Eligibility & suitability
Who can qualify
- Remote workers or service providers paid by customers or employers outside Costa Rica who meet the documented monthly-income test.
- Qualifying family members included through the programme’s family application.
Restrictions & unsuitable cases
- People whose proposed work is for a local employer or local clients outside the authorised category.
- Applicants who cannot document the prior-year income or appropriate medical cover.
Application process & timeline
The published procedure gives a 15-calendar-day decision period; preparation, correction requests and the separate immigration-document appointment are additional. This is an official procedural period, not a promise of end-to-end completion.
01Check remote-work and family eligibilityBefore filing; preparation varies
Map who pays for the services and collect the prior year of qualifying receipts. Check entry-visa requirements for each nationality and establish which relatives can be included.
Documents & evidence
- Contracts or employer confirmation
- Previous-year bank statements
- Family relationship records
- Local employment does not become authorised merely because it is performed online.
- A lump sum does not automatically establish monthly service income.
02Prepare translations, declarations and paymentBefore submission; no verified universal preparation period
Complete the application and the income declaration or professional certification. Translate foreign-language records officially into Spanish and legalise the certification where required. Pay the application amount separately for each applicant.
Documents & evidence
- Passport bio page and entry stamp where applicable
- Income affidavit or qualifying professional certificate
- USD 100 net payment receipt per applicant
- Bank fees can leave the government payment short.
- Certification and raw account statements have different authentication requirements.
03Submit through the platform or appointmentSubmission date starts the published decision period
Register on the designated digital platform and give the required consent. For a physical application, arrange the prescribed immigration appointment and take the complete package.
Documents & evidence
- Signed application
- Required consent
- Complete supporting file
- An appointment booking is not a filed application.
- Incomplete uploads can trigger correction rather than approval.
04Government assessment and security checksOfficial published period: 15 calendar days; requests can affect progress
Immigration assesses the file and performs the security reviews described in the requirements. Monitor the nominated notification channel and address requests using the stated deadline.
Documents & evidence
- Any requested clarifications
- Updated identity evidence if requested
- The official period does not guarantee passport-to-card completion.
- Failing to receive or answer an electronic notice can undermine the case.
05Obtain the immigration documentWithin three months of approval notification
Book the documentation appointment, present the original passport and full-period medical insurance, and pay the documentation, guarantee and resolution-specific amounts. Failure to complete this step can start cancellation proceedings.
Documents & evidence
- Approval resolution
- Passport
- Medical policy
- USD 90 and other required receipts
- Approval alone is not the physical accreditation document.
- An expired former passport may still need to accompany its replacement.
06Maintain evidence and renew onceBefore the first grant expires; at least 80 days of qualifying presence
Track physical days and maintain the foreign-income evidence. Apply with the renewed insurance and current fee receipts if seeking the second year; assess another lawful category before that second period ends.
Documents & evidence
- Presence evidence
- Fresh income statements
- Renewal form and receipts
- Insurance for renewed period
- Insufficient first-year presence can prevent renewal.
- Do not assume the estancia counts as ordinary temporary residence for the three-year permanent-residence route.
Document checklist
Track your preparation in this browser. Final requirements depend on the route and filing authority.
Who qualifies
The programme is for a foreign person providing paid remote services to individuals or entities outside Costa Rica. The detailed official application page asks for average monthly foreign income of at least USD 3,000 for an individual or USD 4,000 with dependants, evidenced over the preceding year.
The general tourism overview still displays a different family figure. We use the detailed requirements and renewal pages, both of which state USD 4,000, while flagging the discrepancy for confirmation before filing. Do not rely on an old summary or treat local employment as covered.
Documents and application sequence
- Prepare the application, valid passport and entry or visa evidence as required.
- Provide the preceding year’s bank evidence and declaration, or an acceptable professional certification of income.
- Authenticate the certification where required and arrange official Spanish translations of foreign-language documents.
- Pay the published USD 100 application charge and submit through the official digital or in-person process.
- Following approval, complete the identity-document steps and maintain qualifying medical cover for every included person.
Presence, duration and renewal
The tourism authority describes an initial one-year stay with one further year available. Its renewal page requires at least eighty days in Costa Rica during the preceding approved period, ongoing qualifying income and insurance.
The income threshold is not a programme fee. Budget application and document charges, translations, insurance and professional assistance separately. The renewal page lists an additional USD 90 documentation and fund payment; confirm the complete current payment instructions for the relevant stage.
Tax treatment has boundaries
The programme’s benefits relate to qualifying remote work under its legislation. They should not be extended to local business income or every company the holder owns. Previous-country residence, citizenship-based obligations and corporate management can remain relevant.
A temporary stay can be a useful way to experience the country, but it should not be sold as automatic permanent residence or a guaranteed citizenship clock. The principal practical risks are inconsistent income documents, the wrong work activity, missed post-approval formalities and assuming a tourist stay is equivalent to this permission.
How the income evidence is tested
The detailed application page requires evidence of remote services paid from outside Costa Rica during the previous year. Statements accompanied by the required sworn declaration are one option; certification by an appropriate accountant or notary is another. The professional certificate, when issued abroad, needs the prescribed legalisation or apostille.
The principal-only threshold is USD 3,000 monthly and the family threshold USD 4,000. A broader promotional page still contains inconsistent family wording; this guide follows the specific requirements checklist. A large one-off deposit is not equivalent to proving the stated stream of remote-service income.
Separate the application charge from post-approval costs
The initial government application payment is USD 100 per applicant, and the authority requires the full amount to arrive after bank charges. Approval is followed by documentation costs: USD 90, other sums stated in the resolution and the applicable guarantee deposit. These are distinct from medical insurance, translations and professional assistance.
Medical cover must last throughout the authorised stay, including dependants, and the programme describes at least USD 50,000 of cover. Review whether the policy is acceptable before purchasing. A cheap travel policy whose duration or coverage fails the rule can block the documentation appointment.
Sources & research notes6 references
Sources supporting this guide. Research draft awaiting editorial review.
