Costa Rica Digital Nomad Visa in 2026

Costa Rica's digital-nomad program is legally the non-resident subcategory of Estancia for Remote Workers and Service Providers (Trabajador o Prestador Remoto de Servicios). It was created by Law 10008 for people who work remotely from Costa Rica for a natural person or legal entity located outside Costa Rica.

2026 headline rule: demonstrate at least US$3,000 per month from outside Costa Rica, or US$4,000 per month when applying with dependants.

This is a long-stay remote-work category, but it is not temporary residence. That distinction matters for applicants whose main objective is a three-year temporary-residence clock toward permanent residence.

Who qualifies?

The official requirements cover a foreign national who:

  • performs paid services remotely using digital, telecommunications or analogous technologies;
  • provides those services to a natural person or legal entity located outside Costa Rica;
  • receives the required qualifying income from outside Costa Rica;
  • holds the entry visa required for their nationality, if any;
  • obtains medical-services insurance for the full authorized stay; and
  • completes the DGME application and documentation process.

The program can cover employees, contractors and other service providers where the underlying work genuinely remains foreign-linked. It should not be used as an unrestricted authorization to work for Costa Rican employers or build a local client base.

Applicants who intend to carry on a specialized Costa Rican business or professional activity should compare the specialized self-employment route.

Income requirement

The detailed official requirements page states:

  • US$3,000/month for the principal applicant; or
  • US$4,000/month if the applicant also requests legal stay for their family group.

The official rule looks at payments/remuneration during the previous year and permits proof through bank statements with the prescribed declaration or a qualifying certification.

A generic tourism landing page has displayed a different family figure. Because the dedicated requirements and renewal pages both use US$4,000, ReloTide uses that detailed program figure rather than the inconsistent marketing summary.

Family members

Law 10008 and its regulation allow a family group to be included. The family-income threshold rises to US$4,000/month, and the medical-services policy must cover the applicant and included dependants for the authorized period.

Family eligibility and documentary evidence should be checked against the current DGME/official program form for the relationship concerned. A dependant under this Estancia should not be assumed to have unrestricted Costa Rican employment rights merely because they are included in the family group.

Required documents

The official checklist includes, among other items:

  1. the prescribed application form;
  2. proof of the US$100 government application payment;
  3. passport identity pages and, where applicable, Costa Rican entry evidence;
  4. the visa required for the applicant's nationality, if applicable;
  5. qualifying bank statements/certification showing the US$3,000 or US$4,000 income level;
  6. family-status documents for included dependants where applicable;
  7. Spanish translations where documents are in another language; and
  8. medical-services insurance for the documentation/authorized-stay stage.

The program uses simplification rules under Law 10008 and its regulation, so applicants should use the current form rather than importing the full document list from an ordinary temporary-residence application.

Application process

1. Prepare the income evidence

Make sure the bank evidence demonstrates the required foreign-source monthly income over the period required by the official program.

2. File digitally or in person

The official procedure provides for filing through DGME's designated digital platform or, for physical filing, through an appointment and the relevant DGME service platform/regional office.

3. DGME completeness review

Within up to 5 calendar days, the processing office may issue a single notice identifying omissions or seeking clarification. The applicant then has 8 working days to cure or clarify.

4. Decision

DGME's official procedure gives the authority 15 calendar days from submission to issue a written resolution, with the remaining part of that period resuming after a requested cure is completed.

5. Complete documentation after approval

After approval, complete the DIMEX/legal-stay documentation process, including the required payments, passport and medical insurance.

Fees

The official current program materials identify:

  • US$100 government payment with the application;
  • after approval, US$90 for the legal-stay documentation/issuance and Special Social Immigration Fund components shown by the official program; and
  • the applicable guarantee deposit stated by the authorities.

Do not confuse these government amounts with private legal, translation, insurance, apostille or banking costs.

How long is it valid?

The statutory program permits an authorized stay of up to one year, with the possibility of one renewal for another qualifying period.

