Eligibility quiz
Have you ever been married to a Costa Rican citizen for at least two years?
Benefits
Benefits for youBenefits for you
Costa Rican passport and ID
Costa Rican citizens can have an identity card and a Costa Rican passport.
Live in Costa Rica for life
Costa Rican citizens can enter and live in Costa Rica indefinitely, including after living abroad, without a residence permit.
Study in Costa Rica
Costa Rican citizens can study in Costa Rica without immigration permission.
Work in Costa Rica
Costa Rican citizens can work in Costa Rica without immigration permission and have the right to choose their work freely.
Get help abroad
If detained abroad, Costa Rican citizens can ask to contact a consulate.
In a hospital emergency, a consulate can contact relatives and help coordinate documents or a possible return.
Rent or buy property
Costa Rican citizens can rent or buy property and make contracts without immigration permission.
Vote and run for office
Costa Rican citizens can vote from age 18 and stand for public office, with some limits.
Abroad, they can vote at a polling centre if registered to vote there and holding a valid identity card.
Use public healthcare
Costa Rican citizens can use public clinics and hospitals under the same insurance and contribution rules as other people living in Costa Rica.
Access social support
Costa Rican citizens may qualify for social security support, including pensions and disability, maternity or unemployment-related support, depending on the programme and their contributions.
How to apply
Applying at a local officeApplying at a local office
Find an office
Choose a TSE central or regional office in Costa Rica where you can hand in your application.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “Where is a Costa Rica TSE office near your city for naturalización por matrimonio?”
Download the application form
Download the TSE’s model application for naturalización por matrimonio.
Download the formFill in the form
Complete and sign the application, including your personal details, your spouse’s details and a way for the TSE to contact you. State that you are or were married to a Costa Rican citizen for two years and lived in Costa Rica for the same two years after the marriage began.
Find form instructionsSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I fill in the Costa Rica TSE naturalización por matrimonio application form?”
Gather your documents
Prepare the required documents for the TSE office.
See required documentsHand in your application
Bring your signed application and supporting documents in person to the TSE office you chose. The application is free.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “Where is a Costa Rica TSE office near your city for naturalización por matrimonio?”
Wait for the decision
Watch for messages from the TSE using the contact details you provided, and respond if it asks for more information or documents. The TSE will check your marriage, residence and records.
See what happens nextSearches DuckDuckGo for “What happens after I submit a Costa Rica TSE naturalización por matrimonio application?”
Documents needed
Required to applyRequired to apply
Copy of your ID
Provide a copy of your current identity document with a clear colour photo. The copy must be easy to read and certified by a notary.
Foreign police certificate
Get a certificate of your criminal record from the judicial and police authorities in your country of origin or, where applicable, the last country where you lived abroad. If it is not in Spanish, provide an official Spanish translation.
Application form
Your signed application states that you are applying through marriage to a Costa Rican citizen and that you lived in Costa Rica for two years after the marriage. It includes your personal details, your spouse’s full name and ID number, and a way for the TSE to contact you.
Proof of residence *
Provide records showing clearly when you lived in Costa Rica, issued by the office responsible for them. These can include a social security account certificate if you had an employer, a medical discharge summary, a vaccination record or a certificate of studies in Costa Rica.
* Only if the TSE asks for more proof of your residence.
Considerations
Things to think aboutThings to think about
Limits on political rights
Naturalized citizens must wait 12 months after their naturalization certificate to vote.
Only citizens by birth can be president or vice-president.
Naturalized citizens need 10 years' residence for minister and some judicial jobs; a court can also suspend political rights by sentence or by declaring someone legally unable to act.
Discuss
Online communitiesOnline communities
Expatriates in Costa Rica
English Facebook group for people living in Costa Rica interested in Costa Rican local life
Join on FacebookCosta Rica Resources for Expats & Tourists
English Facebook group for people living in Costa Rica interested in Costa Rican local life
Request to joinMoving to Costa Rica - Questions, Answers, Help and More!
English Facebook group for people living in Costa Rica interested in Costa Rican local life
Request to joinConsultation
Talk to a professionalTalk to a professional
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