Costa Rica · Residency
Costa Rica residency: the routes compared
Pension income, stable income, investment or remote work. Each route suits a different profile, and the right one depends on your plan for taxes and citizenship.
What it is
A permit to live in Costa Rica, and a first step
Costa Rican immigration law offers several categories of temporary residence. The best known are Pensionado (for people with a permanent pension), Rentista (for people with stable income from outside the country), and Inversionista (for people who invest in the country). Remote workers can also apply for a digital nomad visa, a stay permit designed for people earning from abroad.
Temporary residence is usually renewed and can lead to permanent residence after a period set by law. In several countries, including Costa Rica, the birth of a child on national soil grants the child citizenship and entitles the parents to apply for residency.
A residence permit lets you live in Costa Rica. It does not by itself make you a Costa Rican tax resident or end your tax residency at home. Read why that distinction matters.
Who each route suits
Matching the route to your situation
Pensionado
Retirees with a lifetime pension
You receive a permanent pension from abroad of at least US$1,000 a month.
Rentista
People with stable passive income
You can show stable income of at least US$2,500 a month, from abroad or from deposits in the Costa Rican banking system, guaranteed for at least two years.
Inversionista
Investors and business owners
You invest at least US$150,000 in Costa Rican property, securities, productive projects or another qualifying activity, and keep it invested.
Digital nomad
Remote workers and consultants
You work for clients or employers outside Costa Rica and earn at least US$3,000 a month, or US$4,000 with family, with separate insurance requirements.
Programme thresholds
The figures behind each route
As checked September 2026. Figures come from the official sources linked in each line; investments, government fees and professional fees are separate costs.
| Pensionado | A permanent, stable monthly pension from abroad of at least US$1,000. |
|---|---|
| Rentista | Permanent, stable income of at least US$2,500 a month, guaranteed for at least two years. The main applicant can include a spouse and children. |
| Investor | A qualifying investment of at least US$150,000, for example in registrable property, securities, productive projects or sustainable tourism. The status is renewable while the investment is kept. Source: Investor residence regulation. |
| Digital nomad | At least US$3,000 a month, or US$4,000 with family, from sources outside Costa Rica, with separate financial and insurance requirements. Source: Costa Rica Tourism Board, digital nomad requirements. |
General information, not legal or tax advice. Immigration and tax rules, amounts and processing times change; we confirm the current requirements for your specific case during your Global Strategy.
Typical documents
What most applications ask for
Exact requirements depend on the route and change from time to time. This is the general shape.
- A valid passport
- A birth certificate, apostilled and translated where required
- A criminal background check from your country of residence
- Proof of the pension, income or investment the route is based on
- Registration with the Costa Rican consulate or immigration authority
- Marriage or birth certificates for family members applying with you
We give you the exact list for your route and coordinate apostilles, translations and filings for you.
Done for you
How we handle your Costa Rica residency application
You make the decisions. We coordinate the immigration and legal professionals in each country and follow every step, so the paperwork never becomes your job.
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Eligibility
We confirm whether this route fits your income, assets, family and nationality, and compare it with the alternatives before you commit.
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Documents
We give you the exact document list for your case and coordinate certificates, apostilles, translations and local filings.
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Application
Immigration professionals in the country prepare and file the application, and we follow it through each stage with you.
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Follow-through
We plan what comes next: renewals, the move to permanent status, your tax residency and, where it applies, the path to citizenship.
How much income do I need for Costa Rica residency?
As checked September 2026: at least US$1,000 a month of pension for Pensionado, US$2,500 a month of stable income for at least two years for Rentista, a US$150,000 investment for Investor, and US$3,000 a month (US$4,000 with family) for the digital nomad visa. These figures change from time to time, so we confirm the current amounts for your case.
Can my family apply with me?
Generally yes. Spouses and dependent children can usually be included as dependents of the main applicant, with their own documents.
Does residency make me a Costa Rican tax resident?
Not automatically. Tax residency depends on where you actually live and your ties, not only on your permit. We plan both together so they line up.
Can residency lead to citizenship?
Temporary residence can lead to permanent residence, and legal residence can eventually support naturalization, subject to the legal waiting period and other requirements.
Your next step
Not sure which route fits?
The Global Strategy compares the routes against your income, family and tax plan, and tells you which one to file.