Costa Rica residency by investment: the inversionista route

Inversionista is Costa Rica’s investor residency category. You invest at least $150,000, and in return you can apply for temporary residency for yourself, a spouse and dependent children. People searching for a Costa Rica “golden visa” or “citizenship by investment” are usually looking for this.

What it is and what it isn’t

• It is temporary residency, granted for two years at a time and renewable while you keep the investment.
• It is a route to permanent residency after three years.
• It is not citizenship. Costa Rica doesn’t sell passports. Citizenship comes only after years of residency, with language and civics tests.

What counts as an investment

The minimum is $150,000. Investments that can qualify include:

• Real estate, including a home you live in.
• A business operating in Costa Rica, or shares in one.
• Other registered assets and securities recognised in the regulations.
• Forestry and similar projects, which have had a lower minimum.

The list and the proof required for each type are set out in immigration regulations. Have an attorney confirm that the specific investment you have in mind qualifies before you make it.

How property is valued

This is where applications go wrong. Immigration looks at official values, not at what you say you paid.

• The value has to be documented, typically through the registered value of the property and certifications of its valuation.
• A property recorded in the registry at less than the true price, which sellers sometimes suggest to reduce transfer taxes, may not meet the minimum.
• Property held in a corporation can qualify, but you need to show that you own the corporation.
• A mortgage or lien can reduce the amount that counts.

If residency is one of your reasons for buying, tell your attorney before you sign, so that the purchase is documented in a way immigration accepts. See buying property in Costa Rica.

Documents and application

You need the investment documents plus the standard set: birth certificate, criminal background check, marriage certificate if a spouse is included, passport copies, photos and fingerprints. US documents are apostilled and translated, and the file goes to the immigration department (DGME). The steps are in the residency overview.

Keeping it

• Keep the investment. If you sell the property or close the business, you no longer meet the category. You would need to reinvest or change category.
• Join and pay the Caja, the public health system, like every resident.
• Renew every two years until you change to permanent residency.

Investors can own and run their business. Like other temporary residents, they can’t take a job as an employee of someone else.

Is it the right route

Your situation	Likely route
You are buying a home worth $150,000 or more anyway	Inversionista
You have a lifetime pension of $1,000 a month	Pensionado, which doesn’t tie up capital
You have savings but don’t want to buy yet	Rentista
You want a second passport quickly	Costa Rica is not the country for that

Buying only to qualify is rarely a good idea. Most people do better renting for a year first, on a tourist stay or another category, and buying once they know the area.

Incentives

A 2021 law gave new investors, pensionados and rentistas tax and import benefits, and set the $150,000 minimum. Parts of that law were time-limited for new applicants, so ask an attorney what is in force now.

Common questions

How much do I need to invest for Costa Rica residency?

At least $150,000. Real estate is the most common qualifying investment. A business, shares and certain other registered assets can also qualify.

Does Costa Rica have a golden visa?

Not under that name. The inversionista category is the equivalent: temporary residency in exchange for an investment of at least $150,000. It doesn't come with a passport.

Can I get Costa Rican citizenship by investment?

No. Costa Rica has no citizenship by investment programme. An investment can get you residency, and citizenship is a separate application after years of living in Costa Rica as a resident.

Does buying a house in Costa Rica give me residency?

Not automatically. You have to apply under the inversionista category and show that the property's value, as immigration measures it, is at least $150,000. A cheaper property, or one whose registered value is below the minimum, won't qualify.