Eligibility quiz
Have you invested at least US$150,000 in real estate?
Benefits
Benefits for youBenefits for you
Live in Costa Rica
You can enter and live in Costa Rica and get a foreign resident ID called a DIMEX.
Residence is granted for two years and can be renewed for equal periods.
Use public healthcare
As a legal resident, you can get public health coverage through Costa Rica’s social insurance system, known as CCSS.
Coverage is also the route to the associated social insurance schemes.
How to apply
Applying at a local officeApplying at a local office
Find an immigration office
Find a Costa Rican immigration office where you can hand in your application.
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Gather your documents
Prepare the required documents for the immigration office.
See required documentsGet the application form
Get the first-time application form for temporary investor residence from Costa Rica's immigration service.
Find the application formSearches DuckDuckGo for “Where can I get the first-time Costa Rica residencia temporal de inversionista application form?”
Fill in the form
Fill in the form with your details, the residence status you want, your current address and how you want to receive notices. Sign it before an immigration official or have a lawyer authenticate your signature.
See how to applySearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I fill in and sign the Costa Rica residencia temporal de inversionista application?”
Book an appointment
Call 1311 to book an appointment at an immigration office.
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Pay the required stamps
Pay the required fiscal stamps by deposit using the immigration service's instructions and its Banco de Costa Rica account. The amount is ¢125 plus ¢2.50 for each page.
Find payment instructionsSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I pay the fiscal stamps for Costa Rica residencia temporal de inversionista?”
Go to your appointment
Bring your application, documents and proof of payment to the immigration office. Some procedures can also be submitted through Trámite Ya; ask the immigration service whether it is available for your application.
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Complete any identity steps
Follow any instructions the immigration service gives you after filing, including attending an identity or biometric appointment if asked.
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Wait for the decision
Wait for the immigration service to decide your application. Answer any questions or requests for more documents it sends you.
See decision informationSearches DuckDuckGo for “How long does a Costa Rica residencia temporal de inversionista application take?”
Check your file
Once you receive a decision, you can check your file using the originating post and file number. If your application is approved, you can stay in Costa Rica as a temporary resident.
Check your fileDocuments needed
Required to applyRequired to apply
Birth certificate
Get your birth certificate from your country of origin. It can be more than six months old if it is intact and reliable and its details match your passport.
Copy of your passport
Copy the pages showing your personal details, your Costa Rican entry stamp and, if you needed one, your entry visa. Have a notary certify the copies or ask the receiving immigration official to compare them with your original passport.
Passport photos
Provide two recent passport-size photos of yourself. They must show you facing forward.
Police certificate
Get a criminal-record certificate from your country of origin or from the country where you legally lived during the previous three years.
Application form
Your application for legal stay must include your personal details, the status you are asking for, your current address and how you want to receive notices. Sign it in front of an immigration official or have a lawyer certify your signature.
Proof of investment
Provide records showing that you invested at least US$150,000 in a qualifying investment. Qualifying investments include property, shares, securities, productive projects, projects of national interest, venture-capital funds and sustainable-tourism infrastructure projects.
Proof of financial means *
Provide a public accountant’s certificate detailing your income and expenses, or audited financial statements for the latest financial year if the proof is for a business. If these are unavailable, provide a sworn statement explaining why, confirming you have enough money and describing where your income comes from.
* Only if immigration asks for proof that you have enough money.
May need apostille/legalisationProof of legal residence *
Provide certified proof that you lived legally in that country during the previous three years.
* Only if your police certificate is from the country where you legally lived during the previous three years.
May need apostille/legalisationConsiderations
Things to think aboutThings to think about
Keeping your residence
For renewal, show that you have kept your investment continuously since residence was granted and still meet its conditions.
Keep CCSS insurance from the start, unless an exception applies, and pay the required fees.
Renew your DIMEX generally within three months after it expires, with current immigration proof and insurance.
Limits on work
You can do paid or profit-making work only if immigration authorities authorize the activity.
This applies whether you work for an employer or for yourself.
Residence can be lost
Your residence ends if it expires without renewal, including if you do not meet the renewal conditions.
It can also be taken away for fraud, false information, loss of the required conditions or unauthorized activity, or on other grounds set by law.
Discuss
Online communitiesOnline communities
Living in Costa Rica: Expat Community
English Facebook group for people living in Costa Rica interested in Costa Rican visas
Join on FacebookExpats moving to Costa Rica
English Facebook group for people living in Costa Rica interested in Costa Rican visas
Join on FacebookMove to Costa Rica – Everything You Need to Know
English Facebook group for people living in Costa Rica interested in Costa Rican visas
Join on FacebookConsultation
Talk to a professionalTalk to a professional
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