A Digital Nomad Estancia should not be presented as a two-year temporary residence card. It remains a non-resident stay category under Law 10008.

Renewal

The official renewal page requires the foreign national to show at least 80 days of physical presence in Costa Rica during the authorized period.

Renewal also requires continued income evidence at:

  • US$3,000/month for the individual; or
  • US$4,000/month with the qualifying family group,

plus the prescribed renewal payments, passport and medical-services policy.

Can I work for Costa Rican clients?

The core program is built around remote services for persons/entities outside Costa Rica. It should not be treated as a general local-work permit.

A person intending to invoice Costa Rican customers, operate a local professional practice or run a local specialized business should obtain advice on the correct residence/work authorization. The specialized own-account route is a more relevant starting point for some profiles.

Tax treatment

Law 10008 created special treatment for the qualifying foreign-linked income of beneficiaries. That does not mean every source of income becomes exempt or that the visa holder can ignore Costa Rican-source activity.

The safest planning model is:

  • immigration eligibility depends on the Law 10008 remote-work test;
  • the special program treatment applies to income within that legal framework;
  • Costa Rican-source business, employment, property or investment activity requires separate tax analysis; and
  • immigration status is not a general tax-residency ruling for every purpose.

Social security

The Digital Nomad Estancia is designed around foreign remote work rather than ordinary local self-employment. A person who separately begins an economic activity in Costa Rica should reassess both immigration authorization and CCSS obligations rather than assuming the nomad status covers the new activity.

Permanent residence

Costa Rica's ordinary Article 78 pathway allows qualifying persons with three consecutive years of temporary residence to seek permanent residence.

The Digital Nomad category is a non-resident Estancia, not temporary residence. ReloTide therefore does not tell users that a year or two as a digital nomad automatically counts toward the three-year temporary-residence conversion.

If long-term settlement is the primary objective, compare Rentista residence, Investor residence, or another genuine temporary-residence category for which you qualify.

Citizenship

Costa Rican naturalization is a separate process. The constitutional general residence period is seven years, with a five-year period for Central Americans, Spaniards and Ibero-Americans by birth, plus good-conduct, livelihood, Spanish/history/values and other legal requirements.

Do not assume Digital Nomad Estancia time is identical to “official residence” for naturalization. Obtain case-specific confirmation before building a nationality timeline around a non-resident stay category.

Advantages

  • Purpose-built for foreign remote work.
  • Clear US$3,000 / US$4,000 income framework.
  • Official 15-calendar-day decision target for a complete application.
  • One-year stay with one renewal.
  • Family-group mechanism.
  • Special statutory treatment for qualifying foreign-linked income.

Limitations

  • It is a non-resident Estancia, not ordinary temporary residence.
  • Work must fit the foreign-linked remote-services framework.
  • Medical-services insurance is required.
  • Renewal requires at least 80 days of Costa Rican presence.
  • It is not an unrestricted path to serve Costa Rican clients.

Alternatives

Frequently asked questions

What is the Costa Rica digital nomad income requirement in 2026?

US$3,000 per month for an individual or US$4,000 per month when requesting legal stay for qualifying dependants, under the detailed official requirements.

How long does approval take?

The official procedure gives DGME 15 calendar days to issue a written resolution, subject to the incompleteness/clarification process that pauses the remaining period.

How long can I stay?

Up to one year initially, with one renewal if the renewal conditions are met.

How many days must I be in Costa Rica to renew?

At least 80 days during the authorized period, according to the official renewal instructions.

Can I work for a Costa Rican employer?

The program is designed for remote services to a person or entity outside Costa Rica. Do not treat it as a general local employment permit.

Does the digital nomad visa lead automatically to permanent residence?

No. The program is a non-resident Estancia, while Article 78's ordinary conversion uses three consecutive years of temporary residence.

Last verified: 15 September 2026. This page is informational and has not been reviewed by a Costa Rican lawyer.

Official and supporting sources

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