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| Field | 🇨🇷Costa RicaCosta Rica Investor Visa: Post-July-2026 Investment Threshold Guide |
|---|---|
| Country | Costa Rica (CR) |
| Route | Costa Rica Investor Visa: Post-July-2026 Investment Threshold Guide |
| Route family | Entrepreneur / business |
| Route type | business immigration |
| Summary | Current 2026 guide to Costa Rica investor temporary residence, explaining qualifying investments, two-year residence, renewal and the legal mismatch after Law 9996's temporary US$150,000 threshold expired in July 2026. |
| Last verified | 2026-09-15 |
| Official/supporting source count | 10 |
| Route guide | Open full guide → |
| Program availability | ActiveSource 1Source 2Source 3Source 4Source 5Source 6Source 7Source 8Source 9 |
| Best-fit work models | InvestorSource 1Source 2Source 3Source 4Source 5Source 6Source 7Source 8Source 9 |
| Income requirement | The Investor subcategory sets a qualifying-investment amount, not a separate recurring personal income minimum. Applicants must document the investment and meet the applicable residence requirements.As of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Savings requirement | The published investor rule does not set an additional minimum personal savings or bank balance separate from the qualifying investment. Evidence must substantiate the investment type and amount under Article 4 of the regulation.As of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Investment requirement | The current published 2023 investor regulation (Decree 43926, Article 4) sets a minimum of US$150,000 in qualifying Costa Rican assets or projects, and DGME's 2025 documentation resolution still specifies US$150,000 for the share-investment evidence. Law 9996's five-year window for Article 5 benefits ended in July 2026, but current immigration regulations still publish US$150,000; because the texts' duration language creates uncertainty for new filings, obtain written DGME confirmation before committing funds. Do not assume the threshold automatically returned to US$200,000.As of 2026-10-09Source 1Source 2Source 3 |
| Government fees | The pre-Law-9996 framework specifies a USD 50 temporary-residence application payment plus fiscal stamps; DIMEX, guarantee, immigration-fund and other documentation amounts are separate and should be confirmed with DGME.As of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Processing time | The reviewed investor regulation and DGME documentation resolution do not publish an Investor-specific end-to-end decision deadline. Processing depends on DGME's review and document completeness; request a current estimate from DGME before planning around a fixed date.As of 2026-10-09Source 1Source 2 |
| Validity | The Law 9996 implementing regulation provides two-year Investor temporary residence, renewable for equal periods while the qualifying investment is maintained.As of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Renewal | Investor temporary residence is granted for two years and may be renewed for equal periods. Before renewal, the investor must show that the qualifying investment has been maintained continuously and without interruption since regular status was granted.As of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Family inclusion | Eligible dependants include the investor's spouse, minor children, adult children with a duly declared disability, and unmarried children under 25 who are economically dependent (and meet the study requirement). Each dependant must provide the prescribed identity, relationship and supporting documents.As of 2026-10-09Source 1Source 2 |
| Spouse work rights | A spouse or other dependent temporary resident may study or work only with prior authorization from DGME. Dependent residence by itself is not an open-work permit.As of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Local-work rules | Investor residence does not provide unrestricted work authorization. Temporary residents may perform remunerated or lucrative activity only as authorized by DGME; investment ownership alone should not be treated as permission to work in any role.As of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Application location | Applications for Investor temporary residence are handled by Costa Rica's DGME (Gestión de Extranjería). Use DGME's current official filing channel and documentation instructions; the channel and appointment requirements should be confirmed at filing.As of 2026-10-09Source 1Source 2 |
| Permanent-residence pathway | After three consecutive years of qualifying temporary residence, the investor, spouse and qualifying first-degree relatives may apply for permanent residence under Article 78, subject to current lawful-status and category-change requirements. Permanent residence is not automatic.As of 2026-10-09Source 1Source 2 |
| Citizenship pathway | Investor residence does not itself confer citizenship. Naturalization is a separate TSE process generally requiring five years of official residence for Central Americans, Spaniards and Ibero-Americans by birth, or seven years for other nationalities, plus the statutory requirements. Residence eligibility is not a guarantee of citizenship.As of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
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