Residency Requirements and Classifications in Costa Rica

If you're interested in moving to Costa Rica and have no idea what the required residency procedures are, you've arrived at the right place. With regards to applying for residency in Costa Rica, you can find general and specific requirements that require to be filled and documents that must definitely be submitted. You need to submit any obtain residency in Costa Rica to the Costa Rican Consulate in your country. We recommend you begin this process at least a few months prior to your anticipated departure.

The following are the general 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 in person, you should grant a special power of attorney - notarized, authenticated, and in Spanish - to a representative in america who'll sign the residence application form and submit all the documents to the Consulate.

2. You need to grant special authority to a representative (apoderado) by submitting a document, signed by you and notarized and authenticated in the Consulate, that shows the personal information on 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 in case a university student with a proof of enrollment)*

4. Police Certificate (not older than half a year) issued by hawaii where you have lived for the past two years (required 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 (necessary for all applicants, spouse, and any dependent children)

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

10. In the case of a family group, an individual file is required for every member. Parents should sign applications on behalf of their minor children.

11. For practicing a profession, you need to provide your diplomas. For pursuing other professional activities, relevant documentation - such as courses and studies undertaken - should 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 also apostilled by the respective states in which they originated.

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

The documents will undoubtedly be delivered to Migration in Costa Rica, who will contact your representative in Costa Rica. For this function, you will have to purchase the courier service.

As well as the general requirements mentioned above for residency application, you need to fulfill the following specific requirements based on your immigration category. You do not have to send those documents alongside the ones mentioned above. However, if they're missing, you - or your representative - will be notified once Migration receives and processes the documents sent by the Consulate. You will be given 10 days to perform those documents if they are issued in Costa Rica, or 1 month if they're issued abroad. Please note that some documents should be authenticated by the Costa Rican Consulate first.

Check out here  (Pensionados):

12. If you are a retiree, you have to be receiving at the very least US $600 a month from a 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 quantity 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 receive as a monthly pension should be changed into the Costa Rican currency (colones). This could be certified by the Costa Rican Central Bank or any 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 personal investments but with out a salary. Furthermore, a physical presence in Costa Rica for a minimum of 4 months each year is required.

(Rentistas):

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

13. Original Income Certificate from the banking institution (in a foreign country or in Costa Rica) guaranteeing that they hold sufficient funds in a stable and permanent account to supply an income of US $1,000 monthly for at least five years and that the monthly income will undoubtedly be sent to Costa Rica in your name.

14. Your income should be changed into Costa Rican colones, whose exchange rate is established by the Central Bank.

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

16. You (as well as your dependents) cannot work and/or earn a salary in Costa Rica. It is possible to, however, administer your personal investments but without 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 end up 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 may be necessary to invest US $100,000 in a reforestation project.

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

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

Foreign Relatives of a Costa Rican Citizen:

12. In case you have first-degree family members such as for example parents, siblings, spouses, or children who are citizens of Costa Rica, it is possible to make an application for permanent residency.

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

Students:

12. If you're students looking to get yourself a Student Visa, you should provide: (a) proof enrollment within an educational private or public center recognized by Costa Rica, (b) relevant academic diplomas authenticated by the Consulate, and (c) proof sufficient economic resources for the duration of the educational program.

Temporary Workers (Work Visa):

12. The following individuals might obtain a temporary work permit in Costa Rica: (a) scientists, professionals, teachers, technicians, and specialized staff hired by companies or institutions based 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 have to employ that one individual (justification of employment).

14. THE AUTHORITIES Certificate mentioned above should be issued by the state/place where you have resided for the last five years.

All the residency status will demand, 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 may seem like a paperwork nightmare. These classifications and the associated process for each are more for the "do it yourself" sort of person; however, it can be very easy and simple by using a lawyer who specializes in this process. All of the steps involved are very procedural, and all you need to do is take them one step at the same time.

Pura Vida!