Resources Costa Rica

Checking your immigration status in Costa Rica is an essential step for anyone planning to reside in this beautiful country. Whether you are a retiree, a worker, or someone eager to embrace the ‘pura vida’ lifestyle, understanding your immigration status is crucial. It’s not only a legal requirement but also vital for ensuring a seamless and enjoyable stay in Costa Rica.

Click the above image to get redirected to the system or  —  click here to access the actual system.

Note:

Do NOT include the “–” in the number. For example, if your number is 135-123456, change to 135123456.

“Understanding your immigration status in Costa Rica is key, with several potential results: ‘SOLICITUD RECIBIDA’ indicates your file is open and awaiting resolution—wait around 90 business days. ‘PREVIO’ means a document is missing; contact Expat-Tations to submit the necessary documentation. ‘RESOLUCION FIRMAS’ suggests your file is awaiting signature—check back in 30 working days. ‘RESOLUCION NOTIFICADA’ means your file has been resolved and notification sent; check with Expat-Tations for next steps and securing your resident card. ‘DOCUMENTO UNICO’ indicates receipt of your resident card (DIMEX); if changing categories, check the status periodically to ensure timely updates before your current card expires. If your status is pending, remain patient and informed while regularly checking online. If approved, celebrate your residency but stay aware of its validity and responsibilities. If denied, understand the reasons, address any issues, and consult with Expat-Tations to explore reapplication or appeal options.”

Checking your immigration status in Costa Rica is an essential step for anyone planning to reside in this beautiful country. Whether you are a retiree, a worker, or someone eager to embrace the ‘pura vida’ lifestyle, understanding your immigration status is crucial. It’s not only a legal requirement but also vital for ensuring a seamless and enjoyable stay in Costa Rica.

Click the above image to get redirected to the system or  —  click here to access the actual system.

Note:

Do NOT include the “–” in the number. For example, if your number is 135-123456, change to 135123456.

“Understanding your immigration status in Costa Rica is key, with several potential results: ‘SOLICITUD RECIBIDA’ indicates your file is open and awaiting resolution—wait around 90 business days. ‘PREVIO’ means a document is missing; contact Expat-Tations to submit the necessary documentation. ‘RESOLUCION FIRMAS’ suggests your file is awaiting signature—check back in 30 working days. ‘RESOLUCION NOTIFICADA’ means your file has been resolved and notification sent; check with Expat-Tations for next steps and securing your resident card. ‘DOCUMENTO UNICO’ indicates receipt of your resident card (DIMEX); if changing categories, check the status periodically to ensure timely updates before your current card expires. If your status is pending, remain patient and informed while regularly checking online. If approved, celebrate your residency but stay aware of its validity and responsibilities. If denied, understand the reasons, address any issues, and consult with Expat-Tations to explore reapplication or appeal options.”

Vetting a company in Costa Rica is crucial for several reasons: to protect yourself from fraud or to see if the firm is capable of fulfilling its obligations. 

We’ve created a step by step guide on how to vet a company. Click here to get redirected to the write-up.

Let’s start with the governing law: https://www.pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/Normas/nrm_texto_completo.aspx?param1=NRTC&nValor1=1&nValor2=23655&nValor3=25051&strTipM=TC

Duration

The duration of a rental contract in Costa Rica is governed by the “Ley General de Arrendamientos Urbanos y Suburbanos” (General Law of Urban and Suburban Rentals) Law No. 7527. According to Article 70 of this law, the duration of a rental agreement cannot be less than three years. If a contract is signed for less than three years or if no duration is specified, it is automatically considered to have a three-year term.

This law establishes that a rental contract is automatically extended for another three years if the landlord does not notify the tenant of their intention not to renew at least three months before the expiration of the current contract. However, it also indicates that if the parties agree to a shorter term, this agreement will be respected. Therefore, if both the landlord and the tenant agree to a one-year lease term, this is permissible, even though the general rule stipulates a three-year term.

