Costa Rica rentista visa: requirements and how the deposit works

Rentista is the residency category for people who can support themselves without a pension and without working in Costa Rica. It is used by early retirees, people living on investments, and families who want residency before pension age.

Who qualifies

You show one of two things:

• Income: at least $2,500 a month of stable, unearned income, guaranteed for at least two years. A bank or financial institution has to certify it in a letter.
• Deposit: $60,000 placed in a Costa Rican bank. The bank issues a letter confirming that it will pay you $2,500 a month for 24 months.

Most applicants use the deposit, because few foreign institutions will write a letter guaranteeing a fixed monthly payment for two years in the form immigration wants.

Income from a job doesn’t count, whether the employer is in Costa Rica or abroad.

Who is covered

One application covers the main applicant, a spouse and dependent children. The $2,500 a month is for the family, not per person.

How the deposit works in practice

1. You open an account at a Costa Rican bank, which involves its own paperwork about where the money came from.
2. You transfer $60,000 and the bank places it in a fixed arrangement.
3. The bank issues the letter for your residency application.
4. Each month the bank releases $2,500 to you.

Banks differ in how they handle this for someone who doesn’t have a resident card yet. Your attorney will usually know which banks are doing it at the moment.

Documents and application

Besides the income or deposit letter, you need the standard documents: birth certificate, criminal background check, marriage certificate if a spouse is included, passport copies, photos and fingerprints. US documents are apostilled, translated and filed with the immigration department (DGME), usually through an attorney. The steps are in the residency overview.

Renewal

Rentista residency is granted for two years. To renew, you show the requirement again for the next two years, which for most people means a new $60,000 deposit, and that your payments to the Caja are up to date.

After three years as a temporary resident you can apply for permanent residency. That ends the deposit cycle, so many rentistas plan on one renewal and then the change to permanent status. Check the timing with your attorney so that your card doesn’t expire in between.

Rentista compared with the other routes

If you have	Consider
A lifetime pension of $1,000 a month or more	Pensionado, which is cheaper to maintain
Remote work income of $3,000 a month, and a stay of a year or two	Digital nomad visa
$150,000 or more to put into property or a business	Inversionista
Savings or investment income, and no pension yet	Rentista

What it costs to maintain

• The Caja contribution each month, based on the income you declared. With $2,500 a month declared, expect it to be higher than a pensionado on the minimum would pay. See healthcare in Costa Rica.
• Government and attorney fees at each renewal.
• The money tied up in the deposit, though you receive it back month by month.

Common questions

What is the income requirement for the rentista visa?

Stable unearned income of at least $2,500 a month, guaranteed for two years. The alternative is to deposit $60,000 in a Costa Rican bank, which then pays you $2,500 a month over 24 months.

Does a salary or remote work income count for rentista residency?

No. Rentista income has to be unearned, such as investment, rental or interest income, and guaranteed by a financial institution. Remote workers who don't want to make the deposit usually look at the digital nomad visa instead.

Do I get the $60,000 deposit back?

The deposit is your money. The bank releases it to you in monthly instalments of $2,500 over the two years, and you can spend it on living costs. To renew as a rentista you show the income again or make a new deposit.

Can a rentista work in Costa Rica?

Not as an employee. A rentista can own a business and receive income from it. After three years you can apply for permanent residency, which allows work.