Costa Rica
Costa Rica Residency (Inversionista, Rentista, Pensionado)
Also known as: Costa Rica Investor Residency, Costa Rica Rentista, Costa Rica Pensionado
- Min investment
- $1K
- Program tier
- Renewable Temp
- Program type
- Passive Income
- Initial validity
- 2 yr
- Renewable
- Yes
- Path to PR
- 3 yr
- Path to citizenship
- 7 yr
- Schengen access
- Yes
Investment options
Business Investment
$150KInversionista (Investor) — USD 150,000+ invested in a Costa Rican enterprise (in personal name, not corporate), or in real estate, or in registered shares. Reduced from USD 200K in 2022 amid Law 9996 reforms.
Passive Income Proof
$3KRentista (Stable Income) — Documented USD 2,500/month stable income for at least 2 years (from non-CR sources). Most applicants satisfy via USD 60,000 deposit in Costa Rican bank to be drawn down USD 2,500/month over 24 months.
Passive Income Proof
$1KPensionado (Retiree) — USD 1,000/month from a guaranteed pension (Social Security, government, lifetime annuity). Single income source preferred. Includes spouse and dependents under main applicant's pension.
Physical presence
Path to citizenship
- Available: Yes
- Minimum years: 7
- Physical-presence years: 7
- Language test: Yes
Naturalization after 7 years of legal residence (5 if Ibero-American or Spanish national) + Spanish proficiency + Costa Rican history/civics. Dual citizenship allowed.
Tax implications
- Becomes tax resident automatically: No
- Worldwide income taxed: No
- Territorial tax system: Yes
- Day-count for tax residency: 183 days
- Wealth tax: No
Costa Rica operates strictly territorial tax — only Costa Rican-source income taxed. Foreign-source pensions, dividends, interest, capital gains NOT taxed. PIT progressive to 25% on local income. No wealth, no inheritance tax. New tax residents enjoy a robust territorial-tax shield.
Family inclusion
- Spouse: Yes
- Children under 18: Yes
- Dependent adult children: No
- Parents: No
Spouse and unmarried minor children under 25 (with conditions). All categories include dependents on the main applicant's qualifying income.
Additional fees
- Application fee: $250
- Government fees: $250
- Legal/agent (est.): $3K
Application fee USD 50-250; CCSS health system mandatory contribution (~USD 60-200/month). DIMEX residence card USD 100/year. Legal fees typically USD 1,500-3,000 for end-to-end.
Eligibility requirements
- Age 18+ (no upper limit for Pensionado)
- Clean criminal record from country of residence in past 3 years (apostilled)
- Proof of qualifying income/investment per category
- Health certificate; CCSS enrollment
- Birth certificate; marriage certificate; apostilled
Disqualifiers
- Failure to maintain qualifying income for Rentista renewal
- Failure to enroll in CCSS (mandatory health system)
- Abandonment of residency through extended absence
Recent changes
- 2022
Law 9996 reduced Inversionista threshold from USD 200,000 to USD 150,000 and granted tax incentives (duty-free import of household goods, vehicles) for new Inversionista, Rentista, and Pensionado applicants.
- 2024-2025
Processing times improved; DGME digital reforms reduce paper handling. Pensionado/Rentista remain among Latin America's most popular retiree visas.
- 2026
Stable program; territorial tax confirmed; no announced changes.
Notes
Costa Rica remains the gold standard for US/Canadian retirees in the Americas — established expat infrastructure, US dollar acceptance, English widely spoken in Central Valley/Pacific coast, territorial tax. Pensionado at USD 1,000/month is one of the cheapest qualified retirement visas globally. Inversionista at USD 150K is accessible. Citizenship at 7 years requires real residency and Spanish — most never naturalize. Crucial: territorial tax means foreign pensions and US-source dividends are NOT taxed in CR.
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EasyPassport is a document-organization tool focused on citizenship by descent. This page is reference research, not legal or financial advice. Always verify with the official program authority.