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Enjoy retirement in Costa Rica

Costa Rica can offer tremendous opportunities, and a quiet lifestyle on a human scale: the ideal place for those who want to enjoy the “pura vida.”

Retirees in Costa Rica are growing in number, among these, there are many Italian pensioners who decide to be residence in this country.

Each year the magazine International Living publishes a “Global Retirement Index” to guide retirees looking for foreign countries to move to Costa Rica in 2014 ranked fourth in this special ranking of the 10 best destinations in the world to retire. The index takes into account the statistics on quality of life, wealth, infrastructure, bureaucracy and access to basic health services. It also includes opinions from magazines and foreigners from all over the world.

The warm climate all year round, political stability, public security, good health system have allowed Costa Rica to rank fourth.

Retirees in Costa Rica who want to obtain residence must demonstrate that receive a fixed monthly pension of at least $ 1,000, or about 760 USD from their country of origin. Only one spouse has to prove income and you need to stay in the country at least four months a year. The economic aspect is definitely important and is one of the reasons that pushes the Italian pensioners to seek residency in Costa Rica.  A person save about 35% on the cost of living compared to Italy; you can then indulge in some luxury, as well as to live in a tropical country with a thousand resources and beauty.

For retirees in Costa Rica (citizens over 65) is available Ciudadano de Oro program. Members can take advantage of free bus rides and discounts up to 50% on eyeglasses, medicines, clothing, food, and other products in more than thousands of participating retailers across the country.

For our clients, free legal advice!

Some useful advice

For anyone who wants to successfully embark on the experience of moving to retire in Costa Rica it is important to learn to adapt to a different reality from the one in Italy, but rich in opportunities for all ages. It’s useful to learn as much as possible the Costa Rican culture and try to join the locals. The most interesting part of living in a foreign country is to know the locals and their culture; Also learn Spanish, and this allows to communicate and live better. Establishing friendships is easy in Costa Rica for the kindness and friendliness of most of the population.

Costa Rica is a small country but it can offer endless beauty in every corner, so it is recommended to fully enjoy travel around the country.

Moving is an excellent opportunity to learn to appreciate the little things in life, to reinvent themselves after retirement and start a new adventure.

There are numerous activities for retirees in Costa Rica and many outdoor sports. Besides beautiful beaches, spectacular mountains and the possibility of hiking in beautiful landscapes keep busy and happy retirees in Costa Rica.

Before making this important decision make a trip to this country, to get to know better the local reality and begin to appreciate all its beauties.

In the country there are five natural regions:

Central Valley, which includes the city of Cartago, San Jose, Heredia and Alajuela, these are the most important cities in the country.

North Pacific, includes the entire province of Guanacaste, Puntarenas the cantons of Esparta, Orotina, San Mateo and Montes de Oro.

The Atlantic region, which includes the province of Limon and the cantons of Turrialba.

Alvarado and Jimenez.

South Pacific, which includes the province of Puntarenas.

The highest areas are located in the center of the country while the flatter, more extensive, bordering the Caribbean Sea and to the North. Along the Pacific coast, the slopes are more abrupt and originate numerous bays, peaks, cliffs and picturesque coves.

What are the Costa Rica immigration rules?

As for the bureaucratic aspect, it’s necessary to know the laws of Costa Rica, especially if you are going to get residency.

In Costa Rica the Immigration is disciplined by Law 8764 adopted in March 2010. The law is available in www.migracion.go.cr website, official website of the Department of Immigration.

The law regulates the entry, stay and exit of foreigners from the territory of Costa Rica, under the provisions of the Constitution, international agreements were signed, ratified and entered into force. The matter that regulates immigration in Costa Rica, is now entrusted to the Consejo Nacional de Migracion, that belongs to the Ministerio de Gobernacion, Policia y Seguridad Publica and Direccion General de la Migracion y Extranjería.

In general, people who decide to visit Costa Rica must present a valid passport, in good condition, with expiration date at least 30 days after entry into the country, along with the return airfare. Their stay in the country can have a maximum duration of 90 days. After this period, if the person decides to stay in the country must submit an application to the Office of temporary permits of the Migration Department. The visas are usually not extended if not for special situations, that are evaluated case by case.

If you decide to stay in the country without having the visa renewal, you may have problems when you want to leave Costa Rica and in case you want to return, may be denied access.

