How to get Residency in Costa Rica? Costa Rica offers different types of residency where you may qualify for more than one. We will offer you a guide to decide which option will be better for you. Even if you qualify for several types, one is usually easier. Getting Residency in Costa Rica will take some time, Immigration is taking from 6 months to a year to approve the applications. So, we suggest that if you can apply in a previous trip from your permanent relocation, that’ll be better for you, because you’ll save time and money. One of the most common questions that we here from Americans moving to Costa Rica is, do I need residency? The answer is yes, first it is the right thing to do, as we already said, second there are several services specially of government institutions that will require you to obtain residency, and third, if you stay illegal you will have the risk of being deported, and if you have property that’ll will be big issue to consider because you won´t be able to come back in 5 years, besides, many people have left anything back in their country, so why take that risk? You will commonly here from ”expats” (this is how Americans who live in Costa Rica use to call them selves) that you can stay as perpetual tourist. “Perpetual tourist” is an status invented by Americans living illegal in Costa Rica. This status does not exist in the Costa Rican laws, but it does gives the opportunity to come as much times as you wish as tourist, and that is how they have took advantage to “create” that status. If Immigration demonstrates that you are not making tourism, that you are living here, they will deport you, and it’s getting often and often here those cases, but they are still few. If you are moving here is to have a peaceful life, why take a risk? Getting residency is not that easy, but it is the best thing to do. If you are planning to move to Costa Rica, the right thing to do, is to apply for residency.

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