Investor Residency

If you our your spouse invests USD$150,000 in real estate (in the personal capacity, not with a corporation),  shares of a company inscribed at the tax authority, boats, planes, cars, securities traded by stock exchange company, venture capital funds, projects of national interest or sustainable tourism, you are eligible for the investor residency.

This type of residency covers the spouse, sons/daughters under 25 and the parents of the applicants.

Our approach is SIMPLE, we take care of everything ,coordinating with all professionals involved and getting all the appointments required. Do not stress, do not worry, we take care of all the process.

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  • In addition to the right to legally reside in Costa Rica, for a limited period of 5 years (starting in the year 2021) you obtain the following rights or benefits:

    • Right to import, free of all import taxes, up to 2 vehicles of any type: yacht, cars or planes.

    • Right to import, free of all import taxes, tax payment to import household items regardless of whether they are new or used goods.

    • Right to import, free of all import taxes, professional work team.

    • A 20% discount on the real estate transfer tax.

  • It will depend of the type of investment:

    • For Real Estate: A certificate of the value of the property purchased at a personal name and issued by the Municipality.

      • Mortgages and other type of financing vehicles are accepted as long as the applicant has invested at least USD$150k

      • A mix of the price of the lot and the housing can be combined to reach the investment amount.

    • For Shares: Certification of the ownership of shares made by an accountant, alongside a certification of the shareholder book by a public notary.

    • For vehicles (boats, cars, planes): Certification by the public registry of the ownership, alongside a certification by an accountant.

    • For securities and venture capital funds: Certification of the letter issued by the company that traded the assets, alongside a certification by an accountant.

  • In addition to the main document, it should be included the following:

    • Valid Pasport

    • Birth certificate with apostille.

    • Criminal records with apostille (Federal records for the USA and Canada)

    • Registration before Costarican police

    • Selfie

    • Power of attorney

    • Informed consent

    • Payment of the application fees (USD$250 plus transfers)

    Any document that is not in spanish must be translated with an official translator

    • Temporary residency under the Pensionado Category is valid for two years.

    • It can be renewed for additional two-year periods.

    • After three years of holding temporary residency, you will become eligible for permanent residency.

  • The application process for temporary residency usually takes anytime between 6 and 15 months, depending on the processing time of the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjeria (DGME), which takes approximately 9 months to analyze the application.

    This times can vary depending if we apply online, instead of the traditional application.