Pensionado or Rentista As a retiree (pensionado) or temporary resident (rentista) you can own a business, but you are not permitted to work for someone else. It’s common for foreign residents living in Costa Rica to create a business as an easy way to obtain legal resident status. As a pensionado you must provide proof of a fixed income from abroad of at least US $600 per month; as a rentista, you have to show a guaranteed income of US $1,000 per month for the next five years. AUTHOR TIP: Hire an immigration lawyer to help you navigate the bureaucracy.

Your permanent resident ID Card is valid for one year and renewed at the cost of about US $100. Dependents of pensionados and rentistas may be included under your application. You are required to live in Costa Rica for four months (not necessarily consecutively) per annum. 24 . Living or Retiring in Costa Rica Inversionista

An inversionista is an investor who lives in Costa Rica at least six months of the year and invests under one of the following three options: US $50,000 in tourism or export businesses; US $100,000 in reforestation projects; or US $200,000 in any other business. Again, use an immigration lawyer to help you through the necessary applications. After two years as an inversionista you can apply for permanent residency. A second method to obtain residency as an inversionista is to buy a home worth over US $40,000 and loan the government another US $10,000. They use the money to fund low-income housing and, after two years, you get paid back (in colones not dollars), with interest. Worker (A5 or A6 Visa)

Upper management executives and ESL teachers are eligible for A-6 visas; high-level technicians and scientists are issued A-5 visas. These employees fill jobs that are considered necessary to Costa Rica’s economy and development.

Family Relation (A4 Visa) Marry a Tica or Tico, and you can be eligible for residency with an A-4 visa. If you have immediate Costa Rican relations, they can sponsor you. You will first be granted a Conditional Permanent Residency Permit (CPRP), then a Lawful Permanent Residency (LPR).

The Association of Residents of Costa Rica (Casa Canadá, Av 4 & Calle 40, . 506/233-8068, fax 233-1152, www.casacanada.net/arcr) is an excellent source for information and advice. This non-profit organization will also handle visa applications for a reasonable fee. You can find a form that goes directly to them on our Immigration Page. Check out the book of Chris Howard The New Golden Door to Retirement and Living in Costa Rica