Investor Residency: Buy Your Own Home in Costa Rica for US$150,000
Is There an “Investment Visa” in Costa Rica?
Not under that name, and the difference matters when you start searching for requirements.
People arrive looking for a Costa Rica investment visa. What exists is Investor residency — inversionista — a temporary residency category based on a qualifying investment in the country. It is residency, not a visa, and it is granted by the immigration authority rather than issued at a border or a consulate.
That matters for two practical reasons. Checklists written for “investment visas” in other countries do not apply here. And the requirements you need are the ones published for this category, not a general visa page.
Hold It in Your Own Name, Not a Company — Ask First
This is the single most expensive mistake we see on the investor route, and it is made before anyone talks to us.
Holding Costa Rican property through a company is perfectly normal and there are sound reasons to do it — it can simplify a later sale or transfer. But if you intend to use that property to qualify for Investor residency, it must be registered in your personal name. The regulation does not accept a home or land registered to a company.
The two goals genuinely pull in different directions, so the order matters: decide whether residency is part of the plan before you decide how to hold the property. Unwinding it afterwards costs real money and real time.
We have written this up in full — see investor residency with property in a corporation. If you are buying through GAP Real Estate or financing with GAP, raise it with us at the offer stage, not at closing.
Investor Residency at a Glance
- Published minimum: US$150,000 in a qualifying investment.
- Best fit: applicants who can document both the investment and how it was acquired.
- First step: confirm that the ownership structure and evidence fit the current DGME category before committing funds.
- Important: this is temporary residency, renewed with proof the investment remains in place.
Buying your home in Costa Rica: how it works for residency
Investor residency depends on a qualifying investment and a complete immigration application. A purchase contract or asset price alone does not establish approval. That is why we check the investment structure with you before you transfer funds or change ownership.
How Costa Rica Residency by Investment Works
Costa Rica residency by investment is set out in the regulation to Law 9996, which the DGME publishes on its regularization page. You must invest at least US$150,000 in Costa Rica, counted at the Central Bank’s official selling exchange rate, in one or more of these:
- real estate, or movable assets registered in the National Registry
- shares in a Costa Rican company with real business activity
- securities bought through a brokerage registered with SUGEVAL
- a venture capital fund registered with SUGEVAL
- productive projects, projects declared of national interest, or certified reforestation
- sustainable tourism infrastructure projects approved by the ICT
You can combine more than one type to reach the amount. Investments held outside Costa Rica do not count.
Investor residency is granted for two years and renewed for two years at a time. At each renewal you show that the investment has stayed in place without interruption since you were approved. If the investment is made through a trust, only the settlor (the person who put the money in) can apply.
Costa Rica Investor Visa Requirements
There is no separate investor visa, so these are the requirements for Investor residency, from the regulation the DGME publishes. Every main applicant files:
- A signed application stating the type of investment, your address and how you will receive notices. Your signature is authenticated by a lawyer or notary, or you sign in front of the official when you file in person.
- Proof of the government filing payments.
- Your birth certificate, apostilled or legalized.
- A recent passport-size photo.
- A police certificate from your country of origin, or from the country where you lived legally for the last three years, apostilled or legalized, plus proof of your legal stay there.
- A notarized copy of your passport’s photo page.
- Proof of the investment (below).
- If you are registered as an employer with the CCSS or with the tax authority, you must be up to date. Migración checks this itself.
Documents that are not in Spanish need an official translation. We prepare and check the whole file with you before it is filed.
Proof of the investment, by type
- A home or land: the property must be registered in the National Registry in your personal name, and Migración checks the Registry itself. Property registered to a company is not accepted, and a notary’s or accountant’s certificate does not replace the Registry record. You also provide a certificate from the municipality, no more than three months old, showing the property’s value and that municipal taxes are paid.
- Bought with a mortgage: your down payment must be at least US$150,000, or reach the amount together with other qualifying investments.
- Registered vehicles and other registrable assets: proof of the tax paid, such as the marchamo, showing the asset’s fiscal value.
- Shares in a company: a notary’s certification, no more than one month old, taken from the company’s legal books and showing your real stake, plus a certification from a Costa Rican CPA. The company must have real business activity in Costa Rica.