The Title VI of Law No. 8764 distinguishes two categories of migrations: the permanent and temporary residents to residents.

Who can get permanent residency in Costa Rica:

 

• People with his spouse or family first degree relatives, have benefited from a temporary residence for at least three consecutive years.
• People who are first-degree relatives by blood with a Costa Rican citizen.
• People who are granted the status of political refugee by the Comisión de Visas Restringidas y Refugio.
• The permit for a temporary residence, which provides the possibility to enter and remain in Costa Rica for a specified time ranging from 90 days to two years, renewable is granted to the following categories:
• The spouse of a citizen of Costa Rica.
• The religious, who must be accredited at the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto.
• Agents, representatives, managers and technical staff of companies based in Costa Rica, including their spouses and children and investors.
• Scientists, professionals, interns and technicians.
• The duly accredited athletes at the Consejo Nacional del Deporte and Recreation.
• Journalists and staff of news agencies.
• The rentisti or tenants.

As for the sub-category of pensioners in Costa Rica, it is specified that they must demonstrate to obtain permanent and monthly pensions from their foreign country of origin, the amount of which must not be less than one thousand US dollars or its equivalent (approximately 730 USD).

To obtain the temporary residence is necessary to carry out a bureaucratic process that consists of a series of operations:

First of all you must fill in the form – Solicitud de permanencia legal in Costa Rica, in block letters, legibly and signed (available on the website of the Direccion General de la Migracion y Extranjería)

This must include a letter which lists the reasons why you temporary residency request. This letter must include: the full name of the applicant, his nationality, age, profession, home address, and the addresses for notification (telephone, mail, fax, etc.). The letter must be signed in the presence of an immigration official or notarized by a lawyer.

It must be submitted receipt of payment of an amount of USD 50.00 indicating the name of the foreign person (the pensioner) that acts as a depositor. The money is to be deposited on the account 242480-0 of Banco de Costa Rica.

It must be given a receipt of payment in the amount of ¢ 125 and ¢ 2.50 per sheet submitted with the application of residence. Again it must be indicated the name of the foreign person (the pensioner) as depositor.

They must be attached two recent passport photos.

You must also provide:

The proof of trademark registration with the Ministry of Public Security.

The consular proof of enrollment. The requirements for such registration will be determined at the relevant consulate.

The birth certificate of the foreign person (the pensioner), made in the country of origin and duly legalized.

The criminal record of the foreign country of origin or the country in which the pensioner has resided legally in the past three years, duly authenticated.

A photocopy of all pages of the passport. The photocopy must be certified or compare to the original in front of an official, or before a notary public.

It must be demonstrated by appropriate documentation to have life pension of an amount not less than one thousand US dollars per month, or the equivalent in colones at the exchange rate determined by the Central Bank of Costa Rica. If the certification is issued abroad must be duly authenticated.

For / her spouse, in addition to the requirements specified above, it must prove the link with the pensioner providing the duly authenticated documentation for children under 25 years old and for children over the age of 25 with disabilities.

IMPORTANT

The application for residence must be made when the person is legally in Costa Rica, so if the applicant has a visa has not expired.

If the person enters in Costa Rica as a tourist and want to apply for a temporary residence must fille an application and deposit $ 200.00 on the account 242480-0 of Banco de Costa Rica for the change of category of visa. The money is to be deposited in colones.

All documents coming from abroad must be duly authenticated by the Consul of Costa Rica in the country of origin and authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship of Costa Rica. The certifications issued by the consular authorities of the country of origin of the foreign person (the retired) in Costa Rica are valid only if there is a corresponding agreement with the General Direction for the release of these documents.

The non-Spanish-language documentation provided must be accompanied by a corresponding translation in Spanish, issued by an official translator or translated by a notary who knows the language.

Foreigners whose country of origin does not have a diplomatic representation in Costa Rica dont have to give the consular registration.

These people, however, must submit a certificate issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica indicates that the absence of diplomatic representation.

For documents issued abroad, unless it is specified the duration of their validity, date of issue of the document can not exceed six months.

The certification filed by the person making the application must be either originals or copies duly certified by a notary or by a public official.

Its good to remember that the Costa Rican regulations are subject to change, so you may want to check any changes in the website of the Immigration, or verify the information provided by the Consulate General of Costa Rica in Italy and the Italian Embassy in Costa Rica or the USA Embassy in Costa Rica.

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