Changes to the immigration law, which significantly increase the income requirements for the pensionado and rentisa immigration status, are currently being debated before the legislature. As of July 14, 2009, no final vote has occurred. A vote is expected in the near future. Details regarding the changes and implementation dates are subject to change before the final law is passed.
The pensionado status is the most common method of immigration. This status requires proof of $600 USD in monthly income from a permanent pension source or retirement fund, such as Social Security. For a minimum of 4 months per year, the applicant must be in Costa Rica and cannot work as an employee in Costa Rica. An applicant can claim his spouse and any dependents younger than 18 years of age.
The rentisa status is the most common form of immigration for individuals who are not drawing Social Security. This status requires proof of $1,000 USD in monthly income for at least five years, guaranteed by a banking institution, or a $60,000 USD deposit in an approved Costa Rican bank. An additional monthly income of $1,000 USD is required for a spouse and $500 USD for each dependent child under the age of 18. For a minimum of 4 months per year, the applicant must be in Costa Rica and cannot work as an employee in Costa Rica.
The investor status requires a business investment of $200,000 USD. For a minimum of 6 months per year, the applicant must be in Costa Rica. The applicant cannot claim a spouse or dependents.
The representante or company visa status requires that the applicant be the director of a company meeting specific requirements. For a minimum of 6 months per year, the applicant must remain in Costa Rica. He can earn income from the company but spouses and dependents cannot be claimed.
All immigrants are required to have a police certificate of good conduct from the last place of residency. A birth certificate is required for the applicant, spouse, and all dependent children up to 18 years of age, or 25 years of age, for university students. A marriage certificate is required, if the spouse desires residency. All documents, that do not have an official government seal, must be locally notarized. The documents should then be sent to the appropriate Secretary of State based on where the document was issued for certification. When the documents are approved by both the local and state officials, they are then sent to the Costa Rican consulate in the U.S. that is appropriate for the region in the U.S. where the document was issued.
For the pensionado and rentisa status, an income certificate is required. The U.S. embassy in Costa Rica can provide certification of Social Security. Other government pensions require a letter stating the pension is paid by the government. The wording on income certification of other types should be discussed with a immigration specialist at Association of Residents of Costa Rica (ARCR) or with a Costa Rican attorney. A Costa Rican attorney should be consulted for the additional information required for investor and representante status.
