Costa Rica Residency

Residency: The requirement for residency for a “pensionado rentista” is to 1) have a clean police record, 2) have a minimum income of $1,000 per month that can be verified by an auditor or accountant in the U.S. and 3) present a certified birth certificate. Once you are here, you need to be here 90 consecutive days without leaving the country. You may also receive residency by depositing $60,000 in a state bank. You may become a Costa Rica citizen by various means including being married to a Costa Rica citizen for a period of two years. By the way, once you are a resident you have all the privileges of that of a Costa Rica citizen with two exceptions: (1) You cannot run for public office and (2) you cannot vote. Another alternative is to buy a hotel. An investment of $250,000 or more will qualify you for permanent residency.