Costa Rica

RESIDENCY APPLICATIONS

Canadian Citizens can enter as tourists in Costa Rica (fulfilling all the tourism entry requirements) and have up to 90 days (or before the expiration of their tourism stay time established by the Immigration Officer of Costa Rica at the time of entry) to present their residency application to change their immigration status from tourism to residency. This would have a cost of US$200 for the change of Immigration status.

Once the residency application has been presented, the person can remain in Costa Rica until a resolution has been made.

If the applicant has to leave Costa Rica before a resolution is made, the person will need to comply with the tourism entry requirements and re-enter as a tourist. If the person has been outside of Costa Rica for more than 6 months, it can be possible that a new criminal records certificate will be asked for his residency file.

CORE REQUIREMENTS FOR ANY TYPE OF RESIDENCY:

Regardless of the type of residency you are applying for, the following are the core requirements that will need to be fulfilled. 

1. Filled out and signed form (you can sign it in front of an Immigration Officer in Costa Rica or present it with the signature already certified by a Costa Rican public notary).

2. Signed Letter to the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería stating the reasons for applying for residency, containing the following data: complete name, nationality, age, profession, address and notification information (email, fax). You can sign it in front of an Immigration Officer in Costa Rica or present it with the signature already certified by a Costa Rican public notary.

3. Payment of US $50 in the equivalent in colones with indication of the applicant´s name, to be done in the account 242480-0 del Banco de Costa Rica.

4. Payment of 125 colones and 2.50 colones per page presented to the residency file, with indication of the applicant´s name, to be done in the account 242480-0 del Banco de Costa Rica.

5. 2 passport photos

6. Finger prints taken by the Ministry of Security of Costa Rica. For people over 12 years of age.

7. Inscription/registration in the Consular Registry of the Consulate of Canada in Costa Rica.

8. Birth certificate legalized and translated to Spanish

9. Criminal records certificate legalized and translated to Spanish of the place where the person has lived in the last 3 years or country of origin. If the place is not the country of origin, a copy of the legal residency in that country must be shown.

10. Photocopy of the whole passport certified by a public notary or giving the original and copy to the Immigration officer of Costa Rica to confront them.

11. Birth certificates of any underage daughters or sons or spouse, as well as a marriage certificate, must be presented legalized and translated to Spanish to apply for the residency of any children and/or spouse.

Note: Documents to be prepared abroad are the ones in points 8, 9 and 11. The rest are fulfilled in Costa Rica.

SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR EACH TYPE OF RESIDENCY APPLICATION

In addition to the core residency application requirements, each residency category has a specific requirement to confirm the eligibility of the applicant under the chosen category. All the different categories can be found in the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería website:

The most frequently requested are:

Pensioner:

Documental proof of having a life-income of US$1.000 per month generated by a pension plan abroad. Please note that it is asked by the Immigration Authority that the documentary proof clearly and specifically states that the pension is for life. Legalized and translated to Spanish.

Rentist:

Documental proof of having a stable and permanent monthly income (not savings) of at least US$2500 per month, during the next 2 years. Legalized and translated to Spanish.

Costa Rican underage child:

Birth certificate provided by the Civil Registry of Costa Rica proving the relationship.

Specialized worker under contract:

Contract of employment from a Costa Rican employer according to articles 23 and 24 of the Labour Code.
Under oath declaration of the employer indicating the specialized functions and knowledge of the person to be fitted for the job. Legal Identification of the company/employer that requests the working permit for the foreigner, with no more than one month of issuance as well as confirmation that the hiring company is up to date with their legal obligations (sanitary and health permits, operating permit and taxes, as applicable)

Costa Rican spouse:

Marriage certificate provided by the Civil Registry of Costa Rica or certified Judicial resolution in the event of common law. Individual interview in Costa Rica with the Migration Authority with both spouses to prove mutual knowledge of one another. Documents proving the mutual knowledge of the couple. Photocopy of the Costa Rica identification card of the Costa Rica spouse. Certified by a Costa Rican public notary or present the original to the Immigration Officer in Costa Rica.

Investment:

It comprises many options of investments, being the most common the investment in real estate in Costa Rica with a property valued in at least US $200,000.00.
The documents presented to confirm the investment in real estate are: A detailed description of the property investment provided along with: A certificate of the Property Public Registry of Costa Rica confirming the registration of the property A certificate from the “municipalidad” (local municipal authority where your property is located) stating for how much your property has been declared as valued and thus how much municipal and property taxes you are paying. For that, you have to ask your local municipality for the certificate. A certificate of having taxes up to date from the Ministry of Revenue, if the property is registered under a company name..