Costa Rica Now Offers Digital Nomad Visas — How to Apply

Costa Rica has finally approved a digital nomad visa for foreign workers.

In 2021, Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado signed the law allowing travelers to stay up to a year with the possibility of extending for an additional year, according to The Tico Times. However, the program hit a few snags, causing a delay until early July 2022, when Alvarado finalized the regulations.

Now, foreign remote workers and their families can apply for the visa and stay for up to two years (which includes the year-long visa plus the one-year extension).

"Costa Rica has ample opportunities for digital nomads. Our first phase is to communicate the benefits of this new law, primarily in the United States," Carolina Trejos, the director of marketing for the Costa Rica Tourism Board, shared with Travel + Leisure via email. "According to our reports, 50% of digital nomads worldwide are from the U.S., where we have a strong relationship, proximity, similar time zones, and good air connectivity."

Trejos added that VisitCostaRica.com will soon be updated with a new section outlining everything remote workers need to know about the requirements and benefits of the recently enacted law.

According to the immigration website, there are a few requirements those interested in the visa need to know before filling out the paperwork. Applicants must show proof of a minimum income of $3,000 a month if they are coming alone, or a minimum of $4,000 if they are coming with a family member. Applicants must also show proof of health insurance that will cover them for the duration of their stay in the foreign nation.

Those in Costa Rica on the digital nomad visa are also forbidden from working for a Costa Rican company. On the other hand, though, visa holders are also covered for a full income tax exemption from their income originating elsewhere. The application documents must also be completed and submitted in Spanish.

Following the completion and submission of the application, local authorities have up to two weeks to accept or reject the application. Ready to relocate? Learn more about the requirements here, and submit your digital visa application here.