PASSPORT CONTROLCosta Rica
RECOMMENDED ROUTE · RentistaUS$2,500/month of guaranteed income for at least 24 months, OR a US$60,000 deposit in a regulated Costa Rican bank with a letter committing to disburse US$2,500/month for 24 months (60,000 ÷ 24). One deposit typically covers spouse and minor children.
Alternatives to the recommended route
What the file has to contain
These are the documents the authorities expect for the lead route. This is a reference list, not an eligibility check: whether any one item is met depends on your own situation. Items marked for apostille must be legalized before they will be accepted.
Income covers applicant + dependents
Costa Rica is a Hague Apostille Convention member (in force since 2011), so a single apostille from the issuing country's competent authority replaces consular legalization; every apostilled foreign document must still be translated into Spanish by an official/sworn translator for DGME.
From paperwork to residence card
The recorded process folds into stages, each listing the real steps it covers. Timing depends on your consulate and is not fixed, so no week estimates are shown here.
Prepare and legalize
- Gather and legalize personal documents
- Establish the income proof or deposit
Lodge the application
- File the temporary-residency application with DGME (directly or via a consulate/attorney)
- DGME reviews the file
Decision and collection
- Enroll in CCSS (Caja) social security
Arrive and register
- Collect the DIMEX residency ID card
- Renew every 2 years, then apply for permanent residency after 3 years
The law says
Official rules, verified against government text.
- Income requirement
- $2,500 / month (USD)
US$2,500/month of guaranteed income for at least 24 months, OR a US$60,000 deposit in a regulated Costa Rican bank with a letter committing to disburse US$2,500/month for 24 months (60,000 ÷ 24). One deposit typically covers spouse and minor children. - Initial duration
- 2 years
- Renewal
- Renewable
- Maximum stay
- Indefinite via renewals; converts to permanent residency after 3 years
- Tax status
- Costa Rica taxes on a territorial basis, foreign-source income is generally not taxed. CCSS (Caja) enrollment and monthly contributions (calculated on declared income) are a condition of receiving and renewing residency.
- Processing time
- Officially ~6–12 months; in practice many applicants wait 12+ months, longer if DGME requests additional documents or translations.
- Official cost
- DGME government/filing fees commonly cited around US$50–250 per adult plus a DIMEX issuance fee (~US$30–60); exact tariffs are set in colones and change. Attorney fees typically US$1,500–3,500 per principal applicant. Mandatory CCSS (Caja) monthly health contribution based on declared income.
- Official source
- Costa Rica Temporary Residency CR-1
The street says
10 SIGNALSWhat applicants report, kept separate from the official numbers.
Voices from the field
4 ways to get residency in Costa Rica-New rules for 2026Costa Rica Story · 2026-05-18
Full accounts require your DIMEX/cédula. Banks won't accept US tax returns as proof of income, Costs $100–$300. Residency takes awhile to be ...
The Rentista income requirement of $2500 a month might work for a single person (maybe). A family needs a minimum of $4000 a month IMHO in the ...
For temporary residency, you need a monthly income of around $4,200 USD or a savings account with a balance of around $70,000 USD plus one years ...
Costa Rica Story · 2026-05-18. A resident creator walks through 4 residency pathways under Costa Rica's 'new rules for 2026,' framing the routes as shifting and worth re-checking rather than settled.
Open the full source file (7)
- Costa Rica Temporary Residency CR-1AGGREGATOR · residencies.io · accessed 2026-08-03
- Pensionado & Rentista Residency Visas 2026PRACTITIONER · Costa Rica Board · accessed 2026-08-03
- Costa Rica Rentista VisaPRACTITIONER · VisaPrep · accessed 2026-08-03
- Residency for Fixed Income (Rentista)PRACTITIONER · Costa Rica Immigration Experts (CRIE) · accessed 2026-08-03
- Costa Rica Visa Options & Residency GuideLEGAL · Fragomen · accessed 2026-08-03
- DGME immigration authorityGOV · Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería · accessed 2026-08-03
- Costa Rica temporary residencyAGGREGATOR · residencies.io · accessed 2026-08-03
Costa Rica’s real decision comes down to whether you want a quick, clean 12-month stay or a longer-term foothold. The Digital Nomad Estancia is the route that matters most for most remote workers, and its bar is a straightforward US$3,000 a month in income for a single applicant, no path to permanent residency, but it’s active and officially confirmed. If you’re willing to trade that simplicity for a two-year Rentista visa, the bar is US$2,500 a month in guaranteed income or a US$60,000 bank deposit, and it can lead to PR after three years, though that route is reported but not officially confirmed, so treat the details with a bit more caution.