Would You Like to Know Whether You Meet the Requirements?

At JAROS Costa Rica, we review your nationality of origin, immigration history, entry and exit records, length of residency, marriage, foreign documents, and other relevant circumstances before beginning the process.

Request an initial evaluation through WhatsApp:
+506 7182 8969 | +506 7235 5512

The Two Most Common Routes

The two most common routes for an adult foreign national are:

• Naturalization based on residency.
• Naturalization based on marriage to a Costa Rican citizen.

Each route has different qualifying periods and requirements.

Before requesting certificates, apostilles, or translations, it is advisable to determine which procedure applies and the date from which the required period may be calculated.

Quick Eligibility Guide

Naturalization Based on Residency

You may be eligible if you meet, among others, the following conditions:

• Five years of official residency for Central American, Ibero-American, and Spanish nationals by birth.
• Seven years of official residency for nationals of other countries.
• Good conduct, known means of support, and compliance with all other legal requirements.
• Passing the Spanish and Social Studies examinations, recognition of studies completed in Costa Rica, or an applicable exemption.

Naturalization Based on Marriage

You may be eligible if you meet, among others, the following conditions:

• You have been married to a Costa Rican citizen for at least two years.
• You have remained and maintained your domicile in Costa Rica during that same period.
• Your marriage is properly registered with the Costa Rican Civil Registry.
• You meet the corresponding documentary and legal requirements.

This guide is only an initial reference.

Eligibility must be reviewed individually because absences, interruptions in immigration status, the date the marriage was registered, and the documents available may affect the outcome.

Naturalization Based on Residency

Naturalization based on residency is intended for foreign nationals who have officially resided in Costa Rica for the period established according to their nationality of origin.

The general qualifying periods are:

• Five years for Central American, Ibero-American, and Spanish nationals by birth.
• Seven years for nationals of other countries.

The period is not calculated solely from the person’s first date of entry into Costa Rica.

The Civil Registry verifies the period of official residency, immigration history, and entries into and departures from Costa Rica.

Time spent in Costa Rica solely as a tourist should not be confused with official residency for naturalization purposes.

It should also not be assumed that every applicant must first change from Temporary Residency to Permanent Residency.

The determining factor is proving official residency for the required period and complying with all other requirements of the selected route.

How Is Official Residency Established?

The Options and Naturalizations Section may verify information held by the General Directorate of Immigration and Foreigners and review, among other matters:

• The immigration categories held.
• Approval and documentation dates.
• The validity of immigration documents.
• Completed renewals.
• Entries into and departures from the country.
• Interruptions in immigration status.
• Extended absences from Costa Rica.

It may also be advisable to provide additional documentary evidence demonstrating physical presence and ties to Costa Rica, such as:

• Costa Rican Social Security Fund contribution reports.
• Certificates of studies completed in Costa Rica.
• Medical records issued by a competent authority.
• Other relevant documents containing clear dates.

Extended absences may affect the calculation of the required period.

For this reason, immigration movements should be reviewed in advance, and the period should not be calculated solely from the date of the first DIMEX.

Identity Document for This Route

For naturalization based on residency, the official list published by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal requires a valid identity document issued by the General Directorate of Immigration and Foreigners or, when applicable, by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship.

For this route, a passport does not replace the identity document specified in the official list.

Good Conduct and Criminal Background Certificates

The applicant must demonstrate good conduct and must not fall within any legal ground preventing naturalization.

When applicable, a criminal background certificate must be provided from the country of origin or from the last country in which the applicant established residency outside Costa Rica.

The certificate must:

• Be issued by a competent national or federal authority.
• Be submitted within three months of its issue date.
• Be apostilled or legalized.
• Be accompanied by an official Spanish translation when issued in another language.

A document issued only by a state, provincial, regional, municipal, district, departmental, county, or consular authority may not satisfy the requirement when a national or federal certificate is required.

Information available in Costa Rica will also be reviewed.

In addition, the residency route includes a sworn statement confirming that the applicant has no repeated minor offenses.

Statements from Two Witnesses

Naturalization based on residency requires sworn statements from two witnesses who have known the applicant during the applicable legal period.

The witnesses may provide information concerning:

• The applicant’s period of residency in Costa Rica.
• Good conduct.
• Means of support.
• Stability of domicile.
• Integration into Costa Rica.

The statements may be made before a Civil Registry official or before a Costa Rican notary public, subject to the applicable formalities.

It is important to select people who genuinely know the applicant and can provide clear, consistent, and verifiable information.

Proof of Means of Support

The applicant must demonstrate that they have a profession, occupation, income, assets, or other known financial resources sufficient to meet their personal and family obligations, when applicable.

