Approved, or you don’t pay our fee
Costa Rica residency, handled by licensed attorneys for one flat fee.
Pensionado, rentista, investor or digital nomad. Tell us your situation and a specialist replies within one business day with the path you qualify for, the documents it needs, and the full cost.
- Program fee
- $3,750 flat per application
- Response
- Within one business day
- Filing
- Licensed Costa Rican attorneys
- Guarantee
- Approved, or no program fee
Prefer to talk? Call +1 689-326-9613 or send a text.
Check your eligibility
4 fieldsFree review, no obligation. Flat fee $3,750 USD per application if you go ahead.
Which path is yours
Four paths to Costa Rica residency
Costa Rica offers four main residency routes for Americans and Canadians. Each has a fixed financial threshold, a document list and a realistic timeline. See which you qualify for, then let us secure it.
For retirees
Most popularPensionado
Minimum requirement
$1,000 USD/month
Lifetime pension (Social Security, CPP/OAS, private pension)
The established route for retirees with a qualifying pension. Simple, predictable, and renewable.
8–14 months typicalRequirements for Pensionado →For the independently funded
Rentista
Minimum requirement
$2,500 USD/month
Stable income for 2 years, or a $60,000 USD deposit
For those with steady private income or savings. Flexible and straightforward with proper documentation.
8–12 months typicalRequirements for Rentista →For investors
Fast trackInversionista
Minimum requirement
$150,000 USD
Investment in Costa Rican property or business (threshold confirmed at filing)
For investors establishing a qualifying stake in Costa Rica. Builds residency and a foothold at the same time.
5–9 months typicalRequirements for Inversionista →For remote workers
2-year stayDigital Nomad
Minimum requirement
$3,000 USD/month
Remote income earned abroad ($4,000–5,000 USD with family)
For remote professionals earning abroad. Live and work from Costa Rica with a streamlined online process.
2–8 weeks typicalRequirements for Digital Nomad →
How it works
Four steps, from your first message to your DIMEX card.
01
We confirm your path
You send your details. Within one business day a specialist tells you which route you qualify for and what it will cost in total, before you commit to anything.
02
We sequence your documents
FBI or RCMP background check, birth and marriage certificates, apostilles and official translations, ordered so nothing expires: background checks are accepted for six months from issue.
03
Attorneys file and follow up
A licensed Costa Rican attorney files at Migración and answers every request. Fingerprinting is scheduled for you, with ample notice.
04
You collect your DIMEX
CAJA enrollment is completed first, as the law requires, then your residency card is issued. We are there for both.
The Meridian Residency Program
One fee. Everything included.
A fixed price per application, one dedicated specialist, and a guarantee in writing. Government and third-party costs are published separately, with the legal basis for each.
Program fee
$3,750 USD
Per application · Bulk pricing from 5 applications
Bulk pricing of $3,500 USD each for 5 to 9 applications and $3,000 USD each for 10 or more. Does not include the refundable guarantee deposit, the DIMEX card, or government and third-party costs (apostilles, translations, official fees), which are published in full here.
Check my eligibilityOur guarantee
Approved, or you don’t pay our fee.
If we determine you don’t qualify, you pay nothing. If a file we prepare is rejected through our error, we correct and resubmit at no charge. Full terms.
Included in the $3,750 fee
- Eligibility review and a written residency roadmap
- Document checklist, preparation and review before filing
- Filing and follow-up by licensed Costa Rican attorneys
- Every office visit, including fingerprinting at Migración
- CAJA enrollment and DIMEX pickup
- The Move to Costa Rica masterclass, banking-setup guide and First 90 Days playbook
- Tax, banking and location coaching calls; document vault and renewal reminders
Paid separately, at cost, per person
- Filing fees
- $250
- $50 application (Reglamento art. 42) and $200 change of category (art. 40)
- Approval and DIMEX
- $103–133
- Law 8764 arts. 251–253 and 33(4), plus ≈$37 Correos and bank charges
- Guarantee deposit
- $300–700
- Refundable. Set in your approval resolution (Law 8764 art. 133)
- Background check and apostilles
- $100–280
- FBI $18, U.S. State Department apostille $20, two vital records
- Official translations
- $90–300
- Registered traductor oficial, three to five documents
- CAJA, from approval
- Monthly
- Income-based, 7.05% to 19.11% in 2026
Receipts for every item. Every fee, with its legal basis.
Before you commit
What you can verify about us today.
We are a new firm and we would rather earn your confidence with facts you can check than with claims you cannot.
Licensed Costa Rican attorneys
Every filing is signed by an attorney registered with the Colegio de Abogados de Costa Rica. You receive the attorney's name and registration number before we begin.
