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I just read in your forum that it was suggested to start your residency process, in the states, before you move to CR.
How do you do this?From [ http://www.residencyincostarica.com/residency.html ]
Retiree (“Pensionado”)
This program applies to any person who is already retired from his/her usual Occupation and who is already receiving pension benefits.
Income Requirement: Must show proof of monthly income from a qualified pension plan Of at least US$1,000 per month.
A Pension plan can include amongst others: local, state/provincial and Federal government pensions from most countries, Canadian Old Age Pension System, U.S. Social Security Administration benefits, private pension plans, 401K plans, school district pension, etc. To be a qualified plan, the pension must be payable to the resident applicant “for life.” Many annuities can also qualify as a pension.
If receiving U.S. Social Security or Canadian Government Pensions (including Old Age), the appropriate pension income letter can be easily obtained from the U.S. or Canadian embassies.
Currency Exchange Requirement: Once approved, the resident agrees to exchange the US$1,000 per month (or $12,000 per year) into Costa Rican currency, “colones,” at the official dollar-colon exchange rate in effect at the time of the exchange.
Please note that a married couple needs to show proof of only one (1) monthly pension of at least US$1,000 for both husband and wife to apply for residency. The pension recipient can be either spouse.
Additionally, please note that Costa Rica does not recognize same gender marriages or unions even when legally married in the country of origin. Same gender couples must apply for residency independently from the partner and each partner must meet the income and other requirements on his/her own.
In-Country Requirement: Once approved, the resident agrees to live in Costa Rica for at least 121 days (4 months) per year. The days lived in Costa Rica do not have to be consecutive.
Type of residency: Temporary. The resident can apply for permanent residency after being a temporary resident for three (3) years.
See more about the services they provide at:
[quote=”awalt33″]I just read in your forum that it was suggested to start your residency process, in the states, before you move to CR.
I am familiar with the ‘types’ and requirements for residency, but the article suggested to “Start the process while you are still in the States”, I thought you had to be living there and have been there for at least 3 to 4 months befor you could start the process.No, it is not the case that you must already be living in Costa Rica to begin the residency application process. In fact, you will be required to produce documents which can only be processed in the country you’re currently living in. It’ll be easier to accomplish that while you’re still “at home”. You will, however, have to be in Costa Rica to be fingerprinted for an Interpol check and to actually sign the residency application form.
There are attorneys in Costa Rica who specialize in residency matters. Send me a private message and I’ll give you a referral. Or you could join the Association of Residents of Costa Rica, let them guide you through the initial process, and then have them refer you to an attorney.
You could have confused what I and other have mentioned many times, in that we recommend you live here for an extended time [b]before[/b][i][/i] applying for residency, solely to make sure that Costa Rica is the right choice for [b]you.[/b]
How does the temporary pensionado status relate to the 13% caja tax? Does this status eliminate the 90 day visa limit? How long does it normally take to obtain approval? Although I own a townhouse in Escazu, I am not yet certain that the benefits of eventual permanent pensionado status outweigh the costs. Thanks. DC Bob
[quote=”costaricafinca”]You could have confused what I and other have mentioned many times, in that we recommend you live here for an extended time [b]before[/b][i][/i] applying for residency, solely to make sure that Costa Rica is the right choice for [b]you.[/b][/quote]
All residents including temporary ones ([i]pensionados[/i] and [i]rentistas[/i]), permanent ones, and Costa Rican citizens are required to be enrolled in the CAJA. The actual cost to be enrolled varies with your income, expenses, and maybe the whim of the CAJA clerk you deal with. The surest way to get a tolerable monthly CAJA premium is to join the Association of Residents of Costa Rica and enroll under their group enrollment contract.
Once [i]Migracion[/i] has accepted your complete and documented application for residency, you will be assigned a folio number. You are then no longer in a tourist status and no longer need to renew your tourist visa. Recently, some folks who have played the “perpetual tourist” game but who have not applied for residency have been given thirty day tourist visas rather than the traditional ninety day ones, so be warned.
[i]Pensionado[/i] is a class of temporary, not permanent, residency. After three years in temporary residency status, you can apply for permanent residency which removes the requirement to convert dollars to colones each year.
This is helpful, but I still don’t fully understand my choices. First, I thought that I have read in the forum that a person must already have residency status before ARCR will allow membership. Is that true? If so, can a nonmember of ARCR obtain the favorable caja premium opportunity? Although 3 years of temporary residency status allows a person to convert to permanent status, is it required that a person convert after three years? In other words, can a temporary pensionado remain in that status for an indefinite period after three years? What are the typical costs for residency services by a CR lawyer who specializes in that work? Thanks. DC Bob
you cannot avail yourself of ARCR’s group rate without joining ARCR. you can join them if you are not yet a resident,
you can stay a pensionado for as long as you want, but why would you want to do that? you have to renew every two years, and you have to save bank receipts showing your conversion of either $7200 or $12000 a year. not so if you are a permanent resident.
it’s about $3000 for a couple to get pensionado status here. see fee structure at http://www.residencyincostarica.com
there are many fees associated with this process, filing fees, stamps, consular fees, translations, etc.
Don’t hold me to this, but I think that the attorneys affiliated with ARCR will process a [i]pensionado [/i]application for less than $3,000 for a married couple. Maravilla’s certainly right, however, that there are additional costs associated with getting approvable documents in the U.S., getting them translated, etc. And those attorney’s fees may not include the final gouge [i]Migracion[/i] imposes on the day you get your [i]cedula.[/i]
their attorneys’ fees may be less than that, but if you add in the $700 per couple for the airfare to deport you, the $200 per person for filing the application, plus all the other stuff, you would be hardpressed to get your cedula for less than $3000.
[quote=”maravilla”]their attorneys’ fees may be less than that, but if you add in the $700 per couple for the airfare to deport you, the $200 per person for filing the application, plus all the other stuff, you would be hardpressed to get your cedula for less than $3000.[/quote]
I don’t know what expenses are left, but I did all of the application process myself, including all of the submittals to the Secretaries of State (Texas & Florida) for the apostile & authentication process (what a joke!), the submittal to the CR consular’s office (Washington DC), had all of the papers Fed Ex’d back to CR, submitted everything to immigration in SJO, and got my wife and my expediante document (en tramite) on the same day I submitted everything to immigration!
Thus far, the total costs is less than $350.00.
I just helped my neighbor go through the same procees, except they had to get apostiles from 4 states, and their costs is under $500.00 so far.
The process sounds intimidating and costly, but if you are willing to take the time and do it yourself you can save the costs of an attorney. For my wife and my application, I have about 12-15 hours invested in the entire process, excluding the drive to SJO for the submittal of everything to immigration!
I’m about to begin the process of applying for pensionado status and have a question about the $1000 per month. I plan on being in Costa Rica for six months and Canada for six months for the first few years.
Once that I have submitted proof of a pension over $1000 per month, is it necessary for me to have my pension checks sent and cashed in Costa Rica?
I’ll be purchasing a vehicle, so would the money being changed into colones for that transaction qualify as a year or more of money exchange needed for pensionado status?you do not have to have your pension checks deposited here. you only need to show proof of the $12,000 p/a conversion of dollars to colones, and if you bought a car for, say, $8000, i would convert the dollars into colones with the proper documentation and use that towards your conversion requirements. you MUST spend 4 months a year here to maintain residency, and even if you ONLY spent 4 months here you would still have to prove the $12,000 conversion.
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