COSTA RICA IMMIGRATION & MOVING EXPERTS
Copyright 2011 Great Sunrise Enterprises, S.A.: Residency in Costa Rica. All Rights Reserved.
Santa Ana, Costa Rica
011-506-2203-8444
Relocation Information
Information for Prospective Clients
Immigration Procedure
Welcome Aboard:
1. Costa Rica Immigration & Moving Experts requires a copy of the pages of your passport which shows picture ID & personal details for applicant. . picture, age, birth date, etc. We will use this to create the “limited power of attorney” so we can assist you here in Costa Rica with all of the various steps and to make and present your actual application to Immigration. Upon your arrival in Costa Rica, we will arrange to have copies made of each page of your passports for Immigration purposes.
2. We will need to know which type of status you & your family will be applying for. We will have discussed this previously, but we will need confirmation in writing so we can create the formal application request to Immigration and have it available to you for your signature upon arrival here in Costa Rica.
Documentation:
a-You will need to contact your “Department of Vital Statistics” and obtain a copy for each person on the application, their birth certificate.
American citizens have available to them a web-based service which can provide a number of these documents. See www.vitalcheck.com.
b-You will need a copy of your marriage certificate, if married. If divorced, you are considered single and no documentation is required.
c- Each individual over the age of 18 will need a “letter of good conduct” from their national police department stating that they have no police record or outstanding warrants, etc.
d- Proof of income for Pensionado Status: A minimum of US$1,000 is required to qualify for this status. In the event that your pension is provided for you from a private source, then proof of such funds from the company providing the pensions must be provided. Letter to be signed and signature notarized by public notary.
If from a Government source, then contact the appropriate agency and request confirmation of this income. Signature of the authorized signer of this letter must be notarized by public notary.
e. Proof of funds for Rentista Status: Letter from a recognized bank indicating that applicant has on deposit a minimum of US$60,000 available at a rate of $2,500 per month maximum. At time of renewal (two years), proof of conversion of dollars to colones must be produced.
f. Proof of investment for Resident Investor Status: Proof that the applicant has invested a minimum of US$200,000 in a local investment or US$100,000 in a recognized reforestation project. Also, currently the purchase of a home with that cost qualifies for investor status. Additional paperwork required on an individual basis. There is no requirement to convert funds from dollars to colones per year.
Upon receipt of these documents, have the documents notarized by a public notary and then sent to your State Department. They, in turn, will authenticate signatures, etc., and return them to you.
(Note: There is some question as to whether non-government-issued documents should be notarized. Erring on the side of caution, we recommend that this step be taken). You may wish to have only non-government documents notarized, i.e. proof of income, which would come typically from a private bank and thus a non-government-issued document (All documents must not be older than 6 months of age at the time of application for legal status is made).
Upon return of these documents:
-If your home country is a signatory of the Hague Convention, it is a simple matter of bringing these “Apostilled” documents or sending them to us here in Costa Rica.
-If your home country is not a signatory of the Hague Convention, then upon receiving them from your State’s Secretary of State of Department of Foreign Affairs, then send them to the closest Costa Rican Consul from where they were issued. There they will be consularized and returned to you. We now recommend that translations of these documents be done here in Costa Rica by government-approved translators.
(Note: In the event that you are applying for “Pensionado” or “Rentista” status, proof of income is also required and must be presented to the State’s Secretary of State Department or non signatories of the Hague Convention must send documents to their Department of Foreign Affairs and then to the Costa Rican Consul. If pension or proof of funds is from a private source, then letter must be notarized prior to sending to appropriate parties. The exception to above requirement is for those applicants taking advantage of the new rentista requiring only $60,000 deposited in local bank. Bank will produce acceptable letter on behalf of applicant.
- If client is applying for “Resident Investor” status, the financial paperwork will be provided here in Costa Rica by investor or his accountant).
Prior to submitting application:
Within the application process, each adult will be required to provide the Department of Immigration with the following information:
1. Full name,
2. Nationality,
3. Occupation,
4. Name of your father,
5. Name of your mother,
6. Name of your spouse,
7. Race,
8. Color of your eyes,
9. Color of your hair,
10. Your height (in meters),
11. Your weight (in kilos),
12. Marital status,
13. Place of birth,
14. Date of birth,
15. Original entry date into Costa Rica,
16. Point of entry into Costa Rica,
17. Physical address in Costa Rica,
18. Telephone number in Costa Rica.
With this information, Costa Rica Immigration & Moving Experts will have the suitable document created, translated and included with your application.
Upon arrival in Costa Rica:
1. We will take you to our lawyer, who will have you sign the “limited power of attorney”, allowing our company to represent you and your application(s) at Immigration.
2. We will take your application to Casa Amarilla for processing paperwork. Exact costs will be advised (see web page for costs).
3.We will take your documentation to an officially-government-recognized translator, who will translate all documents into Spanish.
4. We will take you to your applicable Embassy (if necessary), where you & your family will be registered. (The resulting document must be included in your application paperwork).
5. We arrange for the required photos of individuals to be taken.
6. We will accompany you and all individuals in your party over the age of 12 to the local police department where you will present them with photos (3 photos for each individual) and fingerprints will be taken. (The resulting documentation is included in your application paperwork).
7. We will create the proper “letters of application” (in Spanish) on behalf of applicant(s) as required.
From this stage on, your presence is not required until your cedula
is ready for pick up.
8. We present your actual application to Immigration. Your presence is not required.
9. We follow up (approximately 10 days later) and will obtain your official receipt, indicating that paperwork is being processed. You are no longer considered a tourist and as such, do not have to leave the country every 90 days.
10. We follow up as to your status of application on an ongoing basis.
11. We are advised, who in turn will advise applicants that their cedula is available and arranges a suitable time to present applicant to Immigration for pickup of actual “cedula”.
*Anticipated time for processing application is 12-18 months (all printed information from Immigration indicates 90-120 days).
12. We will assist you to have your “proof of Social Security participation” available at the time you pick up your Cedula. Applicant and family members must join the medical program, but this can only be done after an acceptance of application from Immigration, a permanent address has been established for the family and application made at S.S. offices in your area. The proof of participation must be presented at Immigration in order to pick up the cedula(s).
13. We will assist with the required deposit for Immigration purposes. US$300.00 per person. This deposit returned to applicant(s) if or when they permanently leave the Country.
14. We ensure that the $123.00 per card is paid for in advance and receipt presented to Immigration at time of pick up of the actual card.
15. We escort the applicant and family to Immigration to pick up the actual card (cedula).
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