Costa Rica · Spouse visas
Costa Rica Spouse of a citizen
First stay: 1 yr
Temporary Residence - Spouse of a Costa Rican citizen (art. 79.1 Law 8764)
First checked against official sources on , some details partly verifiedChange log
Key facts
Spouse of a citizen is a spouse visas route for Costa Rica. Local work: limited. Checked 2026-10-10 against the official source.
- Government fees
- $50
- Processing
- 3 months
- First stay
- 1 yr
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fee $50; decision: 3 months. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government fees$50
- $50Admissibility payment that must accompany a first application for temporary or permanent residence (Reglamento de Extranjería art. 42); payable in colones at the BCCR reference rate.
RenewalRenewable
Residence is granted conditionally for 1 year at a time and renewed each year on proof that you live together as a married couple.
Defensoría de los Habitantes / Dirección General de Migración
Permanent residenceAfter 3 years of marriage
After 3 consecutive years of proven marital cohabitation you gain access to permanent residence.
Defensoría de los Habitantes / Dirección General de Migración
CitizenshipGeneral rule: 2 years of marriage
A foreign spouse can naturalise after 2 years of marriage to a Costa Rican and the same period living in the country.
Processing3 months
Migration must decide within a maximum of 3 months once all requirements are met.
Where to applyAbroad or in-country
Apply within the stay you were granted on entry, or file the application through a consulate abroad or a regional office.
Presence rulesStay rule
Temporary residence can be cancelled if you are away from Costa Rica for more than 2 consecutive years, unless a proven exception such as health, study or family applies.
Defensoría de los Habitantes / Dirección General de Migración
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Work rights are limited
What you'll need
Who can apply2
- Married to a Costa Rican citizen.
- Both spouses show reciprocal knowledge of each other, which is mandatory and must be proven.
What you must show and pay1
- A fee of $50 · Admissibility payment that must accompany a first application for temporary or permanent residence (Reglamento de Extranjería art. 42); payable in colones at the BCCR reference rate.
Documents1
- Marriage duly registered with the Costa Rican Civil Registry when residence is requested.
Steps1
- Residence rights are first granted as conditional and temporary for one year.
After you arrive3
- Marital cohabitation must be proven each year to renew the status.
- After three consecutive years of proven cohabitation the foreign spouse gains access to permanent residence.
- Failing the cohabitation requirement leads to an expulsion order.
When you become tax resident
How Costa Rica decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Foreign-source income
Territorial
Costa Rica taxes profits of persons domiciled in the country that come from lucrative activities with Costa Rican source, meaning income generated exclusively in the national territory; foreign-source passive income is taxed only for taxpayers classed as non-qualified entities.
All tax rules for Costa Rica Tax records checked
Full official text
For a foreign spouse of a Costa Rican citizen. It gives conditional temporary residence renewed year by year on proof of marital cohabitation, and permanent residence after three consecutive years. 1 2 3 4
What you must show and pay
- A fee of $50 · Admissibility payment that must accompany a first application for temporary or permanent residence (Reglamento de Extranjería art. 42); payable in colones at the BCCR reference rate. 4
Requirements
- Married to a Costa Rican citizen. 1 2
- Both spouses show reciprocal knowledge of each other, which is mandatory and must be proven. 1
- Marriage duly registered with the Costa Rican Civil Registry when residence is requested. 1
- Residence rights are first granted as conditional and temporary for one year. 1
- Marital cohabitation must be proven each year to renew the status. 1
- After three consecutive years of proven cohabitation the foreign spouse gains access to permanent residence. 1 2
- Failing the cohabitation requirement leads to an expulsion order. 1
Stay
- Conditional residence for one year, renewed annually on proof of cohabitation; permanent residence after three consecutive years. The general temporary residence term in the law is over 90 days up to two years, renewable.
- Initial permitted stay: 12 months.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Work
Temporary residents may only do paid work that the Immigration Directorate authorises.
Family
Dependants of temporary residents may study or work with prior authorisation.
Official sources
- Ley General de Migración y Extranjería No. 8764, Título V (art. 73) · Defensoría de los Habitantes de Costa Rica (texto de la ley) · checked 2026-10-11
- Ley General de Migración y Extranjería No. 8764, Título VI (arts. 77-80) · Defensoría de los Habitantes de Costa Rica (texto de la ley) · checked 2026-10-11
- Ley General de Migración y Extranjería 8764, arts. 77-105 (original 2009 text) · Defensoría de los Habitantes / Dirección General de Migración · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2009-08-19
- Reglamento de Extranjería, Decreto 37112-G (art. 87 investors) · Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones · checked 2026-10-12
- Naturalización por Matrimonio · Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones de Costa Rica · checked 2026-10-11
Spouse of a citizen and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse of a citizen | – | 1 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Spouse of a citizen Mexico | – | 2 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Partner of a citizen Colombia | – | – | Yes |
| Spouse of a resident Brazil | – | – | Yes |
| Spouse visa Argentina | – | 3 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Spouse of a citizen?
A fee of $50. Admissibility payment that must accompany a first application for temporary or permanent residence (Reglamento de Extranjería art.
How long can I stay on the Spouse of a citizen?
Conditional residence for one year, renewed annually on proof of cohabitation; permanent residence after three consecutive years.
How long does the Spouse of a citizen take to process?
Migration must decide within a maximum of 3 months once all requirements are met.
Can I work on the Spouse of a citizen?
Limited. Temporary residents may only do paid work that the Immigration Directorate authorises.
Can I bring my family on the Spouse of a citizen?
Dependants of temporary residents may study or work with prior authorisation.
Does the Spouse of a citizen lead to permanent residence in Costa Rica?
Time on the Spouse of a citizen counts toward permanent residence in Costa Rica, which the rules allow after 3 years of marriage. The general rule for citizenship is 2 years of marriage.
How are Spouse of a citizen holders taxed in Costa Rica?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Spouse of a citizen. The standard rules apply: Costa Rica taxes profits of persons domiciled in the country that come from lucrative activities with Costa Rican source, meaning income generated exclusively in the national territory; foreign-source passive income is taxed only for taxpayers classed as non-qualified entities.
More in Costa Rica
Spouse and partner visas elsewhere
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-10 against 5 official sources. Status: partly verified; the page marks the facts an official source does not fully confirm.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Ley General de Migración y Extranjería No. 8764, Título V (art. 73) · Defensoría de los Habitantes de Costa Rica (texto de la ley) · checked 2026-10-11
- Ley General de Migración y Extranjería No. 8764, Título VI (arts. 77-80) · Defensoría de los Habitantes de Costa Rica (texto de la ley) · checked 2026-10-11
- Ley General de Migración y Extranjería 8764, arts. 77-105 (original 2009 text) · Defensoría de los Habitantes / Dirección General de Migración · checked 2026-10-10
- Reglamento de Extranjería, Decreto 37112-G (art. 87 investors) · Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones · checked 2026-10-12
- Naturalización por Matrimonio · Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones de Costa Rica · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.