• Can own a company and receive dividends.

 

3. Legal Resident (Rentista)

This program applies to individuals who :

• not yet retired
•  do not need to work while living in Costa Rica
• are receiving guaranteed, unearned income of $2,500 USD per month from investments, savings, or other sources. Article 82, Law 8764
• can prove that the non-earned income is guaranteed to be received for at least a period of 24 months (2 years)
• Can claim spouse and dependents under 18 years of age.
• Cannot work as an employee.
• Can own a company and receive dividends.

 

The most common method used to prove the unearned income is by means of a notarized letter from a bank or financial institution indicating the applicant has at least $60,000 USD ($2,500 x 24 months) in a long-term account such as a CD, and that the applicant agrees to withdraw and transfer to Costa Rica $2,500 per month for the next 24 months.

Note: Income from salary or wages, or any form of employment does not qualify as unearned income and it cannot be used to apply for Rentista status.

永住権

Permanent residency is much more preferred over temporary residency in Costa Rica. Permanent residents only have to visit Costa Rica once a year for 72 hours to keep their permanent residency active and in good status.

The “permanent” residency must be renewed every five years. Each permanent residency application is for one person, so your wife and your dependents must file separate application forms.

After you’ve been a permanent resident for seven years you qualify for citizenship in Costa Rica. Citizenship in Costa Rica gives the applicant a second passport. 

 

Benefits Of The Costa Rica Residency By Investment Program

1. Import duty exemption on the import of your household items.
2. Import of up to two vehicles for land transportation, air or sea. 
3. The income that you report as the basis for the application will be exempt from any Costa Rican income taxes. 
4. Exemption of 20% of the total real estate transfer tax when you purchase real estate.
5. Residency provides you with legal status in Costa Rica: You will never run the risk of being turned away at the border.
6. The process of certifying your home driver’s license, or the homologación de licencia.
7.  As a resident, you will pay into the Caja (pronounce ka-ha) and can access all its services, no additional payment is required.
8. As a resident, you’ll have a DIMEX ID card, which will allow you to complete every process a citizen can (except vote). 
9. Two-year residency, renewable for additional two-year periods.
10. Upgrade to permanent residency after three years.
11. A spouse and dependents will be included.

 

Costa Rica Residency Requirements And Qualifications

• A completed application form available from the immigration office
• A letter explaining why you are seeking residency.
• A receipt showing you have deposited money for your application in the government account of the Banco de Costa Rica.
• Two passport photos
• Proof of fingerprinting by the Ministerio de Seguridad Publica (Ministry of Public Safety)
• Proof of registration with your country’s embassy in Costa Rica
• Birth certificate, with Apostille (a certificate from your own government that authenticates the legal status of the document)
• Police record, with Apostille
• Certified document showing you receive at least $1,000 from social security or another government-guaranteed pension. This will vary depending on the type of residency you apply for, and further documents may be required.

手順とタイムライン

ステップ1： Check the list of requirements

 ステップ2： Have all of the documents up to date. This detail is important so there will not be an inconvenience when the time comes to present them.

 ステップ 3: Once you have checked the requirements and are completed and up to date like the visa, you can go to the Platform of Services of the central offices of the Department of Immigration or the regional offices to present your application.

 ステップ 4: In the Platform or Services, you should indicate to the office that is at the desk that this is your first application for residency.

 ステップ 5: The official will hand you a receipt depending on the application, to show that you have been assisted.

 ステップ 6: Wait to be attended.

 ステップ 7: When it is your turn, turn in all of the documents to the person who assists you in the Platform or regional office. They will review them and enter them into the system.

 ステップ 8: The person who assists you will hand you a paper that shows your personal information, your file number, and the documents that you have presented. Review it to make sure that all of the information is correct.

 ステップ 9: When the file is complete, the department takes 90 days to communicate the application result.

 ステップ 10: If you are missing any of the requirements, you will be given 10 working days to present the documents that you are due.

 Step 11: If you need more than 10 days to complete the documents, you should make a written request before the 10 days have passed in order to extend the deadline.

 Step 12: After the three months have passed, if you included a fax number in your application, you will receive an answer to your application through fax. If not, you should appear at the Platform of Services and ask the receptionist about your application status.

Once you have been approved you will receive a resident id card which is commonly referred to as a “cedula”. Renewals are required yearly and cost $35-$125 per year depending on status.

私たちのサービス

プライバシーワールドは、居住および/または市民権のプロセスを取得しようとしているだけでなく、私たちの専門家が次のことを行うための合法的な方法を見つけ出すことで、誰にでもサービスを提供します。

• ニーズに最適なソリューションを見つけてください。
• 目標の達成に役立つ戦略を特定して展開します。
• 最善の解決策や弁護士を探すことなく、支援が必要な国の人々のネットワークを活性化してください。私たちは、私たちが支持するプライバシーのガイドラインと原則を注意深く精査し、合格したすべての国の認可された人々とのみ協力します。
• 官僚的形式主義を切り抜け、プロセスを促進することに焦点を当てます。
• あなたのケースについてあなたと適切なコミュニケーションを提供します。
  …。そして何よりも：あなたの居住地または市民権を取得しながら、あなたのアイデンティティにプライバシーの追加の層を提供するための法的戦略を提供してください！

Privacy World can also help you with incorporating your company in Costa Rica, assisting in getting you settled in the country and coordinating with you so that this experience will be less of a hassle.

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