Tamarindo Living Essentials - Residency or Not?

Tamarindo Living Essentials - Residency or Not?



You don't have to tell us how great life is in Costa Rica. As leaders in Costa Rica real estate, and specifically Tamarindo real estate, we know firsthand. If you're like us, you might be thinking of spending more than just a little time down here. You might be planning on something more permanent. If that's the case, we should talk. In fact, let's talk residency.

 

Tamarindo real estate property

There are variables to consider, including the option to not apply for residency at all. Ultimately it comes down to what you want out of your time in Costa Rica. If you are planning to stick around for more than a few weeks you may be a candidate for temporary residency.

 

Unfortunately, much of the internet noise on this subject is anecdotal. A quick search and you will find horror stories and great triumphs alike. To abate this challenge, we'll keep this article to mostly facts, but we will weigh in on our opinion.

 

Part of the confusion with “the facts,” is they are based on Costa Rican residency laws. These particular laws are not cast in granite so the details can change.

 

Here's where we'll weigh in. Working with a professional, an attorney, is the best solution for navigating with ease. Be sure to find an attorney whom you find, via a trusted referral, not one who finds you. And here's why...

 

At the end of the day there are unforeseeable challenges you may not be prepared for as an individual. All of these challenges, for someone who does this all the time, are manageable. The anxieties you are feeling (right?) go into someone else's hands when you hire a professional. You may never even get wind of any challenges when someone is being paid to handle them. We consider that money well spent.

image of costa rica flag

Other than permanent residency, which will not be covered in this article, there are three types of temporary residency one can apply for. Here we will explore the benefits, the options, and what is required (as of this writing) to apply.

 

So why bother? As a resident, if you are staying longer than the length of a vacation, you are aligned with the laws of Costa Rica. There is no question about why you are here. The other big one is you get a cedula number. This is the national identification system, necessary for handling certain types of business, such as setting up utilities, or a cell phone contract.

 

Also, your residency in Costa Rica affords you access to the national health care system. Not without it's challenges, Costa Rica is constantly rated with one of the world best socialized health care systems. This includes quality dental care. In fact, one of the defining features of Costa Ricans over their Central American counterparts is their smiles.
So what are your options? Here is the basic rundown.

 

Pensionado – This option is designed for transplants to Costa Rica who receive a monthly pension equal to or greater than $1000.

 

Rentista – Developed for transplants who want to stay in Costa Rica long term, are sufficiently funded to do so, but don't have a formal pension plan.

 

Resident Investor – An alternative to the Rentista this residency option allows transplants who invest $200,000 into a government approved investment in Costa Rica.

 

image of government building in costa rica

These are the documents you will need in all three cases.

 

1) Valid Passport for each applicant.

2) Long Form Birth Certificates for each applicant.

3) “Certificate of Good Conduct.”

4) Marriage Certificate, if married.

5) Proof the type of residency you are applying. This varies in each case.

 

Now... before you run out and collect these, understand that there are variances in the way these documents can be obtained. As example, there is a version of your birth certificate which will not pass. Also, not all forms of “Good Conduct” will be accepted.

 

Understanding the correct forms to collect is where professional help saves you time, money, and headache. You can do it alone by checking with consulate of Costa Rica, but when you run into challenges, you may not get the help you desire from that office.

 

Lastly, there will be a slightly different process of validation, beyond notary public, which will be required. This depends on which country you are coming from. Again, professional help is huge.

 

image of monkeys in Costa Rica

Seem like a lot? Relax. We are going to stop here for now. We'll pick up this topic with our next article and dive into alternatives. There we will explore the option of being a perpetual tourist, what it takes to get permanent residency, and how you might become a full Costa Rican citizen.

 

 

 

[Quick disclaimer: This article has been prepared by Coldwell Banker Tamarindo for informational purposes only and is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. This information is not intended to constitute, and receipt of it does not constitute a contract for legal advice or the establishment of a solicitor-client relationship.]
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Laurel and Tony,
The both of you were fantastic with us throughout the property search and purchase process. As we had mentioned, two other attempts to find thorough, attentive, responsive agents to work with in Tamarindo were failures. I expect that we are more work to deal with than many others as we asked a lot of thorough and analytical questions and expected responses to all of them. You two never failed to deliver. The organization and execution of our condo shopping trip in January was excellent and the fact that you two devoted 2 full days to us, around our schedule, to get this deal done was key to our success. The selection of properties that Laurel planned out, including a few places above and below our target zone helped us to refine our interests. We truly appreciated your interest in our success. This could easily have been very stressful for us, and yet, it wasn’t. Thank you very much.
As a side note, when we walked into the Coldwell Banker office randomly with no appointment in November had we not found your office staff patient and accommodating from the start we would have simply walked on to the next agency. Your staff deserves special mention for getting us interested in the agency to begin with.
We will give you some advance notice before we make our first trip down so that we can plan to get together for lunch or dinner. We are tentatively planning on somewhere in the last 2 weeks of May, as soon as our son gets out of school for the summer.

Dan Batliner, Costa Rica

We had so much fun at Buena Vista. Thanks for arranging that with Memo.
I also want to say many thanks for all that you have done. We have enjoyed Costa Rica and I have found you so helpful with everything and a pleasure to deal with that it was a very stress free vacation. When I do come back here hopefully you will still be doing what what you do.
Our last couple of days will be spent enjoying the sunshine and eating at great restaurants. Sincerely,

Tara, Kevin and Roy., Costa Rica

While my computer is still running here, I'd like to take the opportunity to thank you for your help during our stay.
When we first came to your office, we were in dire straights and in desperate need of assistance. Andrea was extremely compassionate, spoke with candor, and had a "can do attitude" that was of immense help.
In addition, Andrea has put us in contact with Steve, with whom we are working, preparing to view a little property that might be just what we are looking for at this particular time.
In addition, having gotten to know Andrea personally as well as professionally has been our great pleasure. I wanted to let you know what a tremendous asset she is to your company. She is a great treasure -- a one in a million.

Tina Parker, Costa Rica

We are- UNHAPPILY- home safe. Would much rather be back in Tamarindo. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING you did to make our stay a joy ! We look very much forward to seeing you on our next trip to Costa Rica. PURA VIDA !

Steve Perry, Costa Rica
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