Costa Rica is an ideal country to visit, retire to, and invest in, thanks to its excellent reputation for environmental protection, globally recognized ecotourism schemes, political and social stability, legal security, and health system.
Under Executive Decree 43926-MGP-H-TUR, the regulations to the LAW FOR THE ATTRACTION OF INVESTORS, RENTHOLDERS AND PENSIONERS went into effect on February 23, 2023.
This law and its regulations enable foreigners who qualify as investors, rentiers or pensioners to access the following tax incentives:
- To exempt household items, instruments or materials for the applicant’s professional or scientific use from import duty or nationalization taxes. To qualify, the interested party must detail and justify the exempted assets and demonstrate that they coincide with the economic, family or professional practice situation.
- To exempt from import and nationalization taxes for two (2) land, air, and/or maritime transport vehicles for personal or family use.
- To exempt 20% of the total transfer tax on real estate acquired during the validity of the law.
- To qualify as a resident investor with a local investment of $150,000, which includes real estate, registrable
assets, shares, securities and productive projects or projects of national interest.
| Validity of tax incentives | Investors, rentiers or pensioners may opt for the benefits granted in article 5 of Law No. 9996 only during the first five years of its validity. |
|---|---|
| Term to keep the exonerated assets | Beneficiary investors, rentiers or pensioners who opted for said benefits during the first five years of validity of the Law must keep the assets in their possession for at least 10 years. In the case of vehicles, the transfer to third parties may proceed after 10 years from the granting of the benefit, before the tax release process in the EXONET System. |
Who can apply?
Those foreigners who qualify under one of the categories indicated below may apply for the incentives mentioned above:
| Investment | Conditions |
|---|---|
| Real estate or registrable property | The applicant must be the owner of real estate or personal property duly registered with the National Registry for a minimum amount of not less than one hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($150,000.00) in U.S. currency.
For this purpose, the registered property much be in an individual’s name and not that of a legal person. |
| Shares of a Costa Rican company | The applicant must demonstrate valid participation, for an amount not less than one hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($150,000.00), in U.S. currency.
This type of investment only pertains to companies with economic activities in the country, not inactive legal entities. |
| Securities | The applicant must demonstrate ownership of an investment in securities worth not less than one hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($150,000.00) in U.S. currency listed on a Stock Exchange registered with SUGEVAL. |
| Projects of national interest or Productive Projects | In the event that the investment corresponds to a public interest project, the Executive Decree number through which the declaration of public interest in the relevant project was made must be expressly indicated.
If the investment is a Productive Project, a duly signed document of verification must be provided by the government institution with a direct interest in the economic sector in which the project will be developed. If the investment is in forest plantations, certification must be issued by the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Mines, which accredits the investment of $150,000.00 in U.S. currency in sustainable reforestation project(s) of public interest. |
| Venture capital funds | The name of the Investment Fund Management Company that manages the investment must appear at the National Registry of Securities and Intermediaries of SUGEVAL. |
| Sustainable tourism infrastructure projects | The ICT must attest that the project in which the investment occurs must be in sustainable tourism infrastructure, where the investment is not less than one