Jure Sanguinis Citizenship

The method for claiming Costa Rican citizenship depends entirely on your age. If you are under 25, you are registering a birthright; if you are 25 or older, you are applying for naturalization based on your lineage.

For Applicants Under Age 25 (Citizenship by Birth)

This process is a formal registration of your birth in the Costa Rican Registro Civil (Civil Registry). You do not need to live in Costa Rica to complete this.

1. Gather Documents: Collect your original birth certificate and your Costa Rican parent’s Cédula de Identidad (National ID card) or birth certificate.
2. Apostille and Translate: Ensure your foreign birth certificate is Apostilled in the country of issuance. It must then be translated into Spanish by an official translator recognized by the Costa Rican government.
3. Submit via Consulate: If you are outside of Costa Rica, your Costa Rican parent must visit the nearest Costa Rican Consulate to register your birth.
4. Civil Registry Processing: The consulate will forward your file to the Registro Civil in San José for official entry into the national records.
5. Obtain ID: Once the registration is confirmed, you can apply for your own Cédula de Identidad and a Costa Rican passport through the consulate or in person in San José.

For Applicants Age 25 and Older (Naturalization)

If you missed the age 25 deadline, you must follow the "Law 1902" pathway, which requires you to live in Costa Rica first.

1. Establish Residency: You must first apply for and receive a legal residency permit. You must live in Costa Rica for 5 years if you are from Central America, Spain, or Ibero-American countries, or 7 years for all other nationalities.
2. File the Petition: Once the residency period is met, submit a formal naturalization petition to the Options and Naturalizations Section of the Registro Civil.
3. Pass Exams: You must pass a Spanish language test and a Costa Rican history and values test. If you are over 65, you are exempt from these exams.
4. Provide Witnesses: You must bring two witnesses to the registry who can testify to your good conduct and your physical presence in the country.
5. The Oath: After approval, you will attend a formal ceremony to swear your allegiance to Costa Rica and receive your citizenship.

While the government does not charge a high "sticker price" for citizenship, the costs of legalizing foreign documents are significant.

Total Estimate: Expect to spend between $500 and $2,000 on document preparation and legal fees. This does not include the costs of international travel, residency application fees (for those over 25), or local courier fees.

The timeline varies significantly based on where you apply and which pathway you qualify for.

• Under 25 (Consular Route): It typically takes 6 to 12 months for the consulate to process the registration and for the Registro Civil to issue a birth certificate.
• Over 25 (Naturalization Route): This is a long-term process. You must first complete 5 to 7 years of legal residency. Once the citizenship application is filed, processing takes an additional 12 to 24 months.
• Document Validity: Most criminal record checks required for the over-25 route are only valid for 3 to 6 months from the date of issuance; ensure they are fresh when you submit your final petition.