Costa Rican visa resources
How to Apply for Costa Rican Residence
The general process for applying for temporary or permanent residence, or a special stay, with the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (DGME).
Important
Most residence applications in Costa Rica are handled by the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (DGME) through its Gestión de Extranjería services platform, its regional delegations, or a Costa Rican consulate abroad. The core of any application is a signed request stating the applicant's identity, qualifications, purpose, address and means of notification, together with civil-status and criminal-record documents and category-specific evidence (employment, investment, income, pension, study enrolment or family link).
Foreign public documents such as birth, marriage and criminal-record certificates must be legalised or apostilled before they are accepted, and documents celebrated abroad (such as a foreign marriage) may need to be registered with the relevant Costa Rican registry. Once an application is approved, the applicant registers and is issued the DIMEX foreigner identity card and, for most resident categories, enrols with the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS).
The special Estancia (remote-worker) category can be applied for online through the DGME digital platform as well as in person.
Next steps
Official sources
For the most accurate and up-to-date information, always refer to the official government sources.
Verified against official sources · last reviewed 2026-08-21. Information only — not legal advice.