Country topic
Visas in Costa Rica
US, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand passport holders are in the first group of the immigration service's November 2025 entry guidelines: no visa, and the officer at entry decides how long you may stay, up to 180 days. A stay can be extended, by up to 90 days, only if the officer granted fewer than 90 days. [Visas V1] At entry you can be asked for a return or onward ticket and proof of at least US$100 for each month of the stay. Smartraveller's archived page says a tourist visit of less than 90 days needs no visa, which is shorter than the guidelines, so ask the officer to confirm the stay granted. Canada's government warns that overstaying can lead to deportation and a re-entry ban of 5 to 10 years. [Visas V1] [Visas V2] [V3]
What we found
The research, with its sources.
Research information, not advice. Rules change, so check the source before you act on one.
- US, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand passport holders are in the first group of the immigration service's November 2025 entry guidelines: no visa, and the officer at entry decides how long you may stay, up to 180 days. A stay can be extended, by up to 90 days, only if the officer granted fewer than 90 days. [Visas V1]
- At entry you can be asked for a return or onward ticket and proof of at least US$100 for each month of the stay. Smartraveller's archived page says a tourist visit of less than 90 days needs no visa, which is shorter than the guidelines, so ask the officer to confirm the stay granted. Canada's government warns that overstaying can lead to deportation and a re-entry ban of 5 to 10 years. [Visas V1] [Visas V2] [V3]
- The digital nomad stay (Law 10008) is for remote workers and service providers paid by a person or company outside Costa Rica, employed or self-employed. It is granted for up to one year and can be renewed once, for a second year, if you spent at least 180 days in the country. You cannot take paid work in Costa Rica. [V4] [V5]
- The income test is about US$3,000 a month (to be safe, more than US$3,100), or about US$4,000 a month if you apply with family members (more than US$4,100), under Law 10008 (article 10) and its regulation (article 4), converted at the Banco Central selling rate; DGME's page, archived on 29 August 2025, gives the same figures. At CRC 455.60 per dollar on 10 October 2026, US$3,000 is about CRC 1,366,800. [V4] [V6] [V5] [V7]
- The application asks for the signed application and informed-consent forms, a copy of your passport's photo page, bank statements for the last year with a sworn statement (or an accountant's or notary's certificate, the only paper that needs an apostille), and health insurance covering your whole stay with at least US$50,000 of medical cover. Documents not in Spanish need an official translation. [V5] [V4]
- The application fee is US$100, which must arrive net of bank charges (the receiving bank charges US$15). The law gives DGME 15 calendar days to decide, paused once if it asks for missing papers. How to file is unconfirmed: DGME's page, archived on 29 August 2025, said digital filing was disabled and applications were in person by appointment, while a law firm's guide updated in August 2026 says online through Trámite Ya or in person. Residence processing times are unknown. [V5] [V4] [V8]
- The pensionado category asks for a lifelong pension of at least US$1,000 a month (to be safe, more than US$1,100). The rentista category asks for stable income of at least US$2,500 a month for two years, certified by a bank (to be safe, more than US$2,600); one adviser also cites a deposit of about US$60,000 (to be safe, more than US$61,000). These are temporary residences of up to two years, renewable, and three consecutive years of temporary residence allow an application for permanent residence under Law 8764 (later changes by Law 9996 were not checked). [V9] [V10] [V11]
- The investor category needs an investment of at least US$150,000 (to be safe, more than US$160,000) under Law 9996 (article 8) and its regulation, Decree 43926 (article 4); DGME's page, as archived on 20 June 2026, gives the same figure. The five-year window for Law 9996 incentives closed in July 2026, but we found no text that ends the minimum with it, and a September 2026 law-firm review of DGME's checklist still showed the same figure. A higher figure some guides quote came from the old Foreigners Regulation (article 87), which Decree 43926 (article 31) repealed in February 2023. We could not open DGME's live page, so check the figure with DGME for your filing date. [V12] [V13] [V14] [V15] [V16]
The Fernshore Index
How the Index grades visas, by passport.
