Costa Rica · Digital nomad visa
Costa Rica digital nomad visa: requirements for Americans
Short answer
The main route is the Remote worker stay (digital nomad visa) (No residente, Estancia: Trabajador o Prestador Remoto de Servicios). Remote employees and freelancers paid from abroad, working for people or companies outside Costa Rica.
- Money needed: $3,000 a month of income, or $4,000 if your family comes too
- How long it lasts: Up to 1 year, plus one extension of 1 year
- Leads to: Nothing directly: it isn't residence, but you can switch to another category before it ends
Key facts
- Money needed
- $3,000 a month of income, or $4,000 if your family comes too
- How long it lasts
- Up to 1 year, plus one extension of 1 year
- Leads to
- Nothing directly: it isn't residence, but you can switch to another category before it ends
- Apply from
- Online, from abroad or after arriving as a tourist
- Processing time
- 15 days once your file is complete; real waits Not yet verified
Checked against the law Rules read in the remote-worker law and its regulation.
Still being checked The immigration office's fee list, social-security position, and a bill that would change the income rule.
What you need
- Passport: plus your entry stamp if you're already in Costa Rica
- Income proof: bank statements with a sworn statement, or an accountant's or notary's letter (apostilled)
- Health insurance: at least $50,000 of cover for your whole stay, for each family member
- Translations: an official Spanish translation of every foreign-language document
- Fees: $100 to apply, then $90 and a $100 deposit at your ID appointment; the ID document fee Not yet verified
- ID appointment: within 3 months of approval, in person
- Family papers: marriage certificate issued within 6 months, and birth certificates
Good to know
- Tax-free: you're never treated as a Costa Rican tax resident, and your foreign pay isn't taxed here.
- To extend: spend at least 180 days in Costa Rica in your first year.
- No local work: only the remote work the status covers; breaking that cancels it and back taxes are due.
Every Costa Rica residency route, compared → The full Costa Rica guide →
Questions people ask
How much income do I need for Costa Rica's digital nomad visa?
$3,000 a month of income, or $4,000 if your family comes too
How long does it last?
Up to 1 year, plus one extension of 1 year
Does it lead to permanent residence or citizenship?
Nothing directly: it isn't residence, but you can switch to another category before it ends
Where do I apply?
Online, from abroad or after arriving as a tourist
How long does processing take?
15 days once your file is complete; real waits (Not yet verified)