Step One: Required Documents

Document requirements vary depending on type of Residency Program. The objective of this step is to obtain the necessary documents, required consular certification and translation prior to presenting the Residency Application.

Instructions from Immigration Agency

Immigration explains requirements on their webpage, however these are notoriously vague, omit key information, and are often out of date with current requirements.

Free guidance is available at the information window of the immigration office in La Uruca. Unfortunately the lines are long, and only Spanish is spoken. Nothing is available in print apart from the application form.

The majority of documents required for a residency application will be obtained from an applicants country of origin, which must be chain authenticated through a Costa Rica Embassy with jurisdiction.

Chain authentication requires official documents to be certified by either the Secretary of State for your state government or in the case of federally issued documents the United States Secretary of State.

Documents issued by non-state agencies such as banks must be notarized and also certified by the court that issues the notary commission prior to state certification.

General Document Requirements

1. Birth Certificate: Official document issued by a government agency which typically has a raised seal. Certificates from hospitals and churches are not valid.

2. Police Clearance: Letter from your home country that certifies no criminal record as a result of both a name and fingerprint search.

3. Fingerprints Receipt: Small receipt issued by the police in Costa Rica after you submit personally for fingerprinting and background investigation.

4. Current Passport: Your passport must be unexpired and in good condition. Prior to starting the application process you should obtain a new passport if your current passport will expire while your application is still in process (two years).

Even with professional assistance in the Residency Application process you will likely need to obtain documents from your home country personally. Keep in mind that the issue date for any documents (apart from the passport) may be no longer than 90 days from the date of application with immigration.

Documents authenticated by a Costa Rican Embassy must also be translated into Spanish by an official translator and finally authenticated by the Costa Rican Ministry of Foreign Affairs. These last two steps are usually handled by a professional when you hire one to process your Residency Application.

Specific Requirements

Expect to need professional assistance when applying under any Residency Program that requires a bank transaction such as Rentista or Inversionista. It is more plausible to handle your own residency application if you apply under the Pensionado or Vinculo program.

The Federal Benefits Unit of the United States Embassy in Costa Rica can produce a document that verifies monthly Social Security income.

Documents supporting a family connection to a Costa Rican citizen can usually be obtained at the Civil Registry in San Jose. The process of Recording Marriage usually requires a three month delay before the Marriage Certificate is ready.

Birth certificates for children born in Costa Rica are usually easy to obtain assuming paternity is not in doubt. Problems in this respect usually take years to resolve.

Marriages and birth abroad of Costa Rican citizens need to be formalized in Costa Rica before they can be used as a basis for a residency application.

Documents issued by the United States Embassy and Costa Rican Civil Registry do not require any additional authentication.