Each grade is against a published measure, with its source and the date we checked it. It is research information, not advice. Where we have no figure, the row says Unknown.
Visa, United States passport
85 of 100Strong
Strong: the digital nomad stay is open to US passport holders paid from abroad, with no job offer in Costa Rica and no age minimum. It runs up to a year and renews once; the income test is about US$3,000 a month (about US$36,000 a year, about US$4,000 a month for a family), with no deposit. To be safe, have more than US$3,100 a month. No entry visa is needed for 180 days.
Source: Digital nomads in Costa Rica: remote worker visa; Digital nomads: remote worker and service provider stay (requirements, fees, procedure); General Guidelines for Entry and Stay Visas for Non-Residents (November 2025). Checked 15 October 2026.
Visa, Canada passport
85 of 100Strong
Strong: the digital nomad stay is open to Canadian passport holders paid from abroad, with no job offer in Costa Rica and no age minimum. It runs up to a year and renews once; the income test is about US$3,000 a month (about US$36,000 a year, about US$4,000 a month for a family), with no deposit. To be safe, have more than US$3,100 a month. No entry visa is needed for 180 days.
Source: Digital nomads in Costa Rica: remote worker visa; Digital nomads: remote worker and service provider stay (requirements, fees, procedure); General Guidelines for Entry and Stay Visas for Non-Residents (November 2025). Checked 15 October 2026.
Visa, Australia passport
85 of 100Strong
Strong: the digital nomad stay is open to Australian passport holders paid from abroad, with no job offer in Costa Rica and no age minimum. It runs up to a year and renews once; the income test is about US$3,000 a month (about US$36,000 a year, about US$4,000 a month for a family), with no deposit. To be safe, have more than US$3,100 a month. No entry visa is needed for 180 days.
Source: Digital nomads in Costa Rica: remote worker visa; Digital nomads: remote worker and service provider stay (requirements, fees, procedure); General Guidelines for Entry and Stay Visas for Non-Residents (November 2025). Checked 15 October 2026.
Visa, New Zealand passport
85 of 100Strong
Strong: the digital nomad stay is open to New Zealand passport holders paid from abroad, with no job offer in Costa Rica and no age minimum. It runs up to a year and renews once; the income test is about US$3,000 a month (about US$36,000 a year, about US$4,000 a month for a family), with no deposit. To be safe, have more than US$3,100 a month. No entry visa is needed for 180 days.
Source: Digital nomads in Costa Rica: remote worker visa; Digital nomads: remote worker and service provider stay (requirements, fees, procedure); General Guidelines for Entry and Stay Visas for Non-Residents (November 2025). Checked 15 October 2026.
The country
More on Costa Rica.
Topics
More about Costa Rica.
Questions about Visas in Costa Rica.
Do I need a visa to enter Costa Rica as a US, Canadian, Australian or New Zealand citizen?
Not as a visitor. The November 2025 guidelines put all four in the first group: no visa, and the officer at entry sets the stay at up to 180 days. Extensions are possible only if under 90 days were granted. Smartraveller says under 90 days for Australians, so ask the officer to confirm.
How long can I stay on Costa Rica's digital nomad stay?
Up to one year, renewable once for a second year if you spent at least 180 days in Costa Rica. It is for people paid from outside Costa Rica, employed or self-employed, and you cannot take paid work in the country. Applicants must carry health insurance with at least US$50,000 of medical cover.
How much income does the digital nomad stay need, and what if I apply with family?
Income from abroad; to be safe, more than US$3,100 a month. If you apply with family members, to be safe, more than US$4,100. Law 10008 (article 10) and its regulation (article 4) set both, and a family can combine incomes. Dollar figures convert at the Banco Central selling rate.
How do I apply for the digital nomad stay, and what does it cost?
The fee is US$100, and DGME has 15 calendar days to decide, paused once for missing papers. The filing method is unconfirmed: DGME's page, archived August 2025, said in person by appointment; a law firm's August 2026 guide says online or in person. Residence processing times are unknown.
What residence routes exist beyond the digital nomad stay?
