Marrying a Costa Rican does not make you Costa Rican automatically, but after two years of marriage, and two years living in Costa Rica during that time, you can apply for naturalization by marriage. The application goes to the Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones (TSE), not to Migración, and the marriage must be registered in Costa Rica’s Civil Registry. Below is exactly what the TSE asks for, the three-month rule that catches many people out, and how long a decision takes.
Who qualifies
The TSE’s requirement sheet for Naturalización por Matrimonio describes the route as being married to a Costa Rican for two years and having lived in Costa Rica for that same period. The legal basis is Article 14, paragraph 5, of the Constitution. Three things must be true:
WhatsApp Johanna: +506 8373 2085
- You have been married to a Costa Rican for at least two years.
- You have lived in Costa Rica during those same two years.
- Your marriage is registered in the Costa Rican Civil Registry. If you married abroad, register it first.
Citizenship is not the same as residency through marriage. Residency is a Migración application that lets you live here; naturalization is a separate TSE application that makes you Costa Rican. Our guide to residency through marriage to a Costa Rican covers the residency side, and if your parent is Costa Rican, citizenship by descent may be a faster route.
Documents the TSE asks for
- A written application. You can file it yourself; a third party can file it if your signature is authenticated by a lawyer; or a special attorney can file it with a notarized power of attorney.
- An email address for notifications (a physical address only if you have no email).
- A copy of your current ID document (passport or DIMEX), certified by a notary, or an uncertified copy plus the original for the official to compare.
- Your birth certificate from your country of origin, apostilled or legalized, with an official Spanish translation by a translator registered with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- A criminal record certificate from your country of origin or the last country where you lived before Costa Rica, apostilled or legalized and officially translated.
- One passport-size photo and the required fiscal stamp.
Any document not in Spanish needs an official translation. The TSE also publishes example application letters on its website.
The three-month rule
The TSE is stricter than Migración on dates. Unless a document states its own validity, it must be no more than three months old when you present it. That applies to your birth certificate and to your criminal record certificate.
The criminal record must come from a federal or national authority. The TSE does not accept state, county, regional, provincial or consular certificates, so an American applicant needs a federal (FBI) check, not a state police certificate. Order it last, so it is still under three months old on filing day. Our guide to document validity explains how to time your paperwork.
Proving you lived in Costa Rica
The TSE suggests adding extra evidence that you lived here, where you can, issued by the competent authority with the dates clearly shown. Examples it gives:
- A Caja (CCSS) report of your contributions.
- A hospital discharge summary (epicrisis).
- A record of vaccines given by the Ministry of Health.
- A certificate of studies completed in Costa Rica.
Do not send full medical records or diplomas; the certification is enough.
Where to file and how long it takes
Applications go to the TSE’s Sección de Opciones y Naturalizaciones, at the central offices on the west side of Parque Nacional in San José (Monday to Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.), or at a TSE regional office. The TSE’s published decision period is 285 business days, so plan for more than a year.
Marrying a Costa Rican as an American or Canadian
Costa Rica allows dual nationality, so becoming Costa Rican does not by itself require giving up your current citizenship. Check your own country’s rules too; our guide to dual citizenship explains how it works, and our citizenship guide compares every route, including the citizenship test.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to be married to a Costa Rican to apply for citizenship?
Two years, and you must have lived in Costa Rica during that same period. The marriage must be registered in the Costa Rican Civil Registry.
Does marrying a Costa Rican give me citizenship automatically?
No. You apply to the TSE for naturalization by marriage, and the TSE decides.
How old can my birth certificate and police record be?
No more than three months old when you file, unless the document states its own validity. The police record must be federal or national.
How long does the TSE take to decide?
The TSE’s published decision period is 285 business days.
Source: TSE requirement sheet “Naturalización por Matrimonio” (tse.go.cr), checked 15 October 2026, and the TSE’s naturalization regulation. General information only — confirm current requirements before acting.
Married to a Costa Rican? CRIE is an immigration law firm in Costa Rica with over 20 years of experience. Talk to our immigration expert, Johanna: WhatsApp +506 8373 2085 or email [email protected].
WhatsApp Johanna: +506 8373 2085