Costa Rica Immigration Services

COSTA RICA RESIDENCY RENEWAL:

Once the residency ID card is dully obtained in Costa Rica, it should be renewed every year or every two years depending on the approved immigration regimen. Part of our professional immigration services and legal immigration advice in Costa Rica includes the procedures for renewal of your residency in Costa Rica.

IN ORDER TO RENEW YOU RESIDENCY IT IS NEEDED:
1. To request an appointment with the Director of the Immigration Department.
2. To be registered in the Social Security Institution in Costa Rica.
3. To obtain a criminal records certification in Costa Rica, issued by the Judicial Investigation Agency in Costa Rica.

In order to renew you residency it is required to bring the ORIGINAL RESIDENCY CARD, no copies of the document are accepted even if they come certified by a Costa Rican notary. Also, it must be created a letter indicating the current domicile of the applicant and declaring that the applicant have not leave the country by the period established by law in the  Article 129 of the law number 8764, for permanent residents and temporary residents. COMPLETE COPY OF PASSPORT, showing clearly that the applicant has leaved the country for that period OR ORIGINAL PASSPORT. Finally, it requires a special Power of Attorney in the name of the lawyer who requested the appointment.
In the case of resident pensioner or annuitant, it must be proved the currency exchanged required by law.

CHANGE  OF IMMIGRATION CATEGORY:
• Articles 89, 96, 125: Any change of immigration status must pay a fee of USD$200, except refugees.
• Article 255: Fee for application reception US$50.

COST OF THE ISSUANCE OF RESIDENCY ID CARD FOR THE FIRST TIME OR RENEWAL
REGIMEN            AMOUNT            FINES                    AMOUNT           FINES
PERMANENT     ¢1250                   ¢1250                   $ 10                       3 x months
TEMPORARY      ¢ 1250                  ¢ 1250                  $ 10                       3 x months
REGIMEN             ¢ 0                         ¢ 3,430                 $ 10                      3 x months

Note: residents under the Law 7033 and 8487 in case of renewal, and in accordance with the transitional II of the law 8764, should be insured by the CCSS (Social Social Security Institution). In addition, they maintain their right to renew for two years if they have more than five years of residency in Costa Rica; or, to renew for five years if they have more than 10 years of residency in accordance with previous legislation. If the residency ID card expired before the effective date of entrance into force of the new Law 8764, it should be calculated the annual payments and fines from the previous immigration law, and the corresponding payments of the new Law 8764.

IMMIGRATION STATUS: TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT LAW  8764
                                                               AMOUNT            FINE
Article 251 plastic                            $ 38
Article 252 Request                        $ 30
Article 253 issue                              $ 30
Article 254 fines                                                              US$3 x month

TOTAL US$ 98 plus fines if any
Article 33.4 Immigration fee (not annual, is a single payment until it is regulated) US$25 (THIS AMOUNT MUST BE PAID IN SEPARATE BANK DEPOSIT.)

Note: Exceptions: The fee established in the Article 33.4, is not applicable for children, refugees, asylum seekers, stateless persons, elderly people with disabilities, residencies due to marriage with a Costa Rican citizen, accredited religious, Scientifics, professionals, interns, technicians and athletes (Last paragraph of Articles 33 and 80). All other cases must paid the fee according to the previous immigration law.

 TOTAL FOR THE ISSUANCE OF THE RESIDENCY ID CARD: US$123, plus fines if any.
In the cases of the indicated exceptions US$98 per ID card, plus fines if any.

EXPIRATION DATE OF THE RESIDENCY ID CARD:

• Plastic residency cards: The expiration date (month and year) can be seen in the back side, in the hologram in case of the blue ones. In cases of the ones with the black and white photo the expiration date is in the front part.
• Green notebook cards: The expiration date is printed using an ink seal in one of its pages, with the corresponding signature of the person that authorized the residency and legal stamps.
• Residency ID card of : The date is printed on the front part of the ID, next to the ID number.
• Pensioner and Annuitant cards (brown color): The date is printed on the back of the card.

Do you need the service of Residency Renewal?