Costa Rica Residency
Temporary residency through an investment from USD 150,000, a stable monthly income or a lifetime pension, with permanent residency available after three years.
- Minimum
- No capital investment
- Timeline
- 7 to 12 months
- Residence
- Minimal
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- Minimum
- No capital investment
- Timeline
- 7 to 12 months
- Outcome
- Temporary residency · Path to permanent residency · Path to citizenship
- Presence
- Minimal
- Family
- Spouse + children
The opportunity
Why Costa Rica
Costa Rica has no citizenship by investment program. It offers three main residency routes, each built on what you bring: capital, income or a pension. All three begin with temporary residency, and after three years you can apply for permanent residency with no restrictions.
Inversionista asks for an investment from USD 150,000, in shares of an active Costa Rican company or in real estate in your personal name. Rentista asks for proof of at least USD 2,500 a month of permanent, stable income for at least two years. Pensionado asks for a lifetime pension of at least USD 1,000 a month.
Residency is not citizenship. Naturalization is a separate process that rewards living in the country: seven years of residence, or five for Central American, Spanish and Ibero-American nationals by birth. Temporary residency under these routes does not include permission to work in Costa Rica.
Who it suits
May fit. May not.
Costa Rica suits applicants who want a residence permit. The two lists show where it fits and where another program serves better.
May fit if you want
- Investors who can place USD 150,000 or more in shares of an active Costa Rican company or in real estate registered in their own name.
- Applicants with at least USD 2,500 a month of permanent, stable income for at least two years.
- Retirees with a lifetime pension of at least USD 1,000 a month.
May not fit if you need
- Applicants who want citizenship by investment: Costa Rica has no such program, and naturalization takes seven years of genuinely living in the country.
- Applicants who plan to work in Costa Rica: temporary residency under these routes does not include permission to work, and running your own business there also needs DGME authorization.
- Investors who need the Inversionista amount fixed in law before they commit: the regulation in force states USD 150,000, but Law 9996 set it for the law's own term, so Wealthy Expat asks DGME to confirm in writing the amount it applies before any capital is committed.
Qualifying routes
Available routes
Minimums differ materially by route, so there is no single universal figure. Amounts are indicative and confirmed with the authority before any engagement.
- Business investment
$150,000
Inversionista: shares in a Costa Rican company
Investment in shares of an active Costa Rican company. Family: the spouse, children under 18, adult children with a disability, and single children under 25 who are studying and economically dependent.
About 12 months
- Real estate
$150,000
Inversionista: real estate in your name
Real estate registered in your personal name. Family as for the company-shares route.
About 12 months
- Income requirement
No capital investment
Rentista: income of USD 2,500 a month
At least USD 2,500 a month of permanent, stable income for at least two years, evidenced by a bank certificate, or by a certificate from a public accountant registered in Costa Rica where a bank cannot certify it. A bank deposit paid back in monthly instalments does not count as income. Family: spouse, children under 25 and adult children with a disability.
About 7 months
- Income requirement
No capital investment
Pensionado: lifetime pension of USD 1,000 a month
A lifetime pension of at least USD 1,000 a month, evidenced by a document from the competent authority, apostilled or legalized if issued abroad. Family: spouse, children under 25 and adult children with a disability.
About 7 months
What it costs
Costa Rica residency costs
What the program costs beyond the qualifying investment, item by item.
Qualifying investment
No capital investment
What the investment covers
- Inversionista
- An investment from USD 150,000, held as shares of an active Costa Rican company or as real estate registered in your personal name. Law 9996 set the amount, and the regulation in force (Executive Decree 43926 of 2023) still states it and repealed the old USD 200,000 rule; because the law set it for the law's own term, Wealthy Expat asks DGME to confirm in writing the amount it applies before any capital is committed.
- Rentista
- No capital: proof of at least USD 2,500 a month of permanent, stable income for at least two years. A bank deposit paid back in monthly instalments does not count as income, and no official rule sets a USD 60,000 deposit option, so Wealthy Expat confirms with DGME in writing before recommending a deposit-based application.
- Pensionado
- No capital: a lifetime pension of at least USD 1,000 a month.
Costs beyond the investment
- Government fees, main applicantApplying from inside Costa Rica after entering as a tourist: USD 50 application fee and USD 200 change of category fee, then USD 30 and USD 30 for the residence card request and issue and USD 25 for the Migration Social Fund when the card is issued. From abroad there is no USD 200 fee, so USD 135. For a couple with two children under 18 these fees come to USD 1,290 applying from inside Costa Rica, or USD 490 from abroad. The USD 50 and USD 200 are paid before filing.$335
- Government fees, spouseThe same as the main applicant: USD 335 applying from inside Costa Rica, USD 135 from abroad.$335
- Government fees, each child under 18USD 310 applying from inside Costa Rica, USD 110 from abroad: minors pay no Migration Social Fund contribution.$310
- Government fees, each dependent child aged 18 or overAs for an adult: USD 335 applying from inside Costa Rica, USD 135 from abroad.$335
- Residence card, guarantee deposit, stamp duty and health insuranceThe cost of the residence card is set in the approval resolution; a one-time guarantee deposit, capped at the price of a ticket home, is held rather than spent; stamp duty is CRC 125 plus CRC 2.50 per page; and residents pay monthly national health insurance (CCSS) contributions. No single official figure is published for these.
- Wealthy Expat consultancy feeOn request.
- Wealthy Expat service fee, main applicantUSD 5,000 per adult. 50% of the service fee is due to open the file, and the remaining 50% at your appointment in Costa Rica.$5,000
- Wealthy Expat service fee, spouseUSD 5,000 per adult.$5,000
- Wealthy Expat service fee, each child under 18USD 2,500 per dependent child.$2,500
- Wealthy Expat service fee, each child aged 18 to 25The guide lists USD 5,000 per adult and USD 2,500 per dependent child, and does not say which applies to a child aged 18 to 25.
- Translation, English to SpanishUSD 50 per document of up to two pages. Every document in a foreign language must be translated into Spanish.
- Document costs in your home countryCertificates, apostilles and courier are paid in your home country and are not included in the figures above.
Professional fees are quoted individually after eligibility review. Government fees change without notice; every figure is verified before engagement.
Qualifying investment
No capital investment
- Inversionista
- An investment from USD 150,000, held as shares of an active Costa Rican company or as real estate registered in your personal name. Law 9996 set the amount, and the regulation in force (Executive Decree 43926 of 2023) still states it and repealed the old USD 200,000 rule; because the law set it for the law's own term, Wealthy Expat asks DGME to confirm in writing the amount it applies before any capital is committed.
- Rentista
- No capital: proof of at least USD 2,500 a month of permanent, stable income for at least two years. A bank deposit paid back in monthly instalments does not count as income, and no official rule sets a USD 60,000 deposit option, so Wealthy Expat confirms with DGME in writing before recommending a deposit-based application.
- Pensionado
- No capital: a lifetime pension of at least USD 1,000 a month.
- Government fees, main applicantApplying from inside Costa Rica after entering as a tourist: USD 50 application fee and USD 200 change of category fee, then USD 30 and USD 30 for the residence card request and issue and USD 25 for the Migration Social Fund when the card is issued. From abroad there is no USD 200 fee, so USD 135. For a couple with two children under 18 these fees come to USD 1,290 applying from inside Costa Rica, or USD 490 from abroad. The USD 50 and USD 200 are paid before filing.$335
- Government fees, spouseThe same as the main applicant: USD 335 applying from inside Costa Rica, USD 135 from abroad.$335
- Government fees, each child under 18USD 310 applying from inside Costa Rica, USD 110 from abroad: minors pay no Migration Social Fund contribution.$310
- Government fees, each dependent child aged 18 or overAs for an adult: USD 335 applying from inside Costa Rica, USD 135 from abroad.$335
- Residence card, guarantee deposit, stamp duty and health insuranceThe cost of the residence card is set in the approval resolution; a one-time guarantee deposit, capped at the price of a ticket home, is held rather than spent; stamp duty is CRC 125 plus CRC 2.50 per page; and residents pay monthly national health insurance (CCSS) contributions. No single official figure is published for these.
- Wealthy Expat consultancy feeOn request.
- Wealthy Expat service fee, main applicantUSD 5,000 per adult. 50% of the service fee is due to open the file, and the remaining 50% at your appointment in Costa Rica.$5,000
- Wealthy Expat service fee, spouseUSD 5,000 per adult.$5,000
- Wealthy Expat service fee, each child under 18USD 2,500 per dependent child.$2,500
- Wealthy Expat service fee, each child aged 18 to 25The guide lists USD 5,000 per adult and USD 2,500 per dependent child, and does not say which applies to a child aged 18 to 25.
- Translation, English to SpanishUSD 50 per document of up to two pages. Every document in a foreign language must be translated into Spanish.
- Document costs in your home countryCertificates, apostilles and courier are paid in your home country and are not included in the figures above.
Professional fees are quoted individually after eligibility review. Government fees change without notice; every figure is verified before engagement.
Requirements
Costa Rica residency requirements
Who can apply is set by six rules on the applicant, background and qualification; the checklist lists ten documents. A spouse, minor children and adult dependent children can join the same application.
Who can apply
Applicant
- Register with your own embassy in Costa Rica.United States: the STEP program. Canada: Registration of Canadians Abroad.
- Civil and police documents issued abroad must carry an apostille or be authenticated by the Costa Rican consulate in the issuing country, and every document in a foreign language must be translated into Spanish.Marriage certificates and police records are valid for six months from issue, so timing matters.
Background
- A national, fingerprint-based police record. Local or state reports are not accepted.United States: FBI federal background report. Canada: RCMP fingerprint-based report. Valid for six months from issue.
Qualification
- Inversionista: invest from USD 150,000 in shares of an active Costa Rican company or in real estate registered in your personal name.
- Rentista: proof of at least USD 2,500 a month of permanent, stable income for at least two years.Evidence: a certificate from a Costa Rican bank or from a bank in the country where the income originates, apostilled or legalized; where a bank cannot certify the income, a certificate from a public accountant registered in Costa Rica.
- Pensionado: a lifetime pension of at least USD 1,000 a month, evidenced by a document from the competent authority.Apostilled or legalized if issued abroad. For a private pension, Wealthy Expat confirms with DGME what it accepts.
Documents checklist
Family inclusion
Spouse
IncludedMinor children
IncludedAge limitUnder 18
Adult dependent children
IncludedAge limit18 to 24, or any age with a disability
Rentista and Pensionado: children under 25 and adult children with a disability. Inversionista: adult children with a disability, and single children under 25 who are studying and economically dependent. Dependents renew with the main applicant every two years.
How it works
How to get residency in Costa Rica
The application runs in four steps. Wealthy Expat estimates 7 to 12 months end to end; it is not an official processing time.
Choose the route and confirm the amount
Select Inversionista, Rentista or Pensionado. For Inversionista, Wealthy Expat asks DGME to confirm in writing the investment amount it applies before any capital is committed.
Prepare the file
Collect the core file and the route evidence of investment, income or pension. Civil and police documents issued abroad need an apostille or consular authentication, and every foreign-language document needs a Spanish translation.
Fingerprints and filing
Fingerprints are taken by the Ministry of Public Security in San José, and the file goes to DGME with each applicant’s fee receipts.
Ministry of Public Security and DGME
- Duration
- Wealthy Expat's estimate to approval: about 12 months for Inversionista, about 7 months for Rentista and Pensionado.
Permanent residency
After three years of temporary residency you can apply for permanent residency, with no minimum time in the country.
- Duration
- From year 3.
- Wealthy Expat estimate, end to end
- 7 to 12 months
Alternatives
Compared with alternatives
How Costa Rica compares with two other programs: Paraguay from $70,000 and Latvia from €50,000.
This program
Costa Rica Residency
- Minimum
- No capital investment
- Timeline
- 7 to 12 months
- Family
- Spouse + children
You are here
Paraguay Permanent Residency
- From
- $70,000
- Timeline
- 3 months
- Family
- Spouse + children
Latvia Golden Visa
- Minimum
- €50,000
- Timeline
- 1 to 3 months
- Family
- Spouse + children
Questions
Program FAQ
Short answers to seven questions about Costa Rica Residency.
No. Costa Rica has no citizenship by investment program. All three routes lead to temporary residency, then to permanent residency after three years. Citizenship comes later, by naturalization, after seven years of genuinely living in Costa Rica, or five for Central American, Spanish and Ibero-American nationals by birth.
Temporary residency under Inversionista, Rentista and Pensionado does not include permission to work in Costa Rica. Owning investments or a company is allowed; working in it, or other self-employed activity, needs DGME authorization, and Inversionistas and their dependents may not do paid work.
No minimum stay applies. Temporary residency is cancelled after more than two consecutive years outside Costa Rica and permanent residency after more than four, unless the absence is justified, and an absence of more than one year means a written explanation and a police certificate at renewal. Citizenship is different: naturalization requires genuinely living in Costa Rica.
A Spanish language examination, and a social studies examination on Costa Rican history and values by the Ministry of Public Education. Applicants aged 65 and over are exempt from both exams. You also need a clean criminal record in Costa Rica and in your country of origin, and a lawful profession or sufficient income to support yourself and your family.
Law 9996 set USD 150,000, and the regulation in force (Executive Decree 43926 of 2023) still states it and repealed the old USD 200,000 rule. Because the law set the amount for its own term, and its five-year window for incentives closed on 14 July 2026, Wealthy Expat asks DGME to confirm in writing the amount it applies before any capital is committed.
Residency status and tax residency are separate questions, assessed on their own facts. Wealthy Expat does not give tax advice; confirm your position with a licensed tax adviser.
Yes. After three years of temporary residency under Inversionista, Rentista or Pensionado, you can apply for permanent residency with no restrictions and no minimum time in the country. Permanent residency is cancelled after more than four consecutive years outside Costa Rica, unless the absence is justified. It is not citizenship: naturalization takes seven years of genuinely living in Costa Rica, or five for Central American, Spanish and Ibero-American nationals by birth.
Sources
Official sources
Checked against official sources on .
- Reglamento de Extranjería (Executive Decree 37112), current text (SINALEVI) (opens in a new tab)
- Law 9996 on incentives for investors, rentistas and pensionados (SINALEVI) (opens in a new tab)
- Executive Decree 43926 of 2023, regulation of Law 9996 (SINALEVI) (opens in a new tab)
- General Law of Migration and Aliens, Law 8764 (SINALEVI) (opens in a new tab)
- DGME Resolution DJUR-0045-02-2026-JM (SINALEVI) (opens in a new tab)
- DGME: residence requirements (archived copy of 20 June 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- DGME: Rentista and dependents requirements (archived copy, 2024) (opens in a new tab)
- DGME: Pensionado and dependents requirements (archived copy, 2024) (opens in a new tab)
Next step
Have your eligibility reviewed before you commit.
A specialist checks your profile against the current rules, confirms the right route and quotes the full cost picture. No documents are collected at this stage.
- Program: Costa Rica Residency, included automatically