Costa Rica's Law 10008 visa has moderate documentation requirements. The income bar ($3,000/mo single, $4,000/mo family) is accessible to most Western remote workers, and the paperwork — while requiring apostilles — is predictable.
Before ordering apostilles, map the required documents against the Costa Rica application-process timeline: the in-country DGME route works best when income statements, insurance, and Spanish translations are already queued before arrival.
Eligibility
- Non-Costa Rican national, aged 18+.
- Remote work or freelance for employers/clients outside Costa Rica.
- Minimum monthly income: $3,000 USD individual; $4,000 USD for family.
- Valid passport in good condition.
- Health insurance covering Costa Rica for the full visa period.
- Security screening: DGME checks criminal and police databases directly; the published checklist does not ask applicants to upload a criminal-record certificate.
Income threshold and evidence
| Applicant type | Monthly threshold | Annual equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | $3,000 | $36,000 |
| Applicant + family | $4,000 | $48,000 |
Evidence: bank statements covering the previous year, accompanied by a sworn statement that they were requested from and issued by the relevant financial institution. Instead of the statements, an applicant may submit a qualifying income certification from a public accountant or notary in Costa Rica, or the equivalent professional abroad. A foreign-issued certification is the income-proof item that must be legalized or apostilled.
Document checklist
- Signed digital or physical application form
- Application fee US$100 per applicant — paid to the Government of Costa Rica under Article 256 of Law 8764; each dependent included also pays $100
- Copy of the photo/biographical page of a valid passport, plus the Costa Rican entry-stamp page if applying from inside the country
- Consular or restricted visa where the applicant's nationality requires one
- Previous-year bank statements plus the required sworn statement, or a qualifying professional income certification
- Medical-services insurance covering Costa Rica for the full authorized stay, with at least US$50,000 coverage; every dependent must also be covered
The current official checklist does not list an applicant-supplied criminal-record certificate, employer letter, tax return, accommodation booking, or passport photo. DGME performs its own criminal and police database screening and may request biometrics.
Application routes
- Online: register and submit through DGME's Trámite Ya platform.
- In person: book a DGME web appointment, then file at the Foreign Nationals Administration service platform in La Uruca or a DGME regional office that handles administrative procedures.
Family application
The family group may include a spouse or common-law partner, unmarried children under 25, children of any age with a disability, and older adults who live with the applicant. The applicable proof can be a marriage or civil-union record issued within the previous six months, a birth certificate, a medical opinion identifying a disability, or an affidavit proving the older adult's family link or cohabitation. Foreign-language documents require an official Spanish translation.
Common rejection reasons
- Income proof is incomplete: bank statements lack the sworn statement, or a foreign professional certification lacks legalization/apostille.
- Insurance is incomplete: coverage is below US$50,000, does not span the full authorized stay, or omits a dependent.
- Passport evidence is incomplete: missing biographical page, missing entry-stamp page for an in-country filing, or a required entry visa is absent.
- Family relationship evidence is missing or too old: marriage/civil-union records must have been issued within the previous six months.
- A foreign-language document lacks an official Spanish translation.
Official sources
- Costa Rican Tourism Board — Digital Nomad Requirements. Retrieved 2026-08-05.
- Costa Rican Tourism Board — Requirements for Dependents. Retrieved 2026-08-05.
- Sistema Costarricense de Información Jurídica — current text of Law 10008. Retrieved 2026-08-05.