Temporary residency lets a qualifying applicant live in Costa Rica under the conditions of an approved category. It requires its own application, evidence and renewal planning. It is one route toward permanent residency; qualifying Costa Rican family relationships can provide a separate route.
Category information checked on 7 September 2026 against DGME’s Regularización page.
Compare the category with your evidence
- Pensionado: a lifetime pension of at least US$1,000 monthly, documented by a competent authority. A disability pension must also satisfy the lifetime and amount requirements.
- Rentista: competent-authority evidence of stable and permanent income of at least US$2,500 monthly for no less than two years. A balance alone is not the published income test.
- Investor: a qualifying investment of at least US$150,000 under the applicable regulation. The ownership structure and value evidence matter; a property’s asking price does not establish eligibility.
DGME also lists marriage, employment and other temporary categories. Use the actual category checklist together with the general requirements. Digital Nomad status is a separate stay category and should not be counted as temporary residence for a permanent-residency plan.
Including family members
Check each relative’s eligibility and documents under the selected category. A spouse, minor child or adult child with a disability can require different evidence. The investor list also includes an unmarried child under 25 who is economically dependent. Do not transfer a dependent rule from one category to another.
Read our dependent application guide before ordering the family’s records.
Plan for renewal from the beginning
Record the expiry date and consult DGME’s DIMEX instructions for your category. Check passport validity, CCSS evidence, category-specific documentation and current payment instructions. The same total fee and supporting documents do not apply to every person.
If the DIMEX expires
DGME’s published instructions for several temporary categories require a new category application when the card has been expired for more than three months. Do not apply that statement indiscriminately to every immigration status or assume a late payment alone fixes the situation. Have DGME review the dates and the procedure that applies.
See expired residency documents and renewal payments before making arrangements.
Absences and marriage-based renewals
DGME’s renewal lists describe additional criminal-record evidence after an absence of more than one year. That documentary requirement is different from the rules governing loss or cancellation of status for extended absence. Review your travel history before booking.
For a category based on marriage to a Costa Rican citizen, check the current relationship evidence and ratification interview requirements. Our marriage residency guide explains the distinction between the application and later renewal.
The path toward permanent residency
DGME lists three consecutive years of temporary residence as one basis for applying for permanent residence. Eligibility still requires an application and review; it is not an automatic card conversion.
The official permanent-residency page also lists certain first-degree relationships with Costa Rican citizens. Its wording limits the child and sibling routes to minors or adults with disabilities. Check the precise relationship and current civil-registry evidence.
DGME states that permanent residency permits remunerated labor or intellectual activity. Other professional, business and employment requirements remain separate. Temporary-category work conditions must be checked before starting work.
For the full sequence, use our permanent residency guide, or contact CRIE about your documents and dates.