Can you buy property in Costa Rica as a foreigner, and how do you get residency? Yes, foreigners can buy and own property here, and residency is a separate process with its own options and steps. At Ecovilla San Mateo, an intentional community in Costa Rica, it’s one of the questions we hear most, so we asked immigration attorney Michael Salas of Fragomen to walk us through it.
Michael is an immigration attorney and supervisor with the Fragomen Costa Rica team. He has worked in Costa Rican immigration for more than ten years, including within the Costa Rican immigration authorities, and advises families, individuals, investors and international companies. One thing to keep in mind: this is general information. Your own situation decides which residency fits you, so for personal advice, talk to an immigration attorney.
Can foreigners buy property in Costa Rica?
Yes. In general, foreigners can buy and own property in Costa Rica, whether that’s real estate, a company or a car. As Michael explains, property ownership and immigration status are separate legal matters. Buying a home doesn’t automatically give you residency, and owning property doesn’t mean you have to become a resident.
Some types of property, and properties in certain areas, come with special conditions. That’s why proper real estate due diligence and immigration planning matter. A qualifying real estate investment can support a residency application, as long as the value, the ownership structure, the registry information and the supporting documents meet all the immigration requirements.
When does residency become important?
In Michael’s words, residency becomes important when Costa Rica becomes the place where you organize your life: where your family lives, where your children go to school, how you manage healthcare, how much time you spend here, and whether you work or run a business.
He shared an example from the COVID period. Some of his clients owned property in Costa Rica and wanted to spend that time here, but they couldn’t enter the country because they hadn’t applied for residency. Without residency, you’re basically a tourist.
What are the main residency options in Costa Rica?
Michael describes four common options:
- Investor residency. For people who make a qualifying investment of more than USD 150,000. This can be real estate, company shares, or even vehicles that are rented out. It’s the most common option for people who buy at Ecovilla San Mateo.
- Pensionado residency. For people who receive a lifetime pension of more than USD 1,000 per month.
- Rentista residency. For people with a stable, permanent and irrevocable income of at least USD 2,500 per month.
- Digital nomad program. For people who want to spend a year or a couple of years in Costa Rica working remotely, with or without family. Keep in mind that this is a temporary stay authorization and not a residency, so it has different requirements, benefits and long-term effects.
As Michael puts it, the right option is the one that reflects your income, investment, professional activities and long-term plans, and that can be properly supported in the application and in future renewals.
Can you get permanent residency right away?
Only in one case: when you have a Costa Rican child, meaning a child born in Costa Rica. Then the parents, and also the child’s minor brothers and sisters, can get permanent residency right away.
Otherwise, you start with a temporary residency (investor, pensionado or rentista) and can apply for permanent residency after holding it for more than three years. In practice, that means renewing it once, waiting a year and then applying.
How do you know which option fits you?
Michael starts with questions. What is your source of income? What kind of investment are you making, and will you own it personally or through a company? Will you work in Costa Rica? Are you moving alone or with family, and how much time will you spend here? Your nationality, available documents and planned move date matter too, and sometimes accountants or corporate and real estate attorneys need to be involved.
Two people can buy similar properties and still need completely different immigration strategies. As Michael says, good immigration advice starts with understanding a person’s plans.
What are the steps in the residency process?
- Assessment. Check your eligibility and choose the right immigration category.
- Your document list. Depending on your situation, you may need civil records, criminal background certificates (sometimes from more than one country), proof of income, pension documents, investment records, and marriage and birth certificates.
- Apostille or legalization. Documents issued outside Costa Rica need an apostille or legalization, depending on the country.
- Official translation in Costa Rica. Documents that aren’t in Spanish must be translated within Costa Rica by an official translator or a public notary. Translations made abroad aren’t accepted.
- Review. The immigration authorities review the application, which usually takes around 12 months, and may ask for extra documents or clarification.
- Registration. After approval, you pay the government fees for your residence card and register with the social security system, the CAJA, together with your family members.
Processing times vary with the category, the quality of your documents, any extra requests and the workload of the immigration authorities, which can cause delays. So besides a lot of documents, you also need patience.
What does residency mean for healthcare?
Once your residency is approved, you register with the CAJA, Costa Rica’s social security system, and pay a monthly fee. The CAJA asks you to declare an income, and the fee is usually around 10 to 11% of that declared income. It’s one payment for the whole family.
For that, everyone in the family has access to public healthcare, including prescriptions and emergency care, without the co-payments that private insurance often asks for. The main downside Michael mentions is waiting times, while in his experience the quality of care is good.
Have personal questions about your residency? Michael’s first discovery call is free: contact Fragomen Costa Rica.
Want to know more?
Find more answers about buying and living here in our FAQ, see our communities on Explore our Ecovillas, or get in touch if you’re thinking about making Costa Rica your home.