Costa RicaVisas Travellers Planning a Costa Rica Stay Must Pick From Four Income-Based Routes
Costa Rica runs four long-stay immigration routes — digital nomad, retirement, fixed income and investor — each with its own income or investment threshold. Requirements vary by income source and long-term plans.
Foreign nationals planning a longer stay in Costa Rica can choose between four main immigration pathways, each tied to a different source of income or level of investment. The right route depends on how you earn your money, your financial situation and whether you plan to stay temporarily or settle permanently.
Key facts
- Digital Nomad Visa: stay up to one year, renewable for one more year
- Minimum monthly income of $3,000, or $4,000 when applying with dependents
- Retirement route: at least $1,000 per month in lifetime pension income from abroad
- Fixed income route: $2,500 in income over a two-year period
- Investor route: a qualifying investment of at least $150,000
What are the four immigration pathways?
The Digital Nomad Visa is aimed at foreign nationals who earn their income from outside Costa Rica. Applicants must show monthly income of at least $3,000, rising to $4,000 if they apply with dependents, and must hold private health insurance and standard background documentation.
Retirement Residency is for qualifying retirees who receive at least $1,000 per month in lifetime pension income from abroad. Fixed Income Earner Residency covers people who do not receive a traditional pension but can show consistent income, while Investor Residency is for those making a qualifying investment of at least $150,000 in Costa Rica, including certain real estate purchases or investments in Costa Rican businesses.
How long can you stay, and what are the financial benefits?
The Digital Nomad Visa allows a stay of up to one year, with the possibility of renewing for an additional year. Retirement Residency is renewable in two-year periods and lets residents live legally in Costa Rica and enrol in the country's public healthcare system. Foreign pension income is not subject to Costa Rican income tax.
The Investor Residency pathway may lead to permanent residency with continued compliance and residence in the country. The source does not state how long that process takes.
What this means for travellers
Anyone considering a move should match their income structure to the correct category before making plans, since each route has distinct eligibility requirements and financial thresholds. The source does not explain where or how to apply, what government fees apply, or how long applications take to process, so those details would need to be confirmed separately.
No changes to these pathways have been announced; the figures above describe the routes as they currently stand.