Costa Rica Rentista Visa
Remote workers, freelancers, people with rental income, and others with stable remote income can move to Costa Rica with a Rentista Visa.
BENEFITS
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Renewable after 2 years
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0% tax
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Bring family
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Path to Permanent Residency
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Convenient travel and time zone for workers from USA
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4 months of annual residency required
INTRODUCTION
The Rentista Visa suits self-employed people, people who earn rental income, remote workers, and others who have a stable monthly income for at least two years. People who are able to deposit $60,000 into a Costa Rican bank also qualify. This visa allows you to open a business in Costa Rica or work remotely, but you cannot be employed in Costa Rica.
Costa Rica attracts travelers with its two sunny coastlines, rugged mountains, and optimistic, laid-back “pura vida” (pure life) attitude. Its low cost of living, developed infrastructure, and strong health care system have long made it a retirement destination, and today digital nomads are also seeing the advantages to living in this welcoming country.
INTERNET SPEED
Fixed broadband: 47.93 Mbps download/12.23 Mbps upload Mobile: 31.42 Mbps download/9.73 Mbps upload. Costa Rica speedtest
COST OF LIVING
No. 59 globally
FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS
$2,500 per month of stable, reliable income that can be transferred to Costa Rica monthly, for at least 2 years
Or
$60,000 deposit into a Costa Rican bank
FEES
Application fees start at $52, with several nominal fees. You will also need to pay $200 to change your visa type from within Costa Rica.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Apply in person and with all of your documents at an office for the Direccion General de Migracion y Extranjeria in Costa Rica.
In principle, this visa should process within 90 days, but it often takes much longer.
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED:
Many of these documents should be apostilled, notarized, or formalized, and gathering them can take several months. They may need to be translated into Spanish.
Documents required can include:
- Valid passport and copies of all pages
- 2 passport photos
- Request letter including name, nationality, occupation, age, address, and contact information. Do not sign the letter yet—it must be signed with an immigration official or notary.
- Filled out and signed application form
- Proof of reliable monthly income of $2,500+ or $60,000 bank balance (if funds are outside of Costa Rica, this should be legalized or apostilled)
- Clear criminal records check
- Proof of travel and medical insurance
- Fingerprints for all applicants over 12 years old
- Proof of consular registration
- Authenticated birth certificate
- Proof of payment for visa fee
- Supporting documents for all dependents (such as passports, birth certificates, and marriage certificates, legalized or apostilled)
Other documents may be required.
LEARN MORE
- Official website for Direccion General de Migracion y Extranjeria.
- Detailed information on Rentista Visa. (in Spanish)
- Requirements for several visa types are here.