Costa Rica Digital Nomad Visa: How To Work Remotely In Costa Rica?

If you have been dreaming of working in Costa Rica, let me break the bubble and tell you that you are not alone.

That is, its fabulous nature scenes, serene beaches, high-quality of life, and welcoming people, beckon thousands of remote workers from across the globe. Making it one of the top digital nomad destinations.

Well, just like you, I have also been enticed by its beauty and dream of settling there one day — exploring new cultures and earning at the same time.

Now, this dream has led me to discover all about the digital nomad lifestyle there.

And that’s how I came across the Costa Rica Digital Nomad Visa. The gatepass for remote workers and digital nomads to work remotely in Costa Rica.

So, here, in this blog, I have brought you a complete guide on the digital nomad visa by focusing on—

• Its basics and benefits,
• Eligibility criteria and required documents,
• Steps to apply for the visa, and more.

So, come dive right in!

What Is The Costa Rica Digital Nomad Visa?

Now, before jumping into the visa application eligibility criteria and process, let’s understand the basics of the Costa Rica Digital Nomad Visa.

That is, it came into existence officially in 2022, welcoming all kinds of remote workers from around the world to settle in Costa Rica and work remotely.

So, be it a freelancer, solo entrepreneur, or even full-time remote employee — all can settle down in Costa Rica, while working for foreign clients and companies.

Moreover, it offers the staying for 1-year duration. But the nomads can renew the visa provisions and extend the stay period by another year. Enjoying the varied cultures and earning simultaneously.

What Are The Benefits Of The Costa Rica Digital Nomad Visa?

Since the Costa Rica Digital Nomad Visa offers massive benefits, it is preferred over other visas like — Japan, Spain, Italy, or Colombia.

So, here are some of the beneficial provisions offered by the Costa Rican visa for digital nomads and global remote workers—

1. Legal Remote Work Permit

Firstly, it allows the remote workers and digital nomads to legally work in Costa Rica. But they can only work for foreign companies and clients, without getting involved in business with the local entities.

2. Tax Advantage

Moreover, there is no special digital nomad taxation policy. And, the visa exempts the workers from the standard income taxation policies. So, they do not need to pay high income taxes to the local governments for staying in Costa Rica.

3. Essential Service Access

Additionally, they are provided access to the civic amenities and healthcare facilities. So, the remote worker can comfortably work and stay in the country while enjoying the essential service access without paying taxes.

4. Family And Dependency Opportunities

Finally, the visa allows the remote workers to bring their family members — spouse, legal partner, minor children, and dependent adults. So, it creates the opportunity for the family members to relocate along with the worker.

What Is The Eligibility Criteria For The Costa Rica Digital Nomad Visa?

Now, given that the digital nomad visa of Costa Rica offers massive benefits, it comes with some strict eligibility criteria. So, some of these criteria include—

1. Remote Employment

Firstly, the remote employee should be employed by foreign companies. That is, the visa holder can only work for foreign clients and companies.

So, they are literally forbidden to join or work for any local businesses or Costa Rican entities. Allowing workers to only work remotely for outside clients.

2. Minimum Monthly Income

Moreover, there is a minimum income set per month to ensure that the employees can sustain their livelihood in Costa Rica.

That is, the workers need to earn £2,292 GBP if they are travelling alone. But if they have dependencies or family members, tagging along with them, the minimum rate is £3,056 GBP per month.

3. Health Insurance

Finally, the remote worker needs to have international health insurance. That is, they should have medical insurance that covers their medical expenses in most of the healthcare facilities in Costa Rica.

What Are The Document Requirements To Apply For The Costa Rica Digital Nomad Visa?

Now, before applying for the Costa Rica Digital Nomad Visa, you need to prepare the official documents required for verifying the application. So, here are the essential documents—

• Valid Passport: Firstly, you need a valid passport that has more than one blank page and its validity lasts for at least 6 months.
• Identity Proof: Additionally, you need an identity proof. So, you can provide any official government documents to prove your identity and nationality.
• Monthly Income Proof: Moreover, your monthly income proof can be provided either through the monthly payslips or bank transaction statements.
• Health Insurance Documents: Also, you need to provide the detailed documents for your health insurance. That is, an international insurance that covers most of the medical needs in Costa Rica.
• Remote Employment Contracts: Finally, you will need contracts, employment documents, and client deals to prove your remote employment.

How To Apply For The Costa Rica Digital Nomad Visa?

Since Costa Rica’s scenic beauty attracts millions of remote workers around the world, its digital nomad visa application process is simple. So, digital nomads can easily seep into the growing expat community.

Here are the steps to apply for the Digital Nomad Visa of Costa Rica—

• Firstly, you need to check your eligibility and prepare the required documents for the application process.
• Then, go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or visit the online TramiteYa website and create a user account.
• After that, fill out the application form, attach the required documents, and pay the application fees.
• Then, submit the application form and wait for it to be processed. Usually, it takes around 4 to 6 weeks to process the application.
• Finally, once the visa application is approved, you can collect the visa and book the flight tickets to your dream destination.

Now, applying for and getting approval for the Costa Rica visa has been made into a piece of cake. So, what’s the wait for?

If you are planning to start your digital nomad lifestyle, Costa Rica offers the perfect locale. So, get the visa, pack your bags, and set off on the exciting digital nomad journey.

FAQs

Here, I have brought you some of the common questions around the digital nomad visa of Costa Rica that most remote employees look for.