The guarantee, in writing
Approved, or you don't pay our fee. The exact terms, including what the guarantee does not cover, are published in our Terms of Service.
Read the terms →Every cost, published
Government fees, the deposit, apostilles, translations and CAJA, with the article of law behind each figure. Nothing is discovered after you sign.
See the full breakdown →A registered company and a line that answers
Based in Sabana, San José, Costa Rica. Call or text +1 689-326-9613, or email info@meridianresidency.com. We are a registered Costa Rican company, Boost Lab Consultorias Digitales LTDA.
Contact us →
Research first
Read before you decide.
The questions people ask before they ever call us, answered with figures and the law behind them.
Residency paths
Requirements, cost and decisions
- Costa Rica Residency Requirements for U.S. and Canadian Citizens (2026)
- How Much Does Costa Rica Residency Cost in 2026?
- How Long Does Costa Rica Residency Take? Real 2026 Timelines
- Pensionado vs Rentista: Which Costa Rica Residency Is Right for You?
- Can You Apply for Costa Rica Residency Yourself? DIY vs Attorney
Process and documents
- Costa Rica Permanent Residency: Requirements After 3 Years, Benefits and Renewal
- FBI Background Check for Costa Rica Residency: Order, Apostille and Timing
- Apostille Requirements for Costa Rica Residency: Which Documents, Which Office
- The DIMEX Card in Costa Rica: What It Is, What It Costs and How You Get It
- Costa Rica Residency Renewal: How It Works, What It Costs and the Deadlines
Moving and living in Costa Rica
- Moving to Costa Rica: The 2026 Relocation Guide
- Costa Rica Residency for Canadians: Moving to Costa Rica from Canada
- Retire in Costa Rica: Residency, Budget, Healthcare and the Trade-offs
- Costa Rica vs Panama for Retirement: Residency, Healthcare and Costs Compared
- Moving to Costa Rica as an American: The U.S. Checklist
Free eligibility review
Find out where you stand before you commit.
Send your details and the path you are considering. A specialist replies within one business day with whether you qualify, the documents your file needs, and the full cost. If our review finds you do not qualify, you owe nothing.
Prefer to write first? Send us a message, call +1 689-326-9613 or send a text.
Questions
Answered plainly.
Must I be in Costa Rica to begin?
No. We manage your residency so that you may begin from home and avoid unnecessary travel. You will need to be in Costa Rica for fingerprinting at Migración and to collect your DIMEX card once approved; we schedule both in advance and with ample notice.
Who carries out the legal work?
Your residency is handled by licensed Costa Rican attorneys, with Meridian managing the entire engagement on your behalf and keeping you informed throughout. Meridian is an advisory firm, not a law firm.
How long does Costa Rica residency take?
It depends on your path and current government processing. Pensionado and rentista files commonly take eight to fourteen months from filing to card in hand; investor files five to nine; the digital nomad stay is usually decided in two to eight weeks. The legal deadline is three months from a complete file, and almost no file meets it. Your assessment provides a realistic estimate for your circumstances.
What does it cost?
A flat program fee of $3,750 USD per application, with bulk pricing of $3,500 USD each for 5 to 9 applications and $3,000 USD each for 10 or more. Government fees, apostilles, official translations, the refundable guarantee deposit and the DIMEX card are quoted separately. Our cost guide publishes every one of those figures with its legal basis.
What if I am unsure I qualify?
That is what the free eligibility review is for. A specialist confirms the right path before you commit, and our approved-or-you-don't-pay guarantee means that if we determine you do not qualify, you owe nothing.
Can I apply for Costa Rica residency myself?
Yes. Nothing in Costa Rican law requires an attorney to file. Applicants who do it themselves typically spend $600 to $1,150 USD in government fees, apostilles and translations, plus several trips to Migración and a Spanish-language process. Most of our clients choose us because their time, and getting the file right the first time, is worth more than the fee.
What happens if my application is denied?
If our review finds that you do not qualify, you pay nothing for our program fee. If an application we prepare is rejected because of our error, we correct and resubmit it at no additional charge. The guarantee does not cover rejections caused by incomplete or inaccurate information you provide, changes in government policy, or circumstances beyond our reasonable control. The full terms are in our Terms of Service.
What does the $3,750 fee not cover?
Government fees ($250 at filing and $103 to $133 at approval, per person), the refundable guarantee deposit (budget $300 to $700), background checks, apostilles, official translations, and your monthly CAJA contributions once approved. We bill those at cost with receipts, and our cost guide lists each one with its legal basis.
Which residency path is right for a retiree?
Most retirees qualify as pensionado, which requires a lifetime pension of at least $1,000 USD per month. Couples usually file one principal application with the spouse as a dependent. If your income is not a pension, rentista is the usual alternative.