Pensionado: a lifelong pension (to be safe, more than US$1,100 a month). Rentista: stable income (more than US$2,600 a month). Investor: an investment (more than US$160,000). Three years of temporary residence can lead to permanent. A higher investor figure some guides quote was repealed in 2023.
Sources
Where each figure comes from.
Every figure on this page links to the page we read, with the date we checked it.
- [K1] Digital nomads in Costa Rica: remote worker visa, Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT), visitcostarica.com. Checked 15 October 2026. No publication date shown. Stable net income of at least US$3,000 a month (US$5,000 for families); a stay of one year with the option to renew for a further year; health insurance of at least US$50,000; US$100 payment. The page names no nationality restriction. The Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería site (migracion.go.cr) refused automated access, so the official procedure was not read there.
- [CR V1] Digital nomads: remote worker and service provider stay (requirements, fees, procedure), Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (DGME), Internet Archive copy. Checked 15 October 2026. Internet Archive capture of 29 August 2025, re-read on 15 October 2026; DGME's live page (migracion.go.cr) returns 403 to automated readers, so it was not compared with the capture. States a minimum pay from abroad of US$3,000 a month (US$4,000 with dependants), no nationality restriction and no Costa Rican job offer, and renewal after 180 days in the country. Applies to US, CA, AU and NZ passports alike.
- [CR V2] General Guidelines for Entry and Stay Visas for Non-Residents (November 2025), Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería, published in La Gaceta (Alcance 148, 17 November 2025); Internet Archive copy. Checked 15 October 2026. Internet Archive capture of 27 September 2026, re-read on 15 October 2026. Australia, Canada, the United States and New Zealand are in the first group: no entry visa, a stay of up to 180 days.
- [Visas V1] General Guidelines for Entry and Stay Visas for Non-Residents (November 2025), Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería, published in La Gaceta (Alcance 148, 17 November 2025); Internet Archive copy. Checked 10 October 2026.
- [Visas V2] Costa Rica travel advice and advisories (Smartraveller, archived copy), Australian Government, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Smartraveller), Internet Archive copy. Checked 11 October 2026.
- [V3] Costa Rica travel advice and advisories, Government of Canada (travel.gc.ca). Checked 10 October 2026.
- [V4] Law 10008: attracting international remote workers and service providers (digital nomads), Procuraduría General de la República, SINALEVI (official legislation database). Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V5] Digital nomads: remote worker and service provider stay (requirements, fees, procedure), Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (DGME), Internet Archive copy. Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V6] Regulation to Law 10008 (Decree 43619-H-MGP-TUR): digital nomads, articles 4 and 5, Procuraduría General de la República, SINALEVI (official legislation database). Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V7] Reference selling rate of the US dollar, 8 to 10 October 2026, Banco Central de Costa Rica. Checked 10 October 2026.
- [V8] Digital nomad visa in Costa Rica: requirements and steps (updated 21 August 2026), AG Legal (Costa Rican law firm, not official). Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V9] Foreigners Regulation (Reglamento de Extranjería, Decree 37112), articles 31, 32, 99 and 100, Procuraduría General de la República, SINALEVI (official legislation database). Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V10] Costa Rica residency in 2026: how it actually works, Migronis (relocation adviser, not official). Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V11] Ley General de Migración y Extranjería No. 8764, articles 78, 79, 81 and 82, Asamblea Legislativa de la República de Costa Rica (copy published by ICODER). Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V12] Law 9996: attracting investors, rentistas and pensionados, Procuraduría General de la República, SINALEVI (official legislation database). Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V13] Regulation to Law 9996 (Decree 43926-MGP-H-TUR): investors, articles 4, 22 and 31, Procuraduría General de la República, SINALEVI (official legislation database). Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V14] Temporary residence for investors and their dependants (DGME page on residence categories), Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (DGME), Internet Archive copy. Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V15] Law 9996 expiration: consequences for Costa Rica residency (updated 8 September 2026), CRIE (Costa Rican immigration law firm, not official). Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V16] Foreigners Regulation (Decree 37112), article 87 as it read until 23 February 2023 (version 9 of 15), Procuraduría General de la República, SINALEVI (official legislation database). Checked 15 October 2026.