Costa Rica Residency

Some people who reside in Costa Rica never become residents, but it is a good idea to get residency if you plan to stay all-year round. If you only want to stay part of the year, you can stay for up to six months at a time if you are from the USA (this varies from country to country). You can travel to a neighboring country and re-enter and stay another six months. Most foreigners only need a passport to enter, no visa is required.

People can become residents under various categories. Two of the most popular are Pensionado and Rentista. Under the first, you must prove you receive a pension of at least $1,000 USD per month for the rest of your life. Under the second, you must prove you can receive an income of some sort of at least $2,500 USD per month for a minimum of two years. There are other categories, for instance by marrying a Costa Rican citizen, or by making a large investment in the country, or by obtaining certain jobs. These amounts may change, but once you are locked in, the amounts don’t change for you.

Once you apply, immigration allows you to stay in the country without having to leave every six months while the process of becoming a resident goes on. These guidelines are changing rapidly as immigration rates are increasing

Source: http://www.migracion.go.cr/