Security Deposit

In Costa Rica, according to the “Ley General de Arrendamientos Urbanos y Suburbanos” (Law No. 7527), specifically addressing the security deposit, Article 58 in the context of urban and suburban rentals indicates:

• For residential leases, the landlord cannot request more than one month’s rent as a security deposit (Article 58).
• In addition, Article 92 specifies that the tenant of a social interest dwelling cannot be required to provide a security deposit greater than one month’s rent.

However, the deposit can vary for commercial leases or leases not considered of social interest, where the law may not stipulate a specific maximum deposit amount, and the amount can be agreed upon by both parties.

Rent Adjustments

In Costa Rica, according to the “Ley General de Arrendamientos Urbanos y Suburbanos” (General Law of Urban and Suburban Rentals) Law No. 7527, Article 67 specifically deals with the adjustment of rental prices for housing. It states that the agreed-upon rent can be adjusted annually based on the official Consumer Price Index (CPI) as published by the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INEC).

However, there are conditions:

• If the annual accumulated inflation is 15% or less, the landlord is entitled to adjust the rent by a percentage not exceeding the inflation rate.
• If the inflation exceeds 15%, the adjustment rate is determined by the governing body, provided it is not less than 15% and not more than the annual inflation rate.

For rent adjustments in contracts that are in foreign currency (like the US dollar), Article 67 also states that the agreed rent in foreign currency will remain fixed for the duration of the lease, without any right to yearly adjustments. This means that if the lease agreement stipulates the rent in dollars, it cannot be raised annually unless specifically agreed upon by both parties within the terms of the lease agreement.

It’s important to consult the specific clauses of the rental contract and potentially seek legal advice, as individual agreements can contain terms that differ from the standard practices outlined in the law. 

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a price index that measures the average change in the prices of goods and services purchased by households over time. The CPI is calculated by comparing the cost of a fixed basket of goods and services purchased by consumers over time. The basket contains goods and services of unchanging or equivalent quantity and quality, with the use of quality adjustment methods, when required, the index reflects only pure price change. Click here for the Consumer Price Index in English.

Planning your public transport journey in Costa Rica can be quite straightforward once you’re familiar with the options and concepts available. The country has an efficient and budget-friendly public transportation system that includes buses, taxis, Uber, trains, trams, and even domestic flights for covering longer distances quickly.

Buses are the main mode of transportation and are known to be reliable and extensive, covering a wide range of destinations within the country. It is advisable to plan ahead and check updated bus schedules as they can change frequently, but they remain a cheap and popular option for getting around. Intercity and specific regional busses usually have their own terminal with specific destinations and schedules that can be easily found through google.com . This allows as well for purchasing tickets in advance with some providers offerings online purchases as well. The bus tickets may cost between $1 – $10 .

City Busses, run by smaller companies could require you to buy a ticket directly on the bus, often from small bus stops rather than a central hub. When planning your travel within Costa Rican cities, it might be helpful to connect with locals or use crowd-sourced data apps like Moovit, which can provide bus schedules and routing suggestions based on other riders’ experiences. Bus stations are called “La Parada” – If you are looking for the bus station or get lost, ask someone for La Parada and they will guide you to the nearest bus station. “La Parada” is Spanish for bus station.

Taxis are also a common way to travel, especially in cities, and are relatively inexpensive. It’s important to ensure the taxi is official, recognizable by their red color and a yellow triangle, and that the meter is turned on to avoid overcharging. Uber, while not officially legal, is widely used, along with other ride-hailing services like Batsë, Uber and Didi.

Train services are overseen by the Instituto Costarricense de Ferrocarrile (INCOFER), with plans to introduce an electric passenger train service in San Jose. Currently, the railway system is still underdeveloped, but it can be a comfortable and adventurous way to see the country on distinct routes, despite being often infrequent in schedules.

Domestic flights can be an attractive option for quickly reaching major tourist destinations, and they are reasonably priced when booked in advance. This method is particularly useful for exploring multiple locations if you’re short on time (the main local airline is Sansa).

Overall, with a little preparation and local advice, you can easily plan your journeys using Costa Rica’s public transportation network. One website to mention is rome2rio.com. It is very simple to use and provides information like – direct or multiple buses to your destination, name, contact details, website name, and social media info of the operator. Other websites/apps that are useful are Moovit and Passer.