Pensionado (Retiree Residence)
Costa Rica
Last updated: December 22, 2025
2 years (renewable)
$50
11-18 months
Medium
About this Visa
Costa Rica's Pensionado visa lets retirees live in the country permanently. You need a guaranteed monthly pension of at least $1,000 USD for life. This includes Social Security, government pensions, or any retirement income you'll receive forever. You can bring your spouse and children with you. This visa is special because it doesn't require you to be a certain age, doesn't have a time limit on how long you can stay, and is open to people from any country in the world. You don't need to invest money in Costa Rica or start a business. Once you get this visa, you can retire in Costa Rica with full healthcare access, special discounts, and tax breaks on your foreign pension income.
Key Benefits
- Work remotely for foreign companies or freelance clients
- Bring spouse and children
- 90% healthcare coverage through Costa Rica's public healthcare system
- Foreign pension is NOT taxed in Costa Rica
- 70% off medical care, 25% off flights, 50% off movies
- Only need to be in Costa Rica 4 months per year
- After 3 years, can work in Costa Rica as an employee
- Bring up to $5,000 of household items duty-free
Eligibility & Requirements
Eligibility Criteria
- Have a guaranteed pension of $1,000+ USD per month
- Have a clean criminal record with no convictions
- Provide proof of your pension and income
- Pass a background check from your country
- Have valid identification
- No age requirement
- No education requirement
- No language requirement
- No investment amount required
Financial Requirement
You must have a guaranteed pension of at least $1,000 USD per month for the rest of your life. This must come from a pension provider (like Social Security) that guarantees lifetime payments. You cannot use savings, investments, or IRAs.
Documents
- Valid passportMust be good for 6+ more months
- Birth certificateOfficial certified copy
- Pension letterFrom your pension provider stating you get $1,000+/month for life
- Bank statements6-12 months showing your pension arrives regularly
- Police clearanceFrom every country you've lived in during the past 3 years (must be less than 6 months old)
- Marriage certificateOfficial certified copy if married
- Children's birth certificatesOfficial certified copies if bringing kids
- Criminal background checkProof you have no criminal record
- Apostille and Spanish translationAll documents from home country must be officially certified and translated into Spanish by certified translator
Disclaimer: The information on this page is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or immigration advice. Visa requirements, fees, and processes change frequently. Please verify all information with official government sources and consult a qualified immigration attorney before making decisions.