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| Field | 🇨🇷Costa RicaCosta Rica Digital Nomad Visa: Income, Requirements and Renewal |
|---|---|
| Country | Costa Rica (CR) |
| Route | Costa Rica Digital Nomad Visa: Income, Requirements and Renewal |
| Route family | Remote work |
| Route type | digital nomad |
| Summary | Current 2026 guide to Costa Rica's Estancia for Remote Workers and Service Providers, including the US$3,000/US$4,000 income test, 15-day decision period, one-year stay, renewal and family rules. |
| Last verified | 2026-09-15 |
| Official/supporting source count | 7 |
| Route guide | Open full guide → |
| Program availability | ActiveSource 1Source 2Source 3Source 4Source 5Source 6 |
| Best-fit work models | Remote employee, Freelancer / contractorSource 1Source 2Source 3Source 4Source 5Source 6 |
| Income requirement | The official program requires USD 3,000 monthly foreign-source income for an individual or USD 4,000 monthly for a family group, evidenced over the prior year under the program rules.As of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Savings requirement | The program sets no separate savings or minimum-balance threshold. Applicants must provide bank statements or an accepted professional certification showing the required foreign-source income over the preceding year: USD 3,000 monthly individually or USD 4,000 when requesting legal stay for a family group.As of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Investment requirement | Not applicableAs of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Government fees | The official materials list a USD 100 application payment and, after approval, USD 90 for the stated legal-stay documentation and Special Social Immigration Fund components; a guarantee deposit can also apply.As of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Processing time | DGME's procedure provides a 15-calendar-day written-decision period from filing, subject to the stated completeness process: one notice within up to five calendar days and eight working days to cure omissions.As of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Validity | The non-resident Estancia for Remote Workers and Service Providers is authorized for up to one year, with one renewal available under the program rules.As of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Renewal | The official renewal procedure requires at least 80 days of physical presence during the authorized period, continued qualifying income and the prescribed renewal documentation.As of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Family inclusion | The remote worker may include a spouse or common-law partner, children under 25, children of any age with disabilities, and certain seniors who live with the applicant. Family relationships or qualifying cohabitation must be documented, and each dependent needs the required application/payment and medical coverage.As of 2026-10-09Source 1Source 2 |
| Spouse work rights | The dependent-stay rules grant family members legal stay but do not grant a separate Costa Rican local-work permit. The official materials do not establish dependent work authorization; confirm any proposed work with DGME before undertaking it.As of 2026-10-09Source 1Source 2 |
| Local-work rules | This category is for remote services to people or entities located outside Costa Rica; it is not a general authorization for Costa Rican employment or local clients.As of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Application location | Register through the Tramite Ya digital platform; applicants may file digitally or, by appointment, in person at DGME's central service platform in La Uruca or a regional office that handles DGME procedures.As of 2026-10-09Source 1Source 2 |
| Permanent-residence pathway | This is a non-resident temporary stay subcategory, not permanent residence. The published digital-nomad rules provide a one-year stay and one renewal, but do not establish a direct conversion to permanent residence; any later residence application must qualify independently under immigration law.As of 2026-10-09Source 1Source 2 |
| Citizenship pathway | Not applicableAs of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
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