Documents that may be used include:

• A salary letter.
• An employer contribution statement.
• A certification issued by a Costa Rican Certified Public Accountant.
• Documentation establishing financial dependency.
• Documents demonstrating the income of the person providing financial support, when applicable.

The evidence must be adapted to each applicant’s employment, financial, and family circumstances.

Spanish and Social Studies Examinations

Naturalization based on residency requires proof that the applicant can speak, read, and write Spanish and has knowledge of Costa Rican history and values.

This requirement may be established through:

• Passing the Spanish and Social Studies examinations for naturalization administered by the Ministry of Public Education.
• Recognition of studies completed and passed in Costa Rica, when applicable.

People aged 65 or older and individuals who prove, through a medical certificate, a permanent health or cognitive condition that prevents them from taking the examinations are exempt from this requirement.

An exemption from the examinations does not remove the remaining naturalization requirements.

Publication of the Notice in La Gaceta

After the corresponding requirements have been submitted, the applicant must collect the naturalization application notice and arrange for its publication as an official notice in the official newspaper, La Gaceta, within the specified period.

Failure to complete the publication on time may result in rejection of the application.

This step should therefore be carefully monitored during the follow-up process.

Naturalization Based on Marriage to a Costa Rican Citizen

Naturalization based on marriage is different from naturalization based on residency.

It may be requested by a foreign national who:

• Has been married to a Costa Rican citizen for at least two years.
• Has remained and maintained domicile in Costa Rica during that same period.
• Has a marriage properly registered with the Costa Rican Civil Registry.
• Meets all other applicable personal, documentary, and legal requirements.

Completing two years of marriage is not sufficient if the applicant cannot establish presence in Costa Rica during that same period.

Likewise, living in Costa Rica for two years does not replace the requirement of maintaining the marriage to a Costa Rican citizen.

When the marriage took place outside Costa Rica, it must be properly registered with the Costa Rican Civil Registry before the application is submitted.

Presence in Costa Rica During the Marriage

To determine compliance with the two-year period, the Civil Registry will review the applicant’s immigration movements and domicile circumstances.

Extended absences may affect the calculation.

It may also be necessary to provide additional documentation demonstrating actual presence in Costa Rica, such as:

• Costa Rican Social Security Fund contribution reports.
• Study certificates.
• Medical records issued by a competent authority.
• Other relevant supporting documents.

Each case must be analyzed according to the date of the marriage, its registration in Costa Rica, immigration movements, and the documentation available.

General Requirements for the Marriage Route

In general, it may be necessary to submit:

• A formal written application.
• An authorized method for receiving official notices.
• A valid identity document.
• A passport, DIMEX, or another official document accepted for this route.
• An apostilled or legalized birth certificate.
• An official Spanish translation of the birth certificate, when applicable.
• A national or federal criminal background certificate.
• An apostille or legalization for the criminal background certificate.
• An official translation of the criminal background certificate, when applicable.
• A photograph meeting the established specifications.
• The applicable fiscal stamp.
• Documents establishing compliance with the required period of marriage and presence in Costa Rica.

The general published list for this route does not ordinarily include:

• The Spanish and Social Studies examinations.
• Statements from two witnesses.
• Proof of means of support required for naturalization based on residency.

Main Differences Between the Two Routes

Naturalization Based on Residency

This route:

• Requires five or seven years of official residency, depending on nationality of origin.
• Requires two witnesses.
• Requires proof of good conduct.
• Requires proof of means of support.
• Requires the Spanish and Social Studies examinations, recognition of studies, or an exemption.
• Includes subsequent publication of the notice in La Gaceta.

Naturalization Based on Marriage

This route:

• Requires at least two years of marriage to a Costa Rican citizen.
• Requires presence and domicile in Costa Rica during the same period.
• Requires the marriage to be registered with the Costa Rican Civil Registry.
• Does not include, within the general published list, the examinations, two witnesses, or proof of means of support required under the residency route.

Validity of Foreign Documents

Foreign certificates must follow the correct apostille or legalization process and must include an official Spanish translation when issued in another language.

When a document does not expressly state a validity period, the official list generally requires that it have been issued no more than three months before submission.

The following information must be consistent throughout the documentation:

• First names.
• Surnames.
• Dates of birth.
• Parents’ names.
• Identification numbers.
• All other personal information.

Any discrepancies should be reviewed and resolved before filing the application to reduce the risk of requests for clarification and delays.

How Long Does the Process Take and What Does It Cost?

The Supreme Electoral Tribunal publishes a resolution period of 285 business days for both the residency and marriage routes.

