Costa Rica´s Best Guide

Obtaining Costa Rica Residency

There are several ways a foreign citizen can obtain residency in Costa Rica. Obtaining residency is the way to go if you are serious about staying in Costa Rica, although some ex-pats who live in Costa Rica have become ¨perpetual tourists¨ and do a visa run to the border (Nicaragua and Panama are the most popular choices) every 90 days, this is a risky proposition because visas are renewed for ¨up to¨ 90 days but this is done at the discretion of the immigration person at the border who can give you less time on that visa renewal and then you are in a bad position. There is of course a bureaucratic procedure to obtain your residency and of course there are the related expenses. However; in my opinion, the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages especially with the new Pensionado Law benefits . For example, only with a legal residency can a foreigner get a driver´s license, or be allowed to work legally, or get a post pay cell phone or other utilityservice, open an unlimited bank account, obtain a loan or not need to carry around a passport, or get local prices at many places versus tourist prices, etc., etc., so it all begins to add up. Let´s examine some of the various ways you can obtain residency:

TEMPORARY RESIDENCY:

PENSIONADO: Requires monthly income of US$1000 per month. This would be from a permanent fixed income like a private sector, government or social security benefits pension.

RENTISTA: Requires a monthly income of US$2500 per month and includes spouse and children under 25 years of age. This category requires a permanent and stable source of income equal to or above US$2500 for two years which equals US$60,000 and is renewable for 2 more years (after 3 years you can apply for Permanent Residency). An international and recognized bank or financial institution has to issue you a letter that states this or you can deposit the US$60,000 in a local bank and can take out $2500 per month. This is usually the quickest way based on results.

SPOUSAL: Granted to Spouse of a Costa Rican citizen per article 73 of Immigration Law.

Riding on deserted endless beaches Playa Esterillos, Central Pacific

36