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I will be applying for residency shortly, either as a rentista or inversionista. I was informed by the ARCR (and read elsewhere) that rentistas need to stay in the country for four months our of every year, and six months for inversionistas. I have since been told that the law has changed and that both types of temporary residents only need to stay in the country for one day out of every year. The person I communicated with at the ARCR is unaware of this change. Can anybody confirm this with certainty?
On a related note – I have also been told by ARCR that CAJA will be more expensive as an inversionista, but heard elsewhere that the same income is used for both inversionista and rentista ($2,500 per month), and that the CAJA payments would be the same.
Thank you for any insight you can provide.
I haven’t heard of a change in time required in country. As for CAJA as Inversionista it is based on an ‘investment’ and is [u]higher[/u][u][/u] than Rentista which is based on the [u]$2500 per month[/u]. Under 55 approx $250 under,approx. $450. Pensionados rates starts at approx $75 and rise from there based on pension.
Inversionista, in the $600-700’sQuote taken from [url=http://amcostaricaarchives.com/2014/02/residents-association-continues-to-dispute-medical-rates-with-the-caja/]this article[/url] below:
[i]”The legal department said it did not want to publish the figures for investors because the numbers were so high. It is estimated that investors are being asked to pay more than $600 every month to the Caja. Investors are also asked to declare a [u]$3,300 per month income [/u]when they were never before required to prove any stream of income.[/i]”Note that these CAJA rates have risen since this article was written, and you can no longer join the group plan offered by ARCR.
[url=http://www.retirenowincostarica.com/020914-expat-health-care-costs-become-more-complex.htm]One link[/url]
[url=http://www.usexpatcostarica.com/arcr-rate-hike-for-caja-plan/]Another link[/url]Note: that not all ‘investments’ will be accepted by Immigration for Inversionista status.
We received our residency and the process was not easy until we contact
Jose Alfredo Campos
tel. 506 22010300
cel 506 60518796
Yes, you can be in CR only one day of the year.
For good,honest and not expensive help contact this emigration lawyerIf you are in the country for only one day while still Temporary resident, you will, I think, have to continue to produce money exchange transactions receipts from dollar to colones, to the amount of what is being transferred to your ‘cost of living account’ per month, for the entire year and may have to produce them when renewing your cedula.
At least this is how it was…
Once you are a Permanant Resident you need only to be in the country one day per year, and no need to report any financial information.Thank you for the information. It seems that I am getting conflicting information from the ARCR and the other service that I was planning to use to obtain residency. I can go the inversionista route, since I am purchasing a home there, but if the CAJA payment is significantly higher I would likely go the rentista route.
[i]Rentista [/i]status, is [i]much[/i] easier and [i]much[/i] less complicated to obtain.
We were denied [i]Inversionista[/i] status, due to immigration not accepting our… [i]very detailed as per their request[/i]… business plan for our property we had previously purchased,and had to reapply as [i]Rentista.[/i]My property requirement will probably be easier to document, since I am buying a condominium with a value over $200,000. I was hoping to be able to avoid the bank letter/transfer of funds, but I guess the lower CAJA payment for rentistas would make it worthwhile. Thank you.
FYI, some info if your condo may be subjected to the annual Luxury tax …
[url=http://insidecostarica.com/2015/01/12/tax-luxury-homes-must-paid-january-15th/]Inside Costa Rica[/url]Unfortunately I probably will be subject to that tax.
I forwarded the link to the article that discusses the Caja rates to one of my sources and I was told that Caja issued new rate guidelines on October 1, 2014 (after the article was written), whereby rentistas and inversionsistas are considered to have $2,500 in monthly income.
Unfortunately,while this may be so, until you go to apply for CAJA at the end of the application process, you won’t know [i]exactly[/i] what your premium will be.
