Costa Rica Citizenship (Naturalization) by Residence
What do you need to know if you want to obtain your Citizenship (Naturalization) of residence in Costa Rica?
Many immigrants eventually take the final step of immigration to Costa Rica and become naturalized citizens. First, you must go through Temporary and then Permanent Residences before applying for Citizenship. One good thing about getting citizenship is that you don't need to renew it, like temporary or permanent residency status. In addition, to get all the benefits as a Costa Rican you also get your Costa Rican passport.
Costa Rica allows dual citizenshipto go!
What do you need to get your Permanent status in Costa Rica?
Citizenship by Residence:
- 7 years living in Costa Rica as a legal resident (5 years if you are a citizen of a Central American country, a citizen of certain Latin American countries, or a Spain citizen by birth).
- You must prove you have lived in Costa Rica for the accumulated time through the record of immigration entries and exits.
- 2 character witness declarations.
- Financial means of living proof, such as an income certification from a CPA.
- Birth certificate from home country, Apostilled or Legalized (in most cases, you can omit this requirement if it is in your immigration file).
- A Criminal Record Check from home country, Apostilled or Legalized, issued within the last 3 months.
- Completion of citizenship test – Spanish and social studies (applicants aged 65 and over are exempt from this test).
Citizenship by Marriage:
- 2 years living in Costa Rica married to a Costa Rican citizen.
- Proof that you have lived in Costa Rica for the accumulated time through the record of immigration entries and exits.
- Birth certificate from home country, Apostilled or Legalized.
- A Criminal Record Check from home country, Apostilled or Legalized, issued within the last 3 months.
Note:
- All the documents should be apostilled in your country of origin (if your home country is not part of the Apostille Convention, the documents should be authenticated or legalized in the Embassy of Costa Rica in your country of origin).
Cost of the Process:
$1800 (primary applicant)
if you live in Costa Rica and need the following documents, JAROS offers you service of processing and obtaining them at the additional cost:
* FBI Background Check & Apostille ($550 USD)
* Birth Certificate & Apostille ($450 USD)
So now you have your Residency in Costa Rica! Remember, that after a certain period of time you will need to proceed with your Residency Renewal.
Click here for more information about the Apostille Convention and check if your home country is a party to it — notable exceptions include Canada and China.