Costa Rica’s digital nomad visa has one of the more straightforward application timelines in the region — a fully online process through the government’s Trámite Ya platform, a roughly fifteen-working-day initial review, and a genuinely attractive tax setup on top of it. It’s also strict about one thing that trips people up: any local Costa Rican income disqualifies the application entirely, and that gets checked.
Immigration policy shifts over time — confirm current figures with Costa Rica’s official immigration authority (Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería) or the Trámite Ya platform before applying.
Income requirement: individual vs. family
- Individual applicants: minimum $3,000 USD per month
- Applicants with dependents: minimum $4,000 USD per month
This income has to come entirely from foreign sources — a remote employer or clients outside Costa Rica. Earning any income locally while on this visa violates its terms, since the visa is specifically built around bringing foreign income into the country, not competing in the local job market.
Required documents
- Completed application through the official Trámite Ya online platform
- A copy of your passport and a passport photo
- Twelve months of bank statements demonstrating the required income
- A notarized and apostilled sworn affidavit of income
- Health insurance with a minimum of $50,000 USD in coverage — standard travel insurance is generally not accepted, so confirm the policy specifically meets this requirement before submitting
- Birth or marriage certificates for any included dependents
- Official Spanish translations for any documents not already in Spanish
- A $100 USD government filing fee
How to apply: two paths, both online
The core application happens entirely through Trámite Ya, Costa Rica’s official digital immigration platform, regardless of whether you’re applying from abroad or already in the country:
- From outside Costa Rica: Submit the full application online. Once approved, you’ll need to enter the country within 90 days to finalize the visa in person.
- From within Costa Rica: The same digital application process applies, submitted while physically present.
Initial review generally takes around 15 working days — genuinely fast compared to several other digital nomad visa programs, though individual processing times vary based on document completeness.
Why applications actually get rejected
A handful of specific issues account for most rejections, and all of them are avoidable with careful preparation:
- Incomplete income documentation. Twelve full months of bank statements is a real requirement, not a rough guideline — gaps or partial statements are a common issue.
- Missing or poorly translated documents. Anything not originally in Spanish needs an official translation, and a casual or non-certified translation can cause delays or rejection.
- Invalid health insurance. Standard travel insurance policies typically don’t meet the $50,000 minimum coverage requirement in the way the visa specifies — confirm the policy explicitly before submitting, rather than assuming a general travel policy qualifies.
- Any indication of local income. Because the entire visa is structured around foreign-sourced income, anything in the application suggesting local employment or local income sources is a direct conflict with the visa’s core requirement.
Visa duration and renewal
The visa is initially valid for one year. Renewal for an additional year is possible, but it comes with a specific condition: applicants generally need to have spent at least 180 days in Costa Rica during the first year to qualify for the extension — a detail worth planning around if the goal is a genuinely long-term stay rather than a single year abroad. Income requirements need to continue being met at renewal time as well.
The tax benefits are genuinely strong
This is one of the more attractive parts of the program: foreign-sourced income is fully exempt from Costa Rican income tax for the duration of the visa. On top of that, work equipment — laptops, cameras, and similar gear needed for remote work — can be imported tax-free, which is a real, tangible savings for anyone relocating with existing equipment rather than buying new gear locally.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the minimum income for Costa Rica’s digital nomad visa?
$3,000 USD per month for an individual applicant, or $4,000 USD per month for an applicant with dependents, from foreign sources only.
How long does the Costa Rica digital nomad visa application take?
Initial review typically takes around 15 working days once a complete application is submitted, though this can vary based on document accuracy and completeness.
Can I work a local job while on Costa Rica’s digital nomad visa?
No — the visa requires that all income come from foreign sources. Local employment or income directly conflicts with the visa’s terms.
Do I need to spend a certain amount of time in Costa Rica to renew the visa?
Generally yes — around 180 days during the first year is typically required to qualify for the one-year renewal, alongside continuing to meet the income requirement.
A fast process, if the paperwork is right the first time
Costa Rica’s digital nomad visa rewards careful preparation: the fifteen-working-day review is genuinely fast when the income documentation, translations, and health insurance are correct from the start, and genuinely frustrating when they’re not. Get the twelve months of bank statements and the properly specified health coverage sorted before submitting, and the rest of the process moves quickly. For a comparison across other countries, see Lush Nomad’s complete guide to digital nomad visas.