Premium Legal Representation for Investor Residency in Costa Rica
Investing in Costa Rica can open the door not only to property ownership, business opportunities and long term relocation, but also to legal residency.
Under Law No. 9996, Costa Rica created a special framework to attract investors, rentiers and pensioners by granting immigration and tax incentives to qualifying foreign nationals. For investors, the law allows a foreign person to apply for temporary residency by making a qualifying investment in Costa Rica. The regulatory framework places the immigration authority under the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería and the tax aspects under the Ministry of Finance.
At Simple Legal Consulting, we assist foreign investors, property buyers, entrepreneurs and families with the legal strategy required to structure an investment properly, document it correctly and use it as the basis for investor residency in Costa Rica.
Our role is not only to file an immigration application. Our role is to help you make the right legal, commercial and personal decisions before you commit your capital.
At Simple Legal Consulting, we assist foreign individuals, families, investors, entrepreneurs, and private clients who want to relocate to Costa Rica through a clean, strategic, and professionally managed investor application.
Our work is not limited to filling out forms. We structure the file, review the financial evidence, coordinate banking and accounting support when needed, prepare the immigration application, organize apostilles and translations, and guide the client until approval and DIMEX issuance.
How much time it takes? Around 12-18 months to get an approval, unfortunately this is one of the slowest applications as it is only possible to apply with hard copy formats in contrast with the Rentista Residency which can we submitted online and practice shows answers in around 7-10 months.
Applicants who file before July 5, 2026 may still preserve access to benefits under Law No. 9996, even if the final resolution is issued after the deadline.
Every investor application is personally supervised by Herman Duarte, founder of Simple Legal Consulting, to ensure a carefully structured and professionally prepared filing.
Boutique legal representation for residency, investment, banking, corporate, and real estate matters in Costa Rica.
What Is Costa Rica Investor Residency?
Investor residency allows a foreign national to obtain temporary legal residency in Costa Rica based on a qualifying investment made in the country.
This category may also allow eligible dependents to apply together with the main applicant. The regulations include dependents such as a spouse, minor children, adult children with a legally recognized disability, and unmarried children under 25 who are studying and economically dependent on the main applicant.
Investor residency is generally granted for two years and may be renewed for equal periods, provided the investment is maintained continuously and without interruption.
After three consecutive years of temporary residency, a foreign resident, together with qualifying family members, may generally apply for permanent residency under Costa Rica’s general immigration law.
Minimum and Type of Investment Requirement
Important Considerations For Investor Residency
The minimum qualifying investment for investor residency in Costa Rica is currently generally established at: USD $150,000
Under Law No. 9996 and its regulations, qualifying investments may be made through several categories, including:
• Real estate
• Registrable movable assets
• Shares in Costa Rican companies
• Securities and regulated investment instruments
• Productive projects
• Projects of national interest
• Venture capital funds
• Sustainable tourism infrastructure projects
However, an important legal change is expected in relation to the investment threshold.
Law No. 9996 was enacted as a temporary incentive framework and is expected to expire on July 5, 2026. Based on the current legal structure, the expiration of the law is not expected to eliminate the investor residency category itself or the types of qualifying investments permitted under Costa Rican immigration law.
What is expected to change is the minimum investment amount.
Once the temporary incentives established by Law No. 9996 expire, the minimum qualifying investment threshold is expected to return to the previous standard of: USD $200,000
For that reason, investors considering investor residency in Costa Rica should carefully evaluate timing, investment structure, and application strategy before the current legal framework changes.
It is also important to understand that the investment amount alone is not sufficient.
The investment must be properly documented and supported through the appropriate legal and institutional evidence, which may include:
• Registry certifications
• Corporate documentation
• Municipal valuations
• Certified Public Accountant certifications
• Banking or securities documentation
• Government or institutional confirmations
• Proof of ownership and source of funds
The exact documentation depends on the type of investment being used for the application.
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Stage 1: Eligibility Review
We begin with a legal review of your profile.We evaluate:
Your nationality.
Your current immigration status.
Your income source.
Your banking situation.
Your family structure.
Your timeline.
Whether Investor is the best category.
Whether Rentista, Pensionado, Digital Nomad, or another category may be better.
This step avoids the most common mistake: choosing a category based on internet summaries instead of legal strategy.
Stage 2: Financial Strategy
We review how you will prove the Investor requirement.
Stage 3: Document Collection
We prepare a document checklist for each applicant.
This includes:
Principal applicant checklist.
Spouse checklist.
Children checklist.
Apostille instructions.
Translation requirements.
Costa Rica appointment requirements.
Documents that prove the investment.
Stage 4: Legal Review
Before filing, we review the documents carefully.
This includes:
Names.
Dates.
Apostilles.
Expiration dates.
Translation accuracy.
Income consistency.
Passport data.
Family relationships.
Criminal background check validity.
Government fee receipts.
A single inconsistency can delay the file.
Stage 5: Filing Before Immigration
Once the file is complete, the application is filed before the Costa Rican immigration authority.
We monitor the file, respond to notices, and guide the client through any additional requirements.
Stage 6: Approval Resolution
If approved, the immigration authority issues a resolution granting temporary residence.
The approval is not the final step. After approval, the applicant must complete post-approval requirements to obtain the DIMEX card.
Stage 7: DIMEX Card
The DIMEX is the physical immigration identification card.
The Costa Rican immigration authority has official procedures and requirements for DIMEX documentation and renewal processes. The official immigration website includes DIMEX information for temporary residents, including Rentista residents and dependents.
Post-approval steps may include:
Government payments.
Guarantee deposit.
CAJA or insurance-related requirements, depending on category and current policy.
Appointment scheduling.
DIMEX issuance.
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Costa Rica has offered important fiscal benefits for certain categories of foreign residents, including investors, pensionados, and rentistas, through Law No. 9996 and related regulations. The immigration authority has published regulatory materials related to Law No. 9996 and the attraction of investors, rentistas, and pensionados.
This matters because some benefits and transitional rules may depend on timing, filing date, eligibility, and category.
For clients considering Rentista Residency, 2026 is not a year to improvise. If you are planning to relocate, import personal goods, structure funds, purchase a vehicle, or coordinate a family move, timing should be reviewed early.
A rushed application is usually more expensive than a planned application.
The strongest strategy is to begin with:
Legal eligibility.
Banking feasibility.
Document timeline.
Family filing structure.
Post-approval planning.
Benefits analysis.
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This is important.
Investor Residency is not a local employment permit.
A Investor resident should not assume that they can freely work as a salaried employee in Costa Rica. The category is based on financial independence, not local labor market participation.
Generally, Investor residents may own companies, receive dividends, or manage private investments, but local employment and remunerated work in Costa Rica must be reviewed carefully.
This distinction matters because immigration compliance is not just about getting approved. It is also about preserving status after approval.
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What Types of Investments May Qualify?
Real Estate: Real estate is one of the most common paths to investor residency in Costa Rica. A qualifying real estate investment may include land, a home, a condominium, a commercial property, a development property or another registered immovable asset. However, this category requires careful structuring. For real estate and registrable movable assets, the regulation states that the applicant must be the registered owner before the National Registry, and that assets registered under the name of a legal entity are not accepted for this specific category. The regulation also requires proof from the relevant municipality showing the property value used for municipal tax purposes and that municipal taxes are up to date.
This is why legal due diligence matters before purchasing property for residency purposes. The property should be reviewed not only as a real estate acquisition, but also as the basis for an immigration application.
Shares in a Costa Rican Company. Investment through shares in a Costa Rican company may also qualify, but the company must be properly structured and active. The regulation requires certification of legal standing and share capital, evidence of the foreign applicant’s real participation, and a Certified Public Accountant certification confirming the investment amount. It also states that this type of investment is only permitted in companies with economic activity in Costa Rica, not inactive legal entities.
Securities and Regulated Financial Investments. Certain investments in securities may qualify when made through authorized channels. For this category, the regulation refers to investments through a stock exchange position registered before SUGEVAL, together with accounting certification of the investment amount. This option requires coordination between legal counsel, financial advisors, accountants and regulated entities.
Venture Capital Funds. Investments in venture capital funds may qualify when the fund structure and manager satisfy the required regulatory conditions. The regulation requires that the relevant fund management company be registered in the National Securities and Intermediaries Registry of SUGEVAL and that the investment amount be certified by a Certified Public Accountant.
Productive Projects and Projects of National Interest. Investments in productive projects or projects declared of national interest may also qualify. For projects of public or national interest, the relevant declaration must be properly identified. For productive projects, the investor may need documentation from the government institution connected to the relevant economic sector confirming that the project qualifies and that the investment meets the legal threshold. This category may be relevant for investors developing businesses, infrastructure, forestry, environmental or sector specific projects.
Sustainable Tourism Infrastructure. Costa Rica also recognizes investments in sustainable tourism infrastructure projects. This category may require technical criteria from the Costa Rican Tourism Institute confirming that the project qualifies as sustainable tourism infrastructure. This may be especially relevant for investors in hospitality, eco-tourism, wellness retreats, lodging, tourism infrastructure or related projects.
Registrable Movable Assets. Certain registrable movable assets may qualify, including assets such as vehicles, aircraft or boats, provided they are properly registered and meet the legal threshold. As with real estate, ownership and valuation must be properly documented before the relevant registry.
Rentista vs. Investor Residency
Many clients assume they must buy property to obtain residency in Costa Rica. That is not always the best strategy.
Investor Residency may be appropriate when a client already has a qualifying investment or is ready to invest immediately. However, if the client has stable financial means and wants more flexibility before purchasing property, Rentista Residency may be a cleaner and more practical path.
One important advantage is timing. Rentista applications can often be submitted through Trámite Ya, Costa Rica’s digital platform for immigration procedures. The platform is designed to allow users to complete procedures online through a secure and agile system, reducing the need for traditional in-person filing.
In our recent experience, well-prepared Rentista applications submitted online have received approval in less than 10 months on average, with some cases approved in approximately 5 months. Processing times always depend on the quality of the file, document readiness, government workload, and whether immigration requests additional information.
By contrast, Investor Residency can be slower in practice, especially when the file depends on hard-copy documentation, investment verification, and administrative review. Some current market references place general residency processing between several months and one year, while other Rentista-focused sources estimate six months to one year or longer depending on the case.
The key question is not simply:
Can I qualify?
The better question is:
Which residency category best protects my timeline, my money, and my long-term plans in Costa Rica?
A good immigration strategy should not force a rushed investment decision. For many clients, Rentista Residency allows them to begin the legal residency process while they continue evaluating where to live, whether to buy property, how to structure their banking, and when to make a larger investment in Costa Rica.
Why Work With Simple Legal Consulting?
Simple Legal Consulting is a boutique Costa Rican law firm advising international clients on immigration, investment, banking, corporate, and real estate matters.
We do not treat Rentista Residency as a simple form-filing process. For many clients, residency is connected to banking, source of funds, property decisions, corporate structures, family relocation, and long-term planning.
Our role is to help clients make the process clear, organized, and legally coherent.
Our approach is based on:
Strategy before filing. We first confirm whether Rentista is the correct category.
Document precision. We review civil, criminal, financial, and immigration documents before submission.
Banking awareness. We understand that source-of-funds documentation can be critical.
Family planning. We prepare applications with each family member’s documentation in mind.
Direct legal guidance. Clients work with a firm that understands both immigration and the broader legal context of relocating to Costa Rica.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Costa Rica Investor Residency? Investor Residency is a temporary residence category for foreign nationals who can prove that they made a substantial investment in Costa Rica in Real Estate or other assets of a minimum of USD$150,000.
How much investment do I need to make? The category is commonly associated with proving at least USD $150,000 investment.
Can my family apply with me? Yes, qualifying dependents may apply with the principal applicant. However, each family member must provide the required documents.
Do documents need apostille? Foreign public documents generally require apostille or legalization. Documents not issued in Spanish usually require official translation. Documents have a validity of 6 months.
Can Investor residents work in Costa Rica? Investor Residency is not designed as a local employment permit. Any work, business, or income-generating activity in Costa Rica should be reviewed carefully.
Is Rentista better than Investor Residency? It depends. Rentista may be better if you want flexibility before buying property or making a major investment. Investor Residency may be better if you already have a qualifying investment.
How do I start? The first step is an eligibility review. SLC can evaluate your financial profile, family situation, timeline, and documentation needs before preparing the application.
Does Investor Residency make me a tax resident of Costa Rica? Not automatically in the sense many foreign clients fear. Immigration residency and tax residency are related but not identical concepts. Costa Rica generally applies a territorial tax system, which means the key question is usually whether the income is Costa Rican-source or foreign-source. Simply obtaining Rentista Residency does not automatically mean that all foreign-source income becomes taxable in Costa Rica. However, tax analysis should not be ignored. If a Rentista resident performs business activities from Costa Rica, manages companies from Costa Rica, receives Costa Rican-source income, rents out Costa Rican property, operates a local company, or provides services to Costa Rican clients, tax obligations may arise. For private clients, the safest approach is to review immigration, banking, corporate, and tax planning together before relocating or transferring funds. This is especially important for entrepreneurs, investors, consultants, traders, and families with complex income or asset structures.
Do Investor residents have to pay CAJA? Yes. After approval, Rentista residents generally must enroll with CAJA before receiving their DIMEX card. The monthly contribution is not a fixed amount and depends on the applicant’s declared income, documentation, and CAJA’s assessment at the time of enrollment.
Do you offer family packages? Yes. Simple Legal Consulting offers customized family packages for applications involving five or more applicants. Each family member still requires an individual file, but the process can be coordinated under one family strategy with a tailored fee proposal.