Visa Guides for Costa Rica

Temporary residency is the first real step to living in Costa Rica without the 180-day tourist shuffle. This guide covers the pensionado, rentista, investor, and marriage categories, the apostilled paperwork, and the 2026 DIMEX shift that routes your card through a BCR branch, with issuance still running a few months behind the 30-day target.

After three years as a temporary resident, you can upgrade to permanent residency and stay in Costa Rica for good. This guide covers the request letter, the US$50 and US$200 government fees, the caja rule, and the 2026 DIMEX shift that routes your card through a BCR branch, with issuance still running a few months behind the 30-day target.

How to get the right visa for your situation and stay in the country either short or long term.

Costa Rica’s pensionado visa lets you retire there with just US$1,000 a month in pension income and no minimum age, as long as the pension is lifelong. Here is how eligibility, dependents, costs, and the path to residency work.