Immigrate to Costa Rica
There are several ways through foreign citizens can immigrate to Costa Rica. One of the favourite options is business setup as it combines the possibility of earning passive income with moving here and living a stress-free life.
Below, our company formation agents in Costa Rica explain how you can move to this country by creating a business, but also by other means.
Relocation options for those who want to move to Costa Rica
Costa Rica is one of the most desirable living destinations in the world, when it comes to the relaxed way of life people live there. If you want to relocate to Costa Rica, here are the main available options:
business registration which is also possible through a dedicated investment visa;
real estate acquisition under the same investor visa;
employment;
retirement;
marriage to a Costa Rican national.
For each of them specific conditions need to be met, however, you can rely on our Costa Rican lawyers who can help you ensure you fulfil them.
Temporary residence in Costa Rica
No matter the way you decide to immigrate to Costa Rica, you will first be issued a temporary residence permit. Its validity depends on the means of relocation, so you may want to check all your alternatives before making a decision.
In most cases, the temporary residence visa has a 2-year validity period and can be extended. The exception is employment, for which you will need a work visa based on a previously obtained labor contract.
You can consult with our lawyers in Costa Rica about the requirements, and most importantly, the documents you need to draft when moving to this country.
Business relocation to Costa Rica
If you decide to immigrate to Costa Rica by starting your own company, here are your main options:
the usual pathway through which you choose the activity to complete and start the incorporation procedure followed by you moving to Costa Rica;
applying for the investor visa which comes with a minimum amount of money as capital injection.
Each option has its advantages, however, the investment visa will allow you to put your money into a new venture or in an existing one. If you need to consult with someone with respect to your options, you can rely on our local agents who have helped clients interested in both immigration methods.
Relocating to Costa Rica through employment
Employment is not one of the most popular ways to move to Costa Rica, as it requires the employer to go through specific authorization processes in order to onboard a foreign worker. Intra-company transfer, self-employment, and even remote work on the other hand are options for Costa Rican businesses with foreign capital, respectively single entrepreneurs.
Our immigration services in Costa Rica also extend to these categories of clients, so if you need support, you can rely on our local representatives.
Retiring to Costa Rica
For foreign citizens who have retired and have the minimum amount of pension requested by the Costa Rican authorities, the retirement visa is one of the best relocation options. Through this visa, you can obtain a 2-years temporary residence permit with the possibility of becoming eligible for permanent residency.
Permanent residence in Costa Rica
If you plan to immigrate to Costa Rica on an indefinite term, then you are looking for a permanent residence permit. The good news is that you only need to live here for periods ranging from 2 to 5 years. This is where moving through an investment visa helps you:
you can obtain permanent residency after 2 years as a retired foreigner;
you can obtain the permanent resident card after 3 years as an investor.
The usual route enables you to apply for it after 5 years of living here.
Contact us and find out all the ways through which you can immigrate to Costa Rica and how we can help you.