3 open routes
The routes to living in Costa Rica.
Our verdict. Costa Rica suits a buyer who wants residence through a home and a territorial tax system. The investor route asks at least US$150,000 in real estate or other registrable assets in the buyer's name, recorded with the Central Bank, for a two-year renewable permit covering a spouse and children; permanent residence follows after three years and citizenship after about seven. The catch is uncertainty: Law 9996's tax and import incentives closed to new applicants on 14 July 2026, some advisers expect the minimum to return to US$200,000, and a bill filed in September 2026 would tax residents' foreign passive income. Set against Panama, the minimum is half, but the permit starts temporary.
Investor temporary residence (Inversionista)
Open71the Law 9996 tax and import incentives closed to new applicants on 14 Jul 2026. The immigration service still lists the US$150,000 investor minimum, though some advisers expect a return to US$200,000
- Minimum
- US$150,000
- What counts
- At least US$150,000 invested in real estate or registrable assets in the applicant's own name, shares, securities, or productive or national-interest projects (Law 9996 art. 8); registered with the Central Bank as foreign direct investment
- Processing
- Not published
- Permit
- 2 years, renewable
- Time you must spend there
- No rule published
- Path to a passport
- Citizenship possible after about 7 years, permanent residence after 3.
- Family
- spouse, children
- Tax
- Territorial: foreign-source income is generally not taxed. A bill filed on 22 Sep 2026 (file 25.796) would tax residents' foreign passive income such as dividends, interest, rents and capital gains
Official source · Second source · checked 2026-10-20
Rentista (passive income) temporary residence
Open67- Minimum
- US$60,000
- What counts
- Stable income of $2,500/month for 24 months, or a $60,000 deposit in a Costa Rican bank
- Processing
- Not published
- Permit
- 2 years, renewable
- Time you must spend there
- No rule published
- Path to a passport
- Citizenship possible after about 7 years, permanent residence after 3.
- Family
- spouse, children
- Tax
- Territorial: foreign-source income is generally not taxed. A bill filed on 22 Sep 2026 (file 25.796) would tax residents' foreign passive income such as dividends, interest, rents and capital gains
Official source · Second source · checked 2026-10-20
Pensionado (retiree) temporary residence
Open68- Minimum
- US$12,000
- What counts
- Lifetime pension of $1,000/month or more
- Processing
- Not published
- Permit
- 2 years, renewable
- Time you must spend there
- No rule published
- Path to a passport
- Citizenship possible after about 7 years, permanent residence after 3.
- Family
- spouse, children
- Tax
- Territorial: foreign-source income is generally not taxed. A bill filed on 22 Sep 2026 (file 25.796) would tax residents' foreign passive income such as dividends, interest, rents and capital gains
Official source · Second source · checked 2026-10-20
Residency rules, thresholds and fees change often, sometimes without notice. Everything here is general information, checked on the date shown, not legal, tax or immigration advice: confirm with the official source and a licensed adviser before you act. Continental sells property; we don’t arrange visas or residency.
Costa Rica residency by investment