What are the visa & residency requirements in Costa Rica?

"Tourist visas for the US and I believe most of Europe etc. are 90 days no real questions asked. They can also be renewed by a 3-day stay out of the country. As a result, many expats are "perpetual tourists" who just take short trips to Nicaragua or Panama every three months. This probably isn't good, and "perpetual tourists" can and sometimes are prevented from re-entering, but it works for tens of thousands of foreigners over many years. There are three ways to obtain legal residency (in addition to through marriage). One way is to come in as a pensioner. This only requires showing a minimum of $1000 a month income for life, as well as of course dealing with a lot of paperwork and paying fees. Those who can't or prefer not to show the $1000 a month income for life can obtain residency as either rentistas or investors. Rentista residency now requires showing $2500 a month income for a shorter period of time as well as the same fees and paperwork. . I'm not sure how to obtain residency as an investor, and I believe it depends upon the kind of investment, but some people seem to get it by just buying a house valued at either $200,000 or $250,000. Of course, people need a clean criminal record too, but otherwise it's either $1000 a month guaranteed for life or a fair amount of money in a lump sum for either rentista or investor residency," commented one expat who made the move to San Jose, Costa Rica.

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RelocateNow Costa Rica

RelocateNow Costa Rica's clients who run through the RelocateNow Program get quick results in formulating and successfully executing our laid out plan for moving to Costa Rica! Expert consulting for future expats in Costa Rica who wish to fast track the process of their move by receiving the specialized information they need, trustworthy connections within the country, and high level 1:1 support through the entire process.
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"Upon entrance, tourists and visitors are generally granted a 90 day VISA. To enter Costa Rica, you must have a valid Passport. Residency is categorized into different areas of qualification. These options are Retiree (Pensionado), Legal Resident (Rentista), Business/Investor (Inversionista), Marriage/Relation (Vinculo). If you wish to become a resident, the requirements are different for each category and immigration attorney's are often used to assist you should you choose to hire one. If you plan to live in Costa Rica full time, residency is highly recommended as residents are not restricted to a 90 day VISA," remarked another expat in Playa Jaco, Costa Rica.