Most tourists don't need a visa and can stay for up to 90 days. Some long time expats live here as 'perpetual tourists', leaving the country every 90 days for 72 hours or paying the nominal fines for overstaying. Recent crackdowns by immigration have made it advisable to acquire a more formal residency or work permit if you plan to own a business or real estate.

While technically you may apply for the residency yourself, it is wise to get a lawyer specializing in these matters to make the application for you. You must hire a lawyer registered with the Costa Rican bar association. A good lawyer will charge from $1000 to $1500 for the process.

Types of residency and the requirements:

- Residency for Pensioners or Retirees (Pensionados or Rentistas). If you earn $600 per month from your pension, or $1000 a month from your investments you can qualify for these permits.

- Residency for Investors (Inversionista). If you invest in a local business in Costa Rica. According to the Center for the Promotion of Exports and Investments (PROCOMER), the current priority investment areas of business are ornamental plants, leather articles, spices, fruits and vegetables, processed foods, wood products, and tourism. You will be required to invest at least $50,000 US dollars in one of these areas. If you prefer an area of investment not listed by PROCOMER, you must invest $200,000 US dollars in that business. Another option is a reforestation project with a minimum investment of $100,000. You must live in Costa Rica for six months per year and will not be required to maintain a minimum monthly income.

- Work Permits. If you are a qualified business executive or a qualified technician from an accredited institution, a qualified worker in an educational center with a special contract, or a domestic servant, you can get a work permit or temporary residency.

Documents Required and the Application process - Prior to your arrival in Costa Rica, you must authenticate these documents at a Costa Rican Consulate:

- Birth certificate
- Police record
- Marriage certificate (if applicable)
- Academic degrees or equivalent
- Certified copy of your passport including all pages
- Birth certificate for each dependent (if applicable)
- Letter from your prospective employer stating the terms and conditions of your contract, the salary you will earn, and your job description.

Other documents you must submit to immigration:

- Application Form - includes, but is not limited to: Full name, citizenship, marital status, occupation, passport information, number of dependents - who must provide the same kind of information, oath stating your desire to obtain Costa Rican residency, income source and the monthly amount, provisional or permanent address of your country of origin and/or Costa Rica, official mailing address for notifications. Note: This application must be duly authenticated by a notary public.
- Legal Representative - You will be required to hire a lawyer who will be your representative in Costa Rica and who will state the reasons why you want to live in Costa Rica and who will provide a mailing address in San Jose, Costa Rica where notifications may be sent.
- Foreign Documents - The documents listed above authenticated by the Costa Rican Consulate.
- Costa Rican Documents:
- Four recent passport sized photos.
- Five sheets of official legal sized paper (papel oficio).
- Police record issued by the Judicial Criminal Registry of Costa Rica.
- Certification of entries and departures from Immigration (mecanizado).
- Photocopy of Costa Rican ID, if married to a Costa Rican citizen.
- Payment of the legal fees and stamps required by law.
- Medical exams required by Health Department (HIV test, venereal diseases, tuberculosis, among others).

Additional documents required to obtain temporary resident status.

- Application form of the Department of Foreigners, authenticated by an attorney and presented to the General Direction of the Immigration Department.
- Fingerprints.
- Guarantee deposit.
- Persons working for companies mentioned above must present a document from the company designating them in their pertinent position. Note: Domestic servants must include a letter of guarantee from the employer, authenticated by a notary lawyer.