Costa Rica · Work
Costa Rica Company executive permit
First stay: 2 yrs
Residente temporal — Ejecutivos, representantes, gerentes y personal técnico de empresas establecidas (Ley 8764 arts. 79(3), 83)
Checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Company executive permit is a work route for Costa Rica. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
- Government fees
- $50 · $25
- Processing
- 3 months
- First stay
- 2 yrs
Cost, time and long term
To apply: 2 government fees listed below; decision: 3 months. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government fees$50 · $25
- $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.
- $25Payment of USD 25 to the Social Migration Fund when residence is granted and again at each renewal (Ley 8764 art. 33(4)); the Reglamento de Extranjería lists it as an annual payment.
RenewalRenewable
Temporary residence is granted for more than 90 days and up to 2 years, and can be renewed for equal periods.
Defensoría de los Habitantes / Dirección General de Migración
Permanent residenceAfter 3 years of residence
Temporary residents (and their spouse and first-degree relatives) can apply for permanent residence after 3 consecutive years of temporary residence.
Defensoría de los Habitantes / Dirección General de Migración
CitizenshipGeneral rule: 7 years of residence
Naturalisation needs 7 years of official residence for most nationalities, or 5 years for Central Americans, Ibero-Americans and Spaniards by birth.
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.
- Needs a job offer from an employer in Costa Rica
What you'll need
Who can apply2
- The subcategory covers executives, representatives, managers and technical staff of companies established in Costa Rica.
- Spouse and children are covered with the principal applicant.
What you must show1
- Salary must be not below the legal minimum for that position increased by 25%.
Documents3
- An authenticated employment contract shows the monthly salary.
- Executives and managers submit a company certification of the post, the period in Costa Rica and the monthly salary.
- The company must be up to date with national and municipal taxes and its work-risk insurance.
Steps1
- Applications are filed through Costa Rican consular officials abroad or at the Dirección General offices in Costa Rica.
After you arrive1
- CCSS insurance is needed to renew.
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
Temporary residence for executives, representatives, managers and technical staff of companies established in Costa Rica, including specialised employees. 1 2 3
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. 2
- A fee of $25 · Payment of USD 25 to the Social Migration Fund when residence is granted and again at each renewal (Ley 8764 art. 33(4)); the Reglamento de Extranjería lists it as an annual payment. 3 2
Requirements
- The subcategory covers executives, representatives, managers and technical staff of companies established in Costa Rica. 1 2
- Spouse and children are covered with the principal applicant. 1 2
- Salary must be not below the legal minimum for that position increased by 25%. 1 2
- An authenticated employment contract shows the monthly salary. 2
- Executives and managers submit a company certification of the post, the period in Costa Rica and the monthly salary. 2
- The company must be up to date with national and municipal taxes and its work-risk insurance. 2
- Applications are filed through Costa Rican consular officials abroad or at the Dirección General offices in Costa Rica. 1
- CCSS insurance is needed to renew. 1
Stay
- Temporary residence: authorisation for more than 90 days and up to 2 years, renewable for equal periods.
- First stay: up to 24 months, decided case by case.
- Visa validity: 24 months. Validity is the window to use the visa, not the length you may stay.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Work
Work in the post authorised.
Family
Spouse and children are covered.
Official sources
- 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
- Ley General de Migración y Extranjería 8764, Título IV (art. 33: payments of USD 25 and USD 5) · Defensoría de los Habitantes (text of Ley 8764) · checked 2026-10-12
- Naturalización por Residencia (Ley 1155) · Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones de Costa Rica · checked 2026-10-11
Company executive permit and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Company executive permit | – | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Scientist/professional permit | – | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Job-offer residence Mexico | – | 4 yr | – |
| Internationalisation visa M Colombia | – | 3 yr | – |
| Work visa Brazil | – | 2 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Company executive permit?
A fee of $50. Admissibility payment that must accompany a first application for temporary or permanent residence (Reglamento de Extranjería art. A fee of $25. Payment of USD 25 to the Social Migration Fund when residence is granted and again at each renewal (Ley 8764 art.
How long can I stay on the Company executive permit?
Temporary residence: authorisation for more than 90 days and up to 2 years, renewable for equal periods.
How long does the Company executive permit take to process?
Migration must decide within a maximum of 3 months once all requirements are met.
Can I work on the Company executive permit?
Work in the post authorised.
Can I bring my family on the Company executive permit?
Spouse and children are covered.
Does the Company executive permit lead to permanent residence in Costa Rica?
Time on the Company executive permit counts toward permanent residence in Costa Rica, which the rules allow after 3 years of residence. The general rule for citizenship is 7 years of residence.
How are Company executive permit holders taxed in Costa Rica?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Company executive permit. 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
Work visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-12 against 4 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
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 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
- Ley General de Migración y Extranjería 8764, Título IV (art. 33: payments of USD 25 and USD 5) · Defensoría de los Habitantes (text of Ley 8764) · checked 2026-10-12
- Naturalización por Residencia (Ley 1155) · 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.