The Civil Registry service is listed as free of charge.

However, the applicant may incur expenses related to:

• Fiscal stamps.
• Publication in La Gaceta, when applicable.
• Foreign certificates.
• Apostilles.
• Legalizations.
• Official translations.
• Notarial services.
• Professional advice.

The processing period may be affected when the file is incomplete, inconsistencies exist, or additional documents and clarifications are required.

Benefits of Obtaining Costa Rican Citizenship

Approval of naturalization formally grants Costa Rican citizenship.

Its principal effects and benefits include:

• Obtaining a Costa Rican identity card.
• Applying for a Costa Rican passport.
• No longer depending on DIMEX renewals.
• Remaining in Costa Rica as a Costa Rican citizen.
• Working without depending on an immigration category.
• Carrying out professional activities.
• Managing businesses.
• Greater legal and family stability.
• Exercising civil and political rights in accordance with the Constitution and the law.

Professional, commercial, and business activities remain subject to the applicable professional, municipal, commercial, labor, and tax requirements.

A naturalized Costa Rican citizen may vote after twelve months have passed from the date the naturalization certificate was obtained.

In addition, certain public offices are constitutionally reserved for Costa Rican citizens by birth.

Costa Rican Citizenship and Nationality of Origin

The relationship between Costa Rican naturalization and the applicant’s nationality of origin must be reviewed carefully.

For naturalization based on residency, the written application includes a declaration renouncing the previous nationality, except where an applicable dual-nationality treaty exists.

However, the actual effect of that declaration on the applicant’s original nationality also depends on the laws of the country concerned.

Some countries allow their nationals to retain their original citizenship, while others establish:

• Restrictions.
• Authorization requirements.
• Mandatory declarations.
• Specific legal consequences.

Before beginning the process, it is advisable to review:

• The applicant’s current nationality.
• The naturalization route to be used.
• The laws of the country of origin.
• The existence of dual-nationality treaties.
• Possible consequences involving passports.
• Possible consequences involving property and inheritance.
• Tax obligations.
• Possible military service obligations.

Once acquired, Costa Rican citizenship is protected by Article 16 of the Political Constitution.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Permanent Residency Guarantee Citizenship?

No.

Permanent Residency may form part of the applicant’s immigration history, but naturalization requires a separate application and compliance with all corresponding requirements.

Does Time Spent as a Tourist Count Toward the Five or Seven Years?

Time spent as a tourist should not be assumed to constitute official residency.

The Civil Registry will review the applicant’s immigration status and history.

Must I Obtain Permanent Residency First?

Not necessarily.

The important issue is establishing official residency for the legally required period and complying with all other requirements for naturalization based on residency.

Must a Person Aged 65 or Older Take the Examinations?

People aged 65 or older are exempt from the Spanish and Social Studies examination requirement.

However, they must comply with all other applicable requirements.

May I Leave Costa Rica During the Two-Year Marriage Period?

Departures should not be analyzed in isolation.

However, extended absences may affect proof of presence and domicile during the required two-year period.

Immigration movements should be reviewed before the application is filed.

Let Us Review Your Eligibility

Naturalization is different from a residency application and is processed by the Options and Naturalizations Section of the Civil Registry.

Before requesting foreign documents, apostilles, or translations, it is advisable to determine the correct route, review the immigration history, and confirm completion of the required period.

At JAROS Costa Rica, we can assist you with:

• An initial evaluation of your eligibility.
• Determining the applicable naturalization route.
• A preliminary calculation of the required period.
• Reviewing immigration movements.
• Analyzing extended absences.
• Reviewing the registration of the marriage.
• Preparing the initial written application.
• Coordinating witness statements, when required.
• Reviewing proof of means of support.
• Guidance concerning the examinations.
• Reviewing a possible exemption from the examinations.
• Reviewing birth certificates.
• Reviewing criminal background certificates.
• Reviewing apostilles, legalizations, and translations.
• Preparing and organizing the application file.
• Submitting the application.
• Following up on the process.
• Responding to requests for additional information.
• Coordinating publication in La Gaceta, when applicable.
• Guidance on completing the process after approval.

Request an Initial Evaluation of Your Case

If you have officially resided in Costa Rica for the applicable period, or have been married to a Costa Rican citizen and remained in the country for at least two years, our team can review your circumstances and guide you throughout the process.

JAROS Costa Rica – Immigration Experts

WhatsApp: +506 7182 8969 | +506 7235 5512
Email: info@jaroscr.com
Website: www.jaroscr.com

The information on this page is general in nature and does not replace an individual legal evaluation. Requirements, forms, criteria, and procedures may vary or be updated by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal and other competent authorities.