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On this page, you’ll find an overview of information about residency in Costa Rica. When through reading, you can return to the All About Costa Rica topic list

• Overview of Residency
• Types of Residency
• Assistance with Residency
• Foreign Embassies

Overview of Residency

Lots of people want to live in Costa Rica for multitude of reasons, yet to immigrate to this heaven on Earth, all must undergo the same stringent processes.

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Types of Residency

Unless you qualify under the category of marriage to a Costa Rican citizen, there are three main categories of residency:

• Retiree (Pensionado). A pensionado is required to show proof of monthly income of at least US$600 per month “for life” from a qualified pension plan (including: local, state and Federal government pensions, Canadian Old Age Pension System, U.S. Social Security Administration benefits, private pension plans, school district pension, etc.). A married couple needs to show proof of only one monthly pension that meets the minimum requirement for both persons (the pension recipient can be either spouse).
• Legal resident (Rentista). Unmarried applicants must show proof of a monthly income that’s at least $1,000 U.S.D. from interest or dividends and that its payment to the applicant is guaranteed 5 years. Married applicants must show proof of at least $1,000 U.S.D. monthly income per spouse, or $2,000 U.S.D. per couple. In addition, the parents must show proof of income of at least $500 U.S.D month for each qualifying child.
• Investor (Inversionista). This program has three levels of investment, which vary according to the investment: $50,000 U.S.D. for “key” industries including tourism and export of Costa Rican products; $100,000 U.S.D. for certain pre-approved reforestation projects; and $200,000 U.S.D. for all other businesses (retail, manufacturing, farming, etc.

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Assistance with Residency

A trusted bi-lingual attorney is the best assistance you will find with your residency application.

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Foreign Embassies

The official website of the Costa Rica Embassy is www.costarica-embassy.org. The U.S. and Canadian embassies can be found in the capital city of San José. For information about your country’s embassy, visit the embassy website.

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We hope this information has been helpful. If you still have questions about Costa Rica real estate and living or retiring in Costa Rica, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We will respond to your questions as soon as possible and will be happy to assist you in any way possible.

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