Costa Rican visa resources
Costa Rican Immigration Processing Times
What is known about how long entry visas, residence applications and the Estancia take to process.
Important
Costa Rica does not publish a single official processing time for all categories, and actual times vary with the category, the completeness of the file, and current DGME workload. Residence applications (temporary and permanent) can take several months from submission to a decision and DIMEX card issuance, with additional time needed to gather and legalise documents beforehand.
The remote-worker Estancia is reported to be processed in approximately 15 business days once a complete application is submitted, which is faster than the resident categories. Consular visas for Group 3 nationals and restricted (Group 4) visas require additional review, and Group 4 applications must be referred to the Comisión de Visas Restringidas y Refugio for approval.
Applicants should build in time for document legalisation/apostille and for any request by the DGME for additional information.
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.