Features
TYPE
LENGTH
FEE
MIN ANNUAL INCOME
LOCAL TAX
INTERNET
COST OF LIVING
COSTA RICA Stay for Remote Workers
1-year tax-free in one of the most popular expat destinations!
Costa Rica Stay for Remote Workers and Service Providers allows eligible non-Costa Rican nationals to work remotely from within Costa Rica for one year and sponsor family members to accompany them in Costa Rica as dependents.
Costa Rica is one of the most popular places for digital nomads and expats alike, and for a good reason. It has beautiful beaches, an excellent living standard, and a slow pace of life. Plus, on top of that, remote workers will soon also enjoy special tax benefits.
PROS
- No income tax for up to 2 years
- Low fee and fairly low min income requirement
- Strong expat community & infrastructure
- Stunning beaches & landscapes
CONS
- Internet might occasionally be spotty
- Extra requirements (docs translated to Spanish, deposit for the ticket back home, 12/month bank statements & affidavit).
Specification: COSTA RICA Stay for Remote Workers
Taxes
Local Taxes
The Stay for Remote Workers or Remote Service Provider visa provides a full exemption from income tax. Digital Nomads will not be considered residents for tax purposes, and the income they receive from abroad will not be considered taxable in Costa Rica. That said, the exception is not extended to members of their family who join them in Costa Rica.
Home Country Taxes
Holders of the Digital Nomad Visa are expected to pay taxes back home, but there is no requirement to confirm that you are doing so. This means that if your home country considers you a non-resident and doesn’t tax your income, you might enter the digital nomad grey zone.
Other Benefits
Digital Nomads on are exempt from import tax obligations on any personal computer equipment used for working remotely they bring to Costa Rica as their personal belongings. This generally includes one computer, one mobile phone, one tablet, one camera, and one recording device and its accessories. Any other device or equipment for your remote work will be subject to the usual tax exemption process.
They are also permitted to use the driver’s license issued by their home country to drive in Costa Rica and open local bank accounts and use their foreign driver’s licenses to drive while in the country.
Requirements
To be approved for the 1-year visa, remote workers need the following:
- Proof of stable monthly income of:
- at least US$ 3,000 in each of the 12 months immediately preceding the filing of their application (annually US$ 36,000).
- at least US$ 4,000 per month (annually US$ 48,000) if the applicants want to sponsor family members to join them in Costa Rica;
- This will be ideally proved using past bank statements accompanied by an affidavit,
- Proof of Health Insurance for the main applicant and each dependent that covers the costs of medical treatment during their stay in Costa Rica (minimum coverage of US$50,000 per each family member);
- A one-time payment of a fee for granting the visa.
All documents issued in a foreign language must be accompanied by an official translation in Spanish.
Family members include opposite- and same-sex spouses and common-law partners, children aged 25 or younger, and dependent relatives (e.g., parents) of the primary applicants.
Holders of the Stay for Remote Workers are prohibited from receiving remuneration from Costa Rican sources and performing work or delivering services that generate revenue for Costa Rican entities.
The long stay permit can be extended once only; for an additional year. Anyone applying for the renewal must prove that they have been present in Costa Rica for a minimum period of 80 days.
Apply
Process
So far, this is the expected process, but we are waiting for more details.
1
Gather All the Documents
2
Fill out the online application
3
Application Review
4
Receive Approval & Arrive in Costa Rica
5
Pay Fees To Get Visa
Application review is expected to take about 15 days following receipt of all required documentation.
Fees
There is a $100 fee for the application plus $90 for the legal stay documents.
To get your visa, you will need to pay the following:
- A US$100 fee for the cost of the application,
- A USD $90 fee for the visa.
- A deposit of 75% of the value of a ticket to your home country.
How
The application can be made online or in person. Once your application is approved, you have 3 months to pick up your visa.
All the details of the program, including How to Apply, are available on the government website:
Online ApplicationFacilities
Medical
Like other Digital Nomad Visas, visa holders are not entitled to free health care but can use the local health care system if they pay for it out of their pocket or with insurance. Health care coverage is required in order to apply for the Stay for Remote Workers.
Schools
Children of visa holders can attend the local private school for the duration of the visa or public ones, but they will have to cover the fees.
Traveling
There is no minimum stay in Costa Rica while on the digital nomad visa. However, to extend the visa for an additional year, visa holders should stay in Costa Rica for at least 80 days during the first year they are there.
Assistance
The details are not yet available; we will confirm them as soon as we know more.
Web: Remote Workers & Service Providers
Web: Digital Nomad Stay
Country Info
Internet
The average internet speed in Costa Rica is pretty low at only about 20Mbps, it can also be fairly spotty even if work from coworking spaces or cafes. However, the infrastructure is improving, and signals are getting much stronger with each coming year. Also, with the introduction of the Costa Rican digital nomad visa, the country is putting more effort into these features.
Cost of Living
The cost of living in Costa Rica is fairly low compared to the US, the UK, or other Western European countries but it is relatively high compared to other countries in Central and Latin America. However, it is still more affordable than living in the most places in the Caribbean.
According to our ☕ Cappuccino Index, which uses Numbeo’s average price for a regular cappuccino, the USD price in Costa Rica is $1.46, which is below the US avg of $4.30, and the UK avg price is $3.83.
FAQs
Is the visa available?
It has been over 2 years in making and we wrote about it earlier on Unexplained delays in rolling out Costa Rica Digital Nomad Visa. But the visa is available from 4th July 2022.
Videos
Source: VisitCostaRicaDisclaimer: Our aim is to provide an overview of Digital Nomad Visas & Taxes that should not be considered as legal opinion or tax advice. You should always seek expert advice. If you want to receive a legal opinion or tax advice, please contact us, and we will refer you to a legal practitioner.
Learn about the data sources & how is the score calculated. Last updated July 25, 2023.
