Guidelines for Residency in Costa Rica

Categories of Residents: Immigration, and applications for residency are handled by the Costa Rican Tourist Board (ICT). Basically, they recognize three classes of legal residents:

1. Residente Pensionado. Retired people with pensions of $600 per month or more. This money must be deposited in a Costa Rican bank and proof shown to the government every year. No law says you cannot take the money out of the bank right away or that you have to spend all of it; you only have to prove you've brought that amount of dollars into the country. Some people deposit the full amount at the beginning of the year to get the requirement out of the way. For a married couple, the person without the retirement income is considered a dependent, no extra income is required.

2. Pensionado Rentista. This category is for those who are not old enough to retire, but want to live in Costa full time. Applicants must prove $1,000 a month income, deposited in a Costa Rican bank under the same rules as regular pensionados. The income must be guaranteed for at least five years, preferably coming from interest or dividends.

3. Rentista Inversionista. It requires a $100,000 investment in a business endorsed by the government as being in the national interest -- usually in projects related to tourism and reforestation. If the money is invested in an existing company, you need to submit the latest balance sheet of the company and a statement indicating its profit and loss situation. The attractive thing about the Rentista Inversionista option (for those who can afford it) is its simplicity. The $100,000 investment in an authorized reforestation project provides almost instant residency, as the residency I pre-approved with the investment. Another advantage is there is no minimum stay in Costa Rica to keep the residency status; the investor just needs to come into the country once a year for any period of time.

Residents of all statuses have the following benefits and requirements.

1. They have all the rights of citizenship except voting.

2. They can own and manage businesses, but aren't permitted to earn a salary from a Costa Rican employer or company.

3. They must reside in Costa Rica the equivalent of at least four months a year (not applicable to investor status. )

4. They must renew proof of stable and permanent income annually (not applicable to investor status.)

Making Application

The entire question of whether to become a legal resident or to visit using a tourist card is something that varies with the individual. Some feel that five or six months is all they want to stay, so why bother with the red tape of papers? Others plan on making Costa Rica their primary home and therefore see benefits in becoming residents. It all depends upon your circumstances.

To make an application, requires a deposit of about $100 and about $30 for fees, stamps and forms. It could take from a few months to a year before approval comes through, depending on how thorough your preparation and who is assisting you. In the meanwhile, your residency status is legal and won't be challenged.

Most people find it convenient to let an attorney or someone familiar with the process handle things for them. Yes, some individuals have done it on their own, but you'll hear sad tales of woe from those who have tried it without knowing what they were doing. Few people enjoy standing in line, facing the indifferent attitudes of some clerks or the hard-to-understand questions and information in Spanish.

In any event, the process of getting your resident papers is best started by you, right in your home country. It's much easier to get these at home than by mail from Costa Rica. The four main items you need are listed below, and in all cases must be done through your local Costa Rican Consulate. They charge about $40 per document.

1. Income Certification. This is the first and most important step; it's often complicated and difficult. Rules and proof of income differ between Pensionados and Rentistas. Social Security or other government pension money is the easiest to prove. Ask for a statement from the from the pension source that you have at least $600 a month pension, and have that notarized at a Costa Rican Consul in your country. If the pension is non-government, you'll need notarized letters that the pension is for life and two letters from bank officials testifying to the soundness of the company's pension plan.

The guarantee of income for rentistas is $1000 in interest and dividends from banks or investment houses. The decisions on whether your income qualifies is made on a case by case basis. You'll need statements guaranteeing that this income is guaranteed for at least five years, and you need to renew these guarantees every succeeding five years.

2. Birth Certificate. This is needed for you and one for each of your dependents.

3. Marriage Certificate.  Proof of previous divorce is not necessary.

4. Police Certificate of Good Conduct.  Obtain this at your last place of residence, and make this the last document you receive. Have them certify a set of fingerprints, as well; ask the Costa Rican Consulate for the necessary forms. Make the good conduct verification your last step, because it's only good for six months from time of certification. If you get this document first and then spend a lot of time with the other papers, it could expire before your application gets underway.

5. Bank References of institution sponsoring applicants pensionado status and certification of solvency by a Certified Public Account.

6. Validation and Translation of foreign documents, done by a Costa Rican Consulate and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Culture of Costa Rica.

You'll need 20 photographs for adults, (seven profile shots and 13 front) and 16 photos for minors (seven profile and only nine front shots). Several certified copies of your passport are required and you'll fill out a questionnaire of personal information. You may be required to take a physical exam. As a retiree, you'll have to sign a statement that you won't work for pay while in Costa Rica (without authorization) and that you'll spend at least four months a year in Costa Rica. (The months needn't be consecutive.

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