- Securities or a venture capital fund: the brokerage or fund manager must be registered with SUGEVAL, plus a CPA certification of the amount invested.
- Projects: the decree number for a project of national interest, a document from the government institution for a productive project, a MINAE certification for reforestation, or an ICT technical opinion for sustainable tourism, each with a CPA certification.
Already bought through a company?
Talk to us before you move anything. Taking a property out of a company has tax and transfer consequences of its own, so we look at the whole picture with you first.
Family members
Your spouse, your children under 18, adult children with a declared disability, and unmarried children under 25 who depend on you financially can apply as your dependents. Each files the same personal documents (items 1 to 6 above) plus proof of the relationship: an apostilled marriage certificate for a spouse, an apostilled birth certificate for a child. Children aged 18 to 24 also need a sworn statement that they are single, proof that they are studying and proof that they depend on you. An adult child with a disability needs a medical report.
Process and renewal
- Confirm category fit: check the investment type, ownership structure, and evidence before filing.
- Prepare the investment records: obtain the certifications and supporting documents appropriate to that investment.
- Prepare personal documents: apostilles, translations and the police certificate, checked against the current DGME list.
- File and monitor: submit a consistent package and respond to any official requests.
- After approval: you join the CCSS (the Caja) and keep it paid. Migración checks this when you collect your DIMEX card and at every renewal.
- Renew every two years: show the investment is still in place and has been held without interruption.
The official source is the DGME regularization page (Residencia Temporal, then Inversionista y sus Dependientes), which links to the regulation. Requirements can change, so we check the current version before every filing.
Is There Citizenship by Investment in Costa Rica?
No. Costa Rica does not grant citizenship or a passport in exchange for an investment. An investment leads to residency, and residency can later lead to citizenship:
- Investor residency (temporary), renewed every two years.
- Permanent residency after three years as a temporary resident. See permanent residency in Costa Rica.
- Citizenship by naturalization through the TSE after seven years of official residence (five for Central Americans, Spaniards and Ibero-Americans by birth), with Spanish and history exams. See citizenship in Costa Rica.
Frequently asked questions
Does an investment automatically give me Costa Rican citizenship?
No. Investor residency is an immigration status. Citizenship comes later, through naturalization with the TSE, as set out above.
Does a house owned by my corporation count?
No. For a home or land, the regulation requires the property to be registered in your personal name, and property in a company is not accepted. Shares in an active Costa Rican company are a separate route with their own proof. With a trust, only the settlor can apply.
Do tax incentives decide whether I qualify for residency?
No. Immigration status and tax incentives are separate questions. Confirm any current tax benefit directly with the relevant authority before budgeting for it.
Can I include my family?
Yes. Your spouse, children under 18, adult children with a declared disability and unmarried children under 25 who depend on you can apply as your dependents, each with their own documents.
Can I buy with a mortgage?
Yes, but your down payment must be at least US$150,000, unless you reach the amount together with other qualifying investments.
Can I work on Investor residency?
Not for pay. The regulation says investors and their dependents may not do paid work, manual or intellectual. If you plan to work in a business in Costa Rica, talk to us before you apply so you choose the right category.
How long is Investor residency granted for?
Two years at a time, renewable as long as you keep the investment. After three years you can apply for permanent residency.
Before You Commit Funds
These cover the questions that come up once someone is seriously considering this route:
- Proof of investment requirements — what the authority expects to see and in what form.
- Property held in a corporation — why it does not count for this application.
- How long residency takes — the realistic timeline rather than the hopeful one.
- Permanent residency — where the investor route can eventually lead.
- Choosing immigration help — who does what, and what to ask before you pay anyone.
The order that saves money: confirm the category fits you, confirm how the asset should be held, then commit the funds. Doing it the other way round is how people end up owning the right property in the wrong structure.
Get an early review before you commit funds
Send CRIE a short outline of the proposed investment and the records you have. We can identify the immigration documents to prepare and flag issues for further legal or financial review before you file.
WhatsApp: +506 8373 2085
Email: info@crie.cr
Not sure this is the right category for you? Compare all the routes side by side in our guide to Costa Rica residency options, which sets out what each one needs and how the process runs.
Professional disclaimer
This page is general information, not advice on your particular case. Immigration rules and required documents can change, so we confirm the current checklist for your case before anything is filed.