THE IMMIGRATION LAW

If you want to live permanent in Costa Rica, there are several ways to get a residential permit, which are described in short. First, you will always receive a permission for one year, which can be turned into a permanent permission some years later.

Necessary documents:

• a pre-certified police record (without entry)
• a pre-certified birth record (also from wife and children)
• a pre-certified marriage certificate
• a certified copy of your passport (all pages)
• 12 passport pictures in front view

All documents have to be originals and need to be certified by the administration of your district and from the Costarican embassy in your country. The costs are about $30 for each document. 

Possibilities to get a permanent residency permission:

1. As "Pensionado" (Pensioner)

This programm was always popular. Before 1992, pensioners could even import there items tax free. However, even if this is not possible anymore, this way of immigrating is still the fastest and best.
Pensioners have to prove an income of at least $600 per month, which comes from a retirement insurance for life time. To become a pensionado, you have to fill out an application form. You get this form either at the tourist board of San José or from "Costa Rica Immigration" (CRI), a highly recommended company dealing with immigration work. If all your papers are complete, the process takes about half a year.

2. As "Rentista" (foreigner with stable regular income)

Rentistas have to prove an income of at least $800 per month for the time of 5 years. A bank from the home country has to send this amount every month. Other regulations like pensioners.

Advise: Neither the pensioner, nor the rentista is allowed to work for a Costarican company. Only working as a stockholder or member of the board of directors is allowed. Furthermore, they have to stay in Costa Rica for at least 4 month per year. Under certain circumstances, there are excepts. 

3. As Investor

If you can not retire yet, but have plenty of money, you are invited to become an investor  in the economy of Costa Rica. You have to stay in the country for at least 6 month a year.  90 percent of the workers of your new company have to be Costaricans. You have to prove an investment of at least $200.000,- in one of the following fields:

• Spices
• Tropical fruits
• Fresh vegetables
• Prepared food
• Wood or wood products
• Leather or leather goods
• Industrial mining projects
• Tropical plants or flowers
• Farming or forestry with industrial use
• Production of export goods

If your project is related to tourism or ecology (or other special projects of national interest) the necessary investment is only $50.000,-.

Besides the common documents, you need the proof of investment. The applications for investment go to the ,,Center of Promotion of Investment" (CENPRO) and the migration office. Several month can pass until you have the papers and progress is less secure than with the pensioners. 

4. In case of family relations

If a foreigner marries a Costarican, the right to get the residential permission is part of the celebration. However, things do not go automatically, the bride or groom has to fill out an application also.
If your relationship is different, like for example if your mother in law would be Costarican only, but her daughter (your bride) would be American, there is no way anymore to receive a permit, because of changes in the law.
How you can see, it is not so easy to get a permit, why we recommend to take a lawyer for the whole process. Just make sure, they do not overcharge you.

Advise: Always look for the help of an organisation like CRI (Costa Rica Immigration). It is well worth to spend the money as they are taking care of your documents, visits to the immigration office, translations, and so on. You will save much time and money at the end and of course, you will not loose your nerves.

It is important to know, that the old trick to leave to Panama for 3 days and come back in order to get another 90 day legal stay is not as easy as it used to be. Costa Rica does not like this behavior and it can happen to you that you get deported. Besides, a legal residency is important to open bank accounts, to get loans or to be allowed to work. So do not try to get around it.

If you have more questions, send us an Email: service@costaricareisen.com

Working permits

If you are neither retired nor have big savings, but still want to stay in Costa Rica, you will have to work. Without work no money and without money no bread to eat - and you also have to eat in paradise.
A typical case is that someone visits Costa Rica as a tourist for some weeks, falls in love with the country and wants to stay and work here. If this happens to you, I can recommend to resist and always go along with the law, since the governement takes it serious. And even if you would find a job, your income would be only about $300 a month, which is not much. Prefer to stay as a tourist, enjoy the country for a while and return to your home country, if you do not meet the following possibilities.
There are not many people without a job in Costa Rica. Even in periods of less economical growth, Ticos and Ticas work hard for little money. Neither the governement nor the people like that foreigners come to take jobs away.

Under some circumstances you can get a working permit:

• as a scientist
• as trainer for sports team
• as artist (or showmaster)
• as priest
• if you marry a Costarican
• as a student (if necessary - limited for 4 years)
• as a member of a multinational company
• as doctor or Schwester (except - unextensional)
• bilingual professors and specialists (except - unextensional)

All permits are issued for only 6 months, but can be extendes to up to two years.

Advise: If you do not cover any of these possibilities, buy some stocks of a company being registered in Costa Rica. As stockholder you may get a working permit.

There is a special program which allows people from Nicaragua to work during the harvest of fruits, vegetables and coffee for 6 months in Costa Rica. A nice gesture of Costa Rica to help their neighbors which have a high unemployment rate of 60%.

Exept in the last case mentioned, every person wanting to come to live in Costa Rica has to take care of the nessesary paper work before departing the home country!
 

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