So you may be pleased or not so pleased…:wink:
Thanks for bring the change to our attention, though.[quote=”costaricafinca”]Unfortunately,while this may be so, until you go to apply for CAJA at the end of the application process, you won’t know [i]exactly[/i] what your premium will be.
So you may be pleased or not so pleased…:wink:
Thanks for bring the change to our attention, though.[/quote]Really a kick in the pants to invest the time, effort, and money and not know what CAJA will charge you until the very last step of the process. Yet another reason residency is looking less attractive. Viva Tourist!
I was surprised to find out how much CAJA would cost (and I won’t know exactly how much until the time comes). For that price, I could take a little vacation every 3 months. I imagine that the high rates are discouraging a lot of would-be residents from applying, and so I’m surprised that they are encouraging the perpetual tourist. But I’m new to this, so what do I know? Thanks for you thoughts and insights.
[quote=”bobbyk”]I was surprised to find out how much CAJA would cost (and I won’t know exactly how much until the time comes). For that price, I could take a little vacation every 3 months. I imagine that the high rates are discouraging a lot of would-be residents from applying, and so I’m surprised that they are encouraging the perpetual tourist. But I’m new to this, so what do I know? Thanks for you thoughts and insights.[/quote]
Fortunately I’m able to maintain homes in a few nice places so going the perpetual tourist route isn’t necessary in my case. I come and go as I please and enjoy my home in CR well within the rules set forth for tourist. No need to jump in and out every 90 days. But for those that must put all their eggs in one basket and only have a home in CR… the issue of CAJA and residency is an important factor. The expense is sizable and must be seriously considered in your budget when applying for residency. And as is the case with all taxes…. they will only go up…. add to that the failing nature of CAJA itself and it becomes a very troubling prospect.
Placing yourself on yet another government radar to be taxed is never a good idea. You give up too much information and freedom. As things get worse in the world each country will be clawing at folks that have placed themselves in this position to be tapped as a source of revenue. I had originally planned on applying for residency but find that the expense and surrender of my sovereignty to be subjected to taxation by yet another failing government is not worth the benefit! Besides…. tourist are treated much better in CR…. as a source of income they benefit CR…. so what if my stays are not at a high end resort with dining at overpriced tourist traps… spending time at my home and cooking for myself is a joy itself.
Anyone considering residency must weigh all the positives and negatives for themselves and their particular situation.
[quote=”km1204″]We received our residency and the process was not easy until we contact
Jose Alfredo Campos
tel. 506 22010300
cel 506 60518796
Yes, you can be in CR only one day of the year.
For good,honest and not expensive help contact this emigration lawyer[/quote]Based on your recommendation I contacted Sr. Campos with what appears to be a very simple request relating to the renewal of my cedula. I was disappointed to receive the following response
“Unfortunately there is nothing I could assist you at this point. Otherwise, I will be glad to assist you.”All I was asking was for him, a runner or an associate to check on something in my immigration file, and I made it very clear that I was willing to pay him to do it.
“Unfortunately there is nothing I could assist you at this point”
He may have been trying to politely say he was swamped right now. One can only do so much.
Quicksand. . . The constantly changing rules and tax rates in CR are like quicksand. Ever changing and with an unknown bottom. I’ve been watching friends who made a huge investment in a tree farm in CR over a decade ago and the failure to gain any official status due to changing rules. After meeting all the conditions set by the government they were abruptly told they would have to reside in CR for 6 months at a time. Their plan was not much different than being virtual tourists, they wanted to work in the US in good weather (spring and fall) and then spend their money and maintain their CR investment in the winter and summer. So they were forced into being virtual tourists as is suggested above.
As to taxing folks until they are forced out, that is not far fetched. The purpose for property taxes in the US was partially so that large family holdings could not be maintained forever. Redistribution by taxation. The problem is that it was intended for the super rich but today destroys small family farms and businesses rather than the super rich. . . The government gets taxes from whom they can.
Don’t be surprised by more negative rules and tax changes.
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