Costa Rica — FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How much do I need to invest for Costa Rica residency?
The reduced 150,000 USD threshold under Law 9996 expired on 14 July 2026; unless it was renewed, the minimum reverts to 200,000 USD in real estate, an active business, shares or securities, with a lower 100,000 USD entry for qualifying forestry projects. Confirm the current figure with the DGME.
Does Costa Rica tax my foreign income?
No. Costa Rica uses a territorial system, so foreign-source income is not taxed, and there is no inheritance or wealth tax. Local income is taxed progressively up to about 25%. This does not remove obligations to a country that taxes on citizenship, such as the United States.
Can Costa Rica residency lead to citizenship?
Yes, but slowly: naturalisation is available after seven years of continuous legal residence, with permanent residence reachable after three. Treat it as a lifestyle and tax base first.
How long does it take?
The programme announces 3–6 months. That is the official figure, not a commitment.
Who can I include in the application?
Spouse, dependent children and dependent parents can be included with the main applicant.
Which investment routes exist?
2 routes: Real estate, Business. They do not cost the same, and they do not carry the same risk — a donation is spent, an investment may be recovered.
Do I get the money back?
No. The cheapest route is a non-refundable contribution: the money is spent, not invested.
Can I buy and rent it out?
Costa Rica has a property route. What we cannot tell you in general: whether you may let it depends on the approved project. Some run a rental programme and manage it for you; others forbid it outright, and the yield you were shown was never contractual. We read the project rules with you before you commit.
Can this lead to citizenship?
It can, after about 7 years, subject to the ordinary naturalisation conditions — language, presence and good standing. It is a path, not a promise.
What do you actually do for me?
We accompany the whole procedure, residency in Costa Rica included, with one person on your side from start to finish. On the ground we work through an established service and its contacts, and we introduce partners we have tested — law firms, licensed agents, banks — instead of leaving you to find them. It starts with a short qualifying call: tell us your situation and we come back to you with a slot.
How we work
Are you an agent or an intermediary?
We are not the programme unit and we do not file your application for you — licensed agents do that, and we introduce you to ones we have tested. What we do is document the programmes against official sources, then walk the procedure with you: eligibility, the route that fits, the file, the follow-up, with one person on your side throughout.
What does the accompaniment cover?
Every citizenship and residency procedure on the jurisdictions documented here — not a shortlist we happen to sell. We start from your situation and your constraints, not from a catalogue, and if the honest answer is that none of them fits, that is what you get.
Do you have anyone on the ground?
Yes — in each of these places we work through an established service and its contacts: licensed agents, law firms, banks, developers where property is involved. You deal with one person on our side; they open the doors and stay accountable for what they introduced.
How does it start?
With a short qualifying call — twenty to thirty minutes to understand your nationality, your family, your timeline and your budget, and to say which routes are genuinely open to you. It is not a sales call. If you would rather write, leave a message and we come back with a slot that suits you.
Where do your figures come from?
Every figure carries at least one official government source and the date we last checked it. A figure backed only by a law firm or the trade press does not qualify — you will find the sources at the bottom of each page.
Why do you publish two processing times?
Because the announced figure and the observed figure often differ, sometimes by a year. Saint Lucia announces 90 days; practitioners report 14 to 24 months. Publishing only the official number would repeat a sales claim; publishing only the observed one would not be verifiable. We attribute both.
How often are the pages rechecked?
Each page shows its own verification date. Programmes change without notice, so treat any figure older than a few months as a starting point for your own check, not as settled fact.
What do you do when the sources disagree?
We publish the disagreement rather than pick a side. You will see what the official text says, what practitioners report, what remains unestablished, and who to ask. A reader committing several hundred thousand has the right to know a point is disputed.
Is this legal or tax advice?
No. It is general information, verified and dated. Official conditions prevail, and your own situation may change the answer entirely. Consult a licensed professional before deciding anything.
A question that is not here?
Ask it. We answer with sources, or we tell you the point is not settled.
Freedom. Anywhere.
Find my programme
What we do for you
Citizenship or residence, the honest answer often is not the one you arrived with. We take the whole procedure with you — eligibility, the route that fits your situation, the file, the follow-up — with one person on your side throughout.
For Costa Rica specifically, you are talking to someone who already knows the file: who to speak to on the ground, what the unit actually asks for, and the points where applications stall.
- One point of contact, from the first call to the certificate
- Vetted partners on the ground — law firms, licensed agents, banks — introduced, not listed
- It starts with a short qualifying call, and no, it is not a sales call
Prefer to write? Leave us a message and we come back with a slot that suits you.