Residency Status

Costa Rica boasts being a nation with great living conditions; lovely nature and mild climate, not to mention great business opportunities and a laid back atmosphere. This is why for some time now the country has been a magnet for tourists and people in general, from all around the world who wish to visit and in many cases stay and live in this small Central American nation.

Every foreign citizen who enters Costa Rica acquires a distinct immigration status depending on what their specific reasons for visiting are. The two main immigration categories in which all foreigners are admitted into Costa Rica when they enter our borders are Permanent Residents and Temporary Visitors or Non Residents.

The latter, as its name indicates, are those who wish to stay in Costa Rica but do not have the intention of making it their home. Within this category are tourists, passengers in transit, migrant workers, international travel crews and artists, athletes or renowned professionals invited for public performances. In many cases for the reasons mentioned in the beginning, people who enter the country in the afore mentioned category later decide that Costa Rica should be their home and want to apply for permanent residence.

The procedure for applying for this immigration status should be started in their original country of residence, at the Costa Rican consulate, and if the original country does not have a Costa Rican consulate, the procedure can be started in a third country that does (except when the applicant has a Costa Rican family). Whatever reasons you have for wanting to move to Costa Rica, this should be presented at this time in your permanent residence application. Some of the general requirements include a certificate of birth indicating the names of the person’s mother and father, a certified photocopy of all pages of the applicants passport, a certified police record and fingerprints.

Permanent residents are also divided into sub groups depending on the reason why the residence is sought. Therefore Costa Rican residency can be gained proving you are an investor, by applying as an immigrant, by proving you have Costa Rican family or by applying as a foreign retiree. Once permanent residence status is obtained, he or she is issued with an official resident ID card that has to be renewed at regular intervals.

One thing to remember is that once you gain permanent residence in Costa Rica you acquire among others, the right to work and assume obligations just like any Costa Rican citizen.

This small enchanting country has already bewitched many into becoming part of Costa Rican society with all its intriguing quirks, and I am sure many more will fall under its spell soon.