Once you have Costa Rica residency, opening a bank account gets much simpler: your DIMEX becomes your identity document at the bank. Banks still have to “know their customer” under Costa Rica’s anti-money-laundering rules, so you will also show where your money comes from. A worker brings a recent Caja report or salary letter, a pensioner brings a pension certificate, and a self-employed resident brings an accountant’s certification. Here is what changes after residency and what banks ask you to bring.
Looking at all your options? Read our complete guide to Costa Rica residency, with every category compared.
What changes once you have your DIMEX
Before residency, a foreigner opens an account with a passport and must also prove a tie to Costa Rica, such as property, a local employment contract or family here. Without that tie, banks treat you as a non-resident and the account is often harder to open and more limited.
After residency, the DIMEX alone answers the identity question. BAC’s published requirements, for example, list these documents for resident foreigners, any one of them valid and legible:
- Your DIMEX (the residency card, permanent or temporary).
- A valid foreign passport with your stay up to date and a regular migration status. If your status is still being processed, bring proof of the application, and if you have been in the country less than six months, a document showing your tie to Costa Rica.
The practical result: with your DIMEX in hand, you no longer need to prove a reason to bank here. Your residency is the reason.
Proof of income by residency category
Every bank must document the origin of your funds. The usual options, based on BAC’s list for individuals:
- Pensionado: a pension certificate or equivalent document from the entity that pays your pension, issued within the last three months.
- Employee (including work permit holders): your Caja orden patronal (up to three months old), a salary letter or a SICERE report (up to two months old).
- Self-employed or business owner: financial statements, a cash-flow statement or an income certification from a Costa Rican public accountant (CPA) or private accountant (CPI). Income certifications issued abroad are accepted.
- Rentista or investor: the same options apply to your source of funds, such as an accountant’s income certification or a certificate of dividends or profits from the paying entity.
- Dependent (spouse or child): the income document of the person you depend on. Foreign students bring a letter from their school.
Public documents issued outside Costa Rica need an apostille. Each bank can ask for more depending on your case, so call ahead.
Step by step
- Choose your bank. State banks such as Banco Nacional and Banco de Costa Rica have the most branches; private banks such as BAC often offer more English-language service. Many residents keep accounts at both a state bank and a private one.
- Book an appointment. State banks usually work by appointment; check the bank’s website or app.
- Bring your DIMEX, your income proof and your local address. Expect a “know your customer” form about your job, income and expected account activity.
- Open a colones account and a dollar account. Most residents use both: colones for daily life, dollars for transfers from abroad.
- Activate online banking and SINPE Móvil. SINPE Móvil links your phone number to your account for instant local payments, the way most people in Costa Rica pay each other.
Keep your bank up to date with your residency
Banks ask for an identity document that is valid. When you renew your DIMEX, give your bank the new card so your file stays current. If you change residency category, for example from temporary to permanent, or your income changes, update your bank as well. Our DIMEX guide explains renewal, and the BCR DIMEX guide covers booking and pickup.
A note for US citizens
Costa Rican banks report accounts held by US persons under FATCA, so expect to sign a US tax form when you open the account. Foreign-account reporting to the IRS is your own responsibility; ask a US tax professional.
Moving money in
Once the account is open, you can receive international wires. Our guide to sending money to Costa Rica explains IBAN numbers and transfers. If you have not moved yet, our general guide to opening a bank account in Costa Rica covers non-resident accounts.
Frequently asked questions
Can I open a bank account with only my DIMEX?
Your DIMEX covers identity, but banks also ask for proof of income or origin of funds, such as a pension certificate, a Caja report or an accountant’s certification.
Can I open an account while my residency is still in process?
Some banks accept a valid passport with proof that your residency application is in process. If you have been in Costa Rica less than six months, they may also ask for a document showing your tie to the country.
Do my foreign documents need an apostille?
Yes. Public documents issued outside Costa Rica, such as a foreign pension letter or an official certificate, need an apostille.
What should I do when my DIMEX is renewed?
Take or send the new card to your bank so your customer file shows a valid identity document.
Bank requirements based on BAC’s published account-opening requirements for individuals; each bank sets its own policies within SUGEF’s rules. Checked 13 October 2026.
Need help with your residency? CRIE is an immigration law firm in Costa Rica with over 20 years of experience. WhatsApp +506 8373 2085 or email info@crie.cr.