By having family ties with a Costa Rican, you can apply for permanent residency in Costa Rica. Moving to Costa Rica is easy, becoming a resident is not, unless you know how to apply for it.
To be able to apply for a permanent residency in Costa Rica for having family ties (vínculo), the ties need to be a father, a mother, a daughter, or a son.
This is a good option for the younger couples and the single ones who move to Costa Rica thinking of starting a family. Young couples have opted to have their baby(s) in Costa Rica. Because it gives the baby automatically the Costa Rican nationality by being born here. Therefore, the parents have a reason for getting permanent residency through family ties.
The Rules and regulations for immigration and residency in Costa Rica change continuously. Although we try to keep the information on this website up to date, please make sure you check all the information on this page with any of our recommended residency attorneys.
Documents needed to file for a permanent residency:
- Correctly filled out the application, in print, legible, and signed
- A letter where you indicate the reasons you are applying for permanent residency. You have to indicate your full name, nationality, marital status, age, job description, address. Sign this letter in front of the Immigration officer. Or a Costa Rican Notary Public can authenticate the signature.
- A deposit receipt for $50 where it shows the applicant’s name as the person who deposited. This amount should be paid in Colones in account 242480-0 of Banco de Costa Rica.
- Also, a deposit receipt for ¢125 and ¢2,50 for each sheet that you present with the application, where it shows the applicant’s name as the person who deposited.
- Two recent passport photos, upfront, of the applicant
- Fingerprint receipt, emitted by the Ministry of Public Security. This is only required for those over 12 years old.
- Receipt of Consular registration. The corresponding Consulate will determine the requirements of the registration.
- Birth certificate of the applicant emitted by the country of birth and duly legalized.
- Criminal record of the applicant, emitted by the home country or where the applicant has resided for the last 3 years, duly legalized.
- Photocopy of all the pages of the applicant’s passport. The applicant has to duly legalize the photocopies, then presented with the original to the Immigration officer who receives the documents. Also, a Costa Rican Notary Public can notarize the photocopies.
- Certification emitted by the Civil Register of Costa Rica, where you show the family ties with the Costarican person. The document cannot be older than 2 months at the moment of the presentation of the application.
- Also, disabled brothers have to prove the disability through a medical exam.
Important Notes
- The applicant is required to be in Costa Rica when applying. His/her tourist visa cannot have expired.
- If the applicant enters Costa Rica as a tourist and applies for a residency, also an additional deposit of US$200 for the concept of change of category is required.
- A Costa Rican consul of that country has to duly legalize the documents if they come from another country. Then authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Costa Rica. With the respective consular taxes and stamps paid or the certifications emitted by the consular authority in the home country of the applicant, if there is an agreement with Immigration for these documents. APOSTILLES IN COSTA RICA is available starting on December 14th, 2011.
- Meanwhile, all certifications have to be originals. The corresponding authority in Costa Rica will issue the certifications. The local institutions legalize the documents for authentication purposes. At the Foreign Affairs Ministry, and the correspondent Consulate.
- All those applicants from countries that do not have diplomatic representation in Costa Rica have to present a certification emitted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Costa Rica. There, the inexistence of a diplomatic representation is indicated.
- The applicant has to provide a translation of the documents when not in the Spanish language, by an official translator or by a Notary Public who knows the language well.
- Also, register yourself for medical Insurance with the C.C.S.S. (Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social) once immigration approves permanent residency.
Check our other articles about obtaining Costa Rica residency:
- Options for Temporary and Permanent Residency
- Permanent residency as a family member related to a Costarican
- Temporary Residency for Rentista
- Temporary Residency for Pensionado
- Residency through buying a property in Costa Rica
This information was taken from the website of “La Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería de Costa Rica”.
The purpose of this article is to serve our clients who purchase Costa Rica real estate. Applicants can acquire legal residency through family ties, by having a baby in Costa Rica. Also, when married to a Costa Rican, stay up to date on your foreign tax returns.
Contact us now for Costa Rica real estate information. For further legal questions, contact an attorney.
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