Residency Assistance
Choosing the right category, preparing the file properly, and following it through Migración until you hold your DIMEX.
The category you apply under decides everything that follows.
Most delays in Costa Rican residency are not caused by immigration being slow. They are caused by applying under the wrong category, or submitting a file that is missing one document nobody told you about.
We start by looking at your actual situation, income, and plans, then tell you which category fits. From there we build the complete file, keep it moving, and translate every notice you receive into plain English.
From first assessment to DIMEX card in hand.
- Assessment of which category fits: pensionado, rentista, inversionista, vínculo, or work based
- A written document checklist specific to your category and your country of origin
- Guidance on apostilles and which documents must be legalised abroad
- Coordination of certified translations by an official translator
- Assembly and review of the complete application file
- Filing with Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería
- Appointment scheduling, reminders, and accompaniment where permitted
- Tracking of your file and follow up on any prevención or request for more information
- CAJA registration guidance once your application is approved
- DIMEX card issuance and future renewals
- Plain English explanation of every notice you receive
What working with us looks like.
Assessment
We look at your income, assets, family situation, and plans, then tell you which category actually fits.
Document plan
You get a written checklist: what you gather abroad, what we gather here, and what needs apostille or translation.
File and follow up
We assemble the file, submit it, and chase it. You get an update whenever the status changes.
Approval and DIMEX
We walk you through CAJA registration and the DIMEX appointment, and diary your renewal.
Bring these and we can start.
- Valid passport with at least six months remaining
- Birth certificate, apostilled in your country of origin
- Criminal record certificate from your country of origin, apostilled
- Marriage certificate if applying with a spouse, apostilled
- Proof of income or investment, depending on your category
- Passport photos to Costa Rican specification
- Your Costa Rican address and contact details
Honest expectations.
Gathering and apostilling documents abroad usually takes longer than anything that happens in Costa Rica, often one to three months depending on your home country.
Once the file is filed, resolution times vary considerably by category and by how busy Migración is. We give you a realistic range for your specific case at the quote stage, and we would rather under-promise than have you plan around a date we cannot control.
Requirements and official fees are set by the institutions and can change without notice. We confirm the current list before quoting, and tell you immediately if something shifts mid-process.
Questions we get asked every week.
Not for most categories. The process is administrative. If your case involves litigation, an appeal, or an unusual legal question, we will tell you plainly and coordinate with a licensed attorney rather than pretend otherwise.
You can, and in most cases you should, because the documents that take longest are the ones you gather in your home country. We can give you the checklist before you arrive.
It is the identification card issued to foreign residents. Once you hold it you can open bank accounts more easily, register vehicles, and access services that ask for local identification.
Residents are required to enrol in the public health system. The contribution is calculated on your declared income. We guide you through registration once your residency is approved.
You are normally told why, and in many cases the issue is a missing or expired document that can be corrected. We explain what happened and what your options are.
No, and be careful with anyone who says they can. Approval is Migración’s decision. What we control is that your file is complete, correct, and followed up on.
Not sure which category you fall under?
That is the most common question we get, and it is the one worth answering before you spend money on apostilles. Book a free consultation and we will tell you.