Permanent residents should keep their Caja insurance records ready for DIMEX renewal. The official DGME renewal checklist specifically asks permanent residents for proof of affiliation to the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS), alongside the other documentation for the appointment.
The practical task is to confirm your current insurance arrangement, obtain the requested evidence and address any record problems before renewal. A permanent-residency label alone does not tell you the amount of your monthly contribution.
Check the permanent-resident renewal checklist
On DGME’s DIMEX page, open “Renovación” and then “Renovación DIMEX Residencia Permanente.” The checklist includes proof of CCSS affiliation and gives examples such as voluntary insurance and employer documentation. Those examples are not an instruction for every resident to choose the same insurance arrangement.
Review the full official checklist and your own documentation. Confirm the appointment requirements and applicable fees with the provider rather than assuming they match a previous renewal. If you have been abroad, tell DGME the dates and ask which additional requirements apply.
Confirm your insurance record with CCSS
Use the CCSS procedures catalogue to identify the relevant service. Its insurance section includes voluntary/migrant insurance, independent-worker affiliation, family protection and assignment of an insurance number for foreigners.
Explain your current work, pension and household circumstances to CCSS. Ask whether your existing record remains appropriate and whether an update is needed. Keep the insurance number and identification details available so the institution can find the correct record.
- Check that your name and identification details match your immigration documents.
- Ask what proof of affiliation is available for your renewal appointment.
- Confirm that payments appear correctly and ask how to resolve any discrepancy.
- Keep copies of assessments, receipts and correspondence.
Budget from your assessment, not a residency label
Request an individual contribution assessment from CCSS and ask which rules and income information it uses. This guide does not quote a universal permanent-resident rate. A financial threshold used for a different immigration category should not be substituted for a personal insurance assessment.
Ask how to update information if your work, income or household circumstances change. Do not stop payments or assume coverage has changed solely because you submitted an enquiry. Get confirmation of the applicable procedure and its outcome.
Check family members individually
The CCSS catalogue lists a separate family-protection application. Ask about the eligibility and documentation of each person you wish to include. Do not assume that a relative’s immigration status automatically activates insurance coverage.
For ongoing medical needs, confirm the health establishment, appointment and prescription arrangements. Insurance evidence for an immigration appointment and access to a particular treatment are different questions. Our healthcare planning guide can help you prepare those questions.
Prepare early for renewal
Review your record before booking or attending the renewal appointment, especially if names, identification numbers, employment or residence details have changed. Keep the requested evidence together and follow up on unresolved issues with the responsible institution.
Read our Caja registration guide for enrollment enquiries and our Caja and DIMEX guide for the distinction between approval, first documentation and renewal.
Contact CRIE for help organising the immigration documentation and identifying questions for DGME or CCSS.
Reviewed September 7, 2026 against DGME’s permanent-resident DIMEX renewal guidance and the CCSS procedures catalogue. Confirm individual insurance and documentation requirements with the responsible authority.