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IMMIGRATION
Main Requirement for the Rentista Category
The Rentista Housing Category is for individuals earning at least $2,500 per month (or $30,000 USD per year). There are two options to qualify for this residency.
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Open a trust or an account in a Costa Rican bank with $60,000. The same rules as option 1 will apply. However, in this case, you will need to open a second Costa Rica account where $2,500 will go each month after being approved for residency. The language of the letter must be exactly as required by Immigration. By joining our services.
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Create trust fund or account in your country with $60,000. $60,000 will cover a family unit, that is, spouse and children. The bank or financial institution you use abroad will need to provide a letter stating you have the money and that $2,500 will be deposited monthly for 2 months, into a Costa Rica account upon approval residence. The language of the letter must be exactly as required by Immigration. By joining our services.
Anyway, once residency is approved, $2,500 must be deposited into a Costa Rican account every month for 24 months.
Rentista Category Application Process by steps:
The application process for temporary residency as a tenant takes 12 to 15 months, depending on the processing time of the Costa Rican Immigration Service (DGME).), it takes about 9 months to parse the request.
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Document Procurement
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Filing the Application
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Analysis & Decision by the DGME
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Approval notice
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CCSS Registration & DIMEX request
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Delivery of your DIMEX.
Temporary Residence with fixed income (Rentistas)
If you or your spouse earn at least $2,500 per month ($30,000 per year), then personally you may be eligible for temporary residency as a fixed income earner, or Rentista, in Costa Rica.
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In this category, the main applicant is allowed to reside for his/her spouse and dependent children.
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Temporary stay in the fixed income category valid for two years.
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It can be extended for another two years.
After three years of temporary residency, you will be eligible for permanent residency.
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Residency for retired people
If you, or your spouse, are receiving a lifetime monthly pension of at least $1,000 USD per month (individually) you could qualify for temporary residency as a retired person, or pensionado, in Costa Rica.
Under this category, the principal applicant is allowed to obtain residency for a spouse and children as dependents. While the $1,000 USD will cover the family, you cannot combine the spouse’s pensions to reach the minimum $1,000 USD.
Temporary residency under the Pensionado Category is valid for two years.
It can be renewed for additional two-year periods.
After three years of holding temporary residency, you will become eligible for permanent residency.
Main Requirement for the Marriage Category
Under current immigration regulations, foreigners married to Costa Rican citizens are entitled to temporary residence. The marriage must be registered with the civil status (civil registry) in order to be valid for residency purposes.
The spouses must be interviewed at the Migration Agency to confirm the legality of the marriage.
Marriage Category Application Process
The process of applying for temporary residence under a Costa Rican marriage takes 12 to 15 months, depending on the processing time of the Costa Rican Immigration Service (DGME), which takes about 9 months to analyze the application.
Our team will guide you through the process from start to finish, including applying for a CAJA (Costa Rica Social Security) and shopping for a DIMEX (Costa Rica Identity Card for Residents).
Temporary Residency Through Marriage
If you are married to a Costa Rican citizen, you are eligible for temporary residence under the marriage category.
Temporary residence in the marriage category is valid for one year.
​It can be renewed for an additional year.
After three years of temporary residence, you will be eligible for permanent residence.
Main Requirement for the Pensionado Category
Pension or retirement income can come from a government retirement program such as Social Security, or from an independent retirement program such as a labor union or private company retirement plans.
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If your retirement income comes from a variety of sources, you're still eligible, as long as the income from those sources is at least $1,000 per month.
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If you retire due to a disability, you may still qualify as long as you receive $1,000 per month.
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Military retirees are also eligible for this category as long as they meet the income requirements.
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Pensionado Category Application Process by steps:
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Document Procurement
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Filing the Application
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Analysis & Decision by the DGME
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Approval notice
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CCSS Registration & DIMEX request
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Delivery of your DIMEX
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Renewal & Beyond
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Permanent Residency for Parents of Costa Ricans
If you are the parent of a child or children born in Costa Rica or a citizen of Costa Rica, you may qualify for permanent residence as a Costa Rican parent.
Each parent must apply for residency as the main applicant.
All dependent minors who are not Costa Rican nationals are eligible to reside as dependents.
Main Requirement for the Parent Category
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The main requirement for this category is the inclusion of the parents' names on the birth certificate (registered in the civil registry) of a child born in Costa Rica.
If the child was born abroad to Costa Rican parents, the foreign birth must be registered in the civil registry.
Main Requirement for the Investor Category
Individuals who have invested $200,000 in eligible projects are eligible for investor residency. There is also an option for those who have invested $100,000 in forestry projects.
Investment Options
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There are four different subcategories of investor options. Below is a brief description of each of these categories.
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New business - investment amount: $200,000. This category is available to those who want to invest in a new business. Whether it is a hotel, restaurant, factory, service company, or any other business, you will qualify for this category as long as you invest at least $200,000. This category requires a business plan. This type is rarely used because very few people can comply with all the requirements.
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Existing Business - Investment Amount: $200,000. This catalog is available to people who buy an existing business, whether they're buying the whole business or just a part of it. Regardless of the type of business, as long as you invest $200,000 to purchase the business, you will qualify. Buying part of a business is when you buy shares or stock in an existing company. No matter how many shares you buy, as long as you invest $200,000 to buy those shares, you will qualify.
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Real estate / cars - investment amount: 200,000 USD. In this category, you would qualify if you purchased real estate and/or a car for at least $200,000. It does not matter whether it is an apartment, land, house, farmland, car, motorcycle or boat, as long as you invest enough money, you will qualify.
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Forest Project - Venture capital: $100,000. This option is available to those who have invested in a forestry project, whether for harvesting, preservation or regeneration. This option requires all appropriate permits from the Environment Agency (SETENA) and local government.
Investor Category Application Process
The process of applying for temporary residence as an investor takes between 12 and 15 months, depending on the processing time of the Costa Rican Immigration Service (DGME), which takes about 9 months to analyze the application.
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Document Procurement
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Filing the Application
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Analysis & Decision by the DGME no tengo idea que es DGME.
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Approval notice
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CCSS Registration & DIMEX request.
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Delivery of your DIMEX
Temporary Investor Residence
If you or your spouse have invested US$200,000 in qualifying projects or US$100,000 in a forestry project, you may be eligible. conditions for temporary residency as an investor in Costa Rica.
In this category, the main applicant is allowed to reside for his/her spouse and dependent children.
