Costa Rica residence permit by investment

Legal grounds for the residence permit

To get a Costa Rica residence permit by investment, you need to meet one of the following conditions:

• buy real estate in Costa Rica from $150,000;
• buy shares in Costa Rican companies from $150,000;
• invest in the Costa Rican stock market from $150,000;
• prove a monthly income of at least $2,500.

Three routes to Costa Rican residence

Law 9996 of 2021 on attracting investors, rentiers and pensioners lowered the investment threshold to $150,000, and the regulation in force keeps it in 2026. Residence is granted by the General Directorate of Migration and Foreigners.

Holders of these permits cannot take employment in Costa Rica, but they can own a business and earn from it.

What it costs in 2026

• Investment - from $150,000; for a home its registered value counts.
• Purchase costs - transfer tax of 1.5% of the registered value, registry fees and notary, together usually about 3.5-4% of the price.
• Annual property tax - 0.25% of the registered value; expensive homes also pay the luxury home tax.
• Migration fees - for filing and issuing the permit and the resident ID; an ID renewal costs about $123 in colones.
• Social security - after approval a resident must register with the state social security fund and pay a monthly contribution based on declared income.
• Certificates, translations, legalisation - police clearance, birth and marriage certificates apostilled and translated into Spanish.
• Our support - quoted after a consultation, depending on the category and family size.

The rate is about 458 colones per US dollar.

Steps and timeline

1. Choosing the category - investor, rentier or pensioner, checking funds and documents.
2. Investment - buying property registered in the National Registry or investing in a company.
3. Documents - 3-6 weeks: police clearances, certificates, proof of investment or income, apostille and translation.
4. Filing with the Migration Directorate - in person in Costa Rica or via a consulate, with fingerprints.
5. Review - usually 4-8 months.
6. Social security registration and resident ID - after approval.
7. Renewal - every 2 years; after 3 years of temporary residence, an application for permanent residence.

Documents

• Application form and a letter explaining the reasons for moving.
• Passport - notarised copy of all pages.
• Police clearance from the country of residence, apostilled and translated into Spanish.
• Birth certificate, and for the family marriage and children's birth certificates, apostilled and translated.
• Proof of investment - National Registry title extract, valuation or company investment documents; for a rentier a bank letter on income or the deposit, for a pensioner a pension certificate.
• Registration with your consulate in Costa Rica and fingerprints at the Ministry of Public Security.

Requirements and how to get approved

• Investment below the threshold - the registered value counts, not the contract price.
• Incomplete or outdated police clearance - it must be recent and legalised.
• Rentier income not proven - the bank must confirm stable income of $2,500 a month for at least 2 years.
• No social security registration - without it the permit is not renewed.
• Property sold - if the investment is not maintained, investor status is lost.

Law 9996 and resident taxes

• Law 9996 set the investor threshold at $150,000. Duty-free import of household goods and up to two vehicles went to those who applied before 14 July 2026.
• Territorial system - Costa Rica taxes Costa Rican-source income; a resident's foreign income is generally not taxed.
• Income tax - on a scale up to 25%; corporate tax 30%, with lower rates for small companies.
• VAT - 13%.

Details on the Costa Rica taxes page.

Path to permanent residence and citizenship

After 3 years of temporary residence you can apply for permanent residence: it has no expiry and allows employment. Citizenship by naturalisation comes after 7 years of lawful residence, or 5 years for nationals of Central and Latin American countries and Spain. You must pass exams in Spanish and in Costa Rican history and civics. Details: Costa Rican citizenship.

Which route: investor, rentier or pensioner

• Investor - if you are buying a home in Costa Rica above $150,000 anyway or investing in a local business. The money stays in an asset you can let or sell once you have permanent status.
• Rentier - if you do not want to buy: show $2,500 a month of income for at least two years, confirmed by a bank.
• Pensioner - the cheapest entry: a pension of $1,000 a month, state or private.

In all three cases you can move to permanent residence after 3 years and then to citizenship, so the choice depends on whether you want to invest and whether you have passive income.

Buying property as a foreigner

Foreigners own property in Costa Rica on the same terms as citizens, with deals registered in the National Registry. The main exception is the maritime zone under Law 6043: the first 50 metres from the high-tide line are public and cannot be sold, the next 150 metres are granted only as concessions, and a foreigner without 5 years of residence cannot hold a controlling stake in a concession. So we check beachfront homes especially carefully: only land outside the 200-metre zone can be bought freehold.

Before the deal we check the registry extract, cadastral plan, property tax and municipal fee arrears. More: property in Costa Rica.

Life in Costa Rica: what to know

• Currency - the colón, but large purchases, rent and property are often priced in US dollars.
• Language - Spanish; English is widely spoken in tourist areas and among expats, but documents and the citizenship exam require Spanish.
• Healthcare - the state system is mandatory for residents, and many also use private clinics and insurance.
• Climate - dry season roughly December to April, rainy season May to November; the Pacific and Caribbean coasts differ.
• Bank - a local account is needed for the rentier deposit and daily life: personal account in Costa Rica.

How to keep your status

• Renewal every 2 years - filed in advance, proving the investment is kept or that rentier income and pension continue.
• Social security - contributions must be paid with no arrears, otherwise renewal fails.
• Resident ID - renewed with the status, about $123.
• Selling the property - before permanent residence the investment cannot be sold without an equivalent replacement.
• Moving to permanent - after 3 years of temporary status, with a fresh police clearance and proof of lawful residence.

Alternatives to compare

• Costa Rica digital nomad visa - one year, renewable, for remote workers earning from $3,000 a month.
• Panama residence - a quick route to permanent status, with the dollar as the national currency.
• Paraguay residence - cheaper and faster to permanent residence.
• Property in Costa Rica - purchase rules and costs in detail.

How we work

1. We choose the category - investor, rentier or pensioner - and work out the budget.
2. We check the property and seller in the National Registry or the company documents.
3. We collect, legalise and translate documents.
4. We file and manage the application and register you with social security.
5. We renew the status and prepare the move to permanent residence.

We fix our fee in writing after a consultation.

Benefits of a Costa Rica residence permit

How to get a Costa Rica residence permit: step by step

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