Residencia Temporal Rentista

The Residencia Temporal Rentista (Temporary Residency for Persons of Independent Means) allows foreign nationals with stable passive income to reside in Costa Rica. Established under Article 82 of the General Migration Law (Ley 8764) and enhanced by Law 9996 (2021), the program is administered by the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (DGME). It is open to individuals of any nationality and age who can demonstrate a stable, recurring passive income of at least USD 2,500 per month from sources such as investment returns, rental income, dividends, royalties, or annuities.

• Stable and permanent passive income of at least USD 2,500 per month, guaranteed for a minimum of 2 years
• Income must come from genuine, recurring passive sources (investment dividends, rental yields, interest, annuities, royalties)
• Fixed-term bank deposits created to simulate monthly income (such as the previously common USD 60,000 deposit) are not accepted
• Bank letter or certification from an authorised financial institution confirming the income
• Mandatory affiliation to the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) upon approval
• Physical presence of at least 4 months per year in Costa Rica (continuous or discontinuous)
• No educational, professional, or age qualifications required

• Signed letter requesting legal permanence (carta de solicitud) with full name, nationality, profession, passport number, date of entry, and civil status
• Valid passport (copy notarised by a Costa Rican notary)
• Birth certificate (apostilled or legalised, translated into Spanish)
• Criminal background certificate from country of origin or residence for the past 3 years (issued within 6 months, apostilled, translated into Spanish)
• Bank letter or certification confirming stable monthly income of at least USD 2,500 for a minimum of 2 years (apostilled if from abroad, translated into Spanish)
• Passport-size photographs
• Proof of payment of the USD 50 application fee

The permit is issued for 2 years and is renewable for additional 2-year periods. At renewal, applicants must show that passive income has been received and exchanged into local currency in Costa Rica, maintain physical presence of at least 4 months per year, and keep CCSS affiliation current. After 3 continuous years of temporary residency, the holder may apply for permanent residence, which removes work restrictions.

A spouse and children under 25 (or older with a disability or financial dependence) may be included as dependants. The USD 2,500 monthly income covers the applicant and all dependants without an additional income requirement. Each dependant submits their own apostilled documents, including birth or marriage certificate and criminal background check.

Costa Rica operates a territorial tax system, so only locally sourced income is taxed and passive income from abroad is not taxed. Under Law 9996 (for applications filed before July 2026), rentistas benefit from income tax exemption on declared qualifying income, one-time duty-free import of household goods, duty-free import of up to two vehicles, a 20% reduction on real estate transfer tax, and duty-free import of professional instruments; these benefits last 10 years from approval. Returns on domestic investments remain taxable. CCSS social security contributions are mandatory and calculated on declared income.

Rentista residents may not work as employees in Costa Rica. However, they may own businesses, receive dividends, and manage companies, provided they do not personally perform paid labour.

Applications are submitted to the DGME in La Uruca, San José, or through a Costa Rican consulate abroad. The application fee is USD 50, with an additional USD 200 if applying from within Costa Rica as a change of status. Processing takes approximately 6 to 12 months. Upon approval, applicants obtain temporary residency, a DIMEX card (the resident identification document), and CCSS affiliation. Law 9996 established a specialised service window within the DGME to streamline rentista applications.

The enrolment window for the 10-year tax incentive lock-in under Law 9996 expires in July 2026 — applicants approved before that date retain the benefits for 10 years from the date granted. As of 2026, the USD 2,500 minimum monthly income threshold remains unchanged; public discussion of a higher threshold has focused on the separate Pensionado category, and no reform to the Rentista requirement has been enacted.