Costa Rica Investor Residency

Summary

Inversionista is Costa Rica's residency for foreign investors putting at least $150,000 into the country. It's been Costa Rica's investor visa since the 1990s, and the threshold was lowered from $200,000 to $150,000 in 2023 to attract more foreign capital.

The qualifying investment can take several forms: Costa Rican real estate, shares in a registered business, a new operating business, or qualified forestry, tourism, or renewable-energy projects. The investment stays yours — you just have to keep it in place while the residency is active.

Eligibility

You qualify when all of the following are true:

• You invest at least $150,000 (or Costa Rican colón equivalent) into one of the qualifying categories.
• The investment is documented and traceable — funds wired from your account abroad into a Costa Rican account, then deployed into the qualifying asset.
• You can pass a police background check from your country of residence and any country where you've lived for the last three years.

What counts as a qualifying investment

• Real estate — residential or commercial. The key gotcha: value is set by the Costa Rican government assessment, not the purchase price. A $200,000 purchase that only assesses at $130,000 falls short; you'd need to top up. Most buyers verify the tax assessment before closing.
• An operating Costa Rican business — either a new venture you launch or an equity purchase in an existing company. Shares must be registered in the Costa Rican commercial registry.
• Qualified forestry, tourism, or renewable-energy projects — these categories get preferential treatment under Costa Rican development law, but the underlying investment rules are the same.

What doesn't count

• Stocks or bonds traded on foreign exchanges (even Costa Rican companies listed abroad).
• Costa Rican bank deposits — those go through Rentista.
• Investments in offshore vehicles that happen to own Costa Rican assets.

Bringing family

One Inversionista qualifies the whole family — spouse and dependent children under 25 ride along on the same $150,000 investment.

Tax considerations

Costa Rica taxes only income earned within Costa Rica — foreign income is generally exempt. Real-estate investments produce rental income that is taxable in Costa Rica; business investments produce dividends that are also taxable in Costa Rica. Your country of residence likely taxes your worldwide income (the US does), so coordination with a cross-border tax adviser is essential.

Path forward

After three years as Inversionista you can convert to Permanent Residency — dropping the investment requirement. Investment time counts toward naturalization on the standard schedule (5 or 7 years).

Closed: Costa Rica "Golden Visa"

Some lower-tier programs marketed as "Costa Rica Golden Visa" at $200,000 or even $150,000 refer to the Inversionista route described here. There is no separate Golden Visa program — Inversionista is it.

Duration, Renewal, and Long-Term Path

• Duration: Temporary residence is commonly granted for 2 years.
• Renewal: Can support permanent residence after the required temporary-residence period.

What This Route Allows

If approved, this route gives you investor residence in Costa Rica. Initial validity: Temporary residence is commonly granted for 2 years. Renewal or longer-term path: Can support permanent residence after the required temporary-residence period. Key limit: The investment must be at least $150,000, traced from abroad, and kept in a qualifying asset; for real estate, the Costa Rican tax assessment has to meet the threshold, not just the purchase price.

What This Route Is Not

This is not a guarantee of approval. Immigration authorities can still review documents, admissibility, background, funds, and whether the facts match the pathway rules.

Next Steps

1. Pick your investment vehicle. Real estate is most common; business and forestry investments are used by entrepreneurs and those seeking specific tax incentives.
2. Work with a Costa Rican attorney before closing. Tax assessments on real estate and the legal structure of business investments both affect whether the $150,000 bar is met.
3. Wire funds from abroad into a Costa Rican account. Migración wants to see the paper trail — funds moving from your name abroad into your name in Costa Rica, then into the investment.
4. Close the investment. Record the property title, register the business shares, or formalize the forestry/tourism project with the relevant authority.
5. Apply for residency. Submit the investment documentation, your background check, and personal documents to Migración.
6. Receive your DIMEX card on approval and the caución bond (~$300).
7. Maintain the residency. The investment has to stay in place. Renew every two years; spend at least 4 consecutive months in Costa Rica each year.

Sources

• Ley General de Migración y Extranjería (Ley 8764) — statutory basis for the Inversionista category.
• Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería — Inversionista — category rules and application portal.
• Registro Nacional de Costa Rica — property and corporate registry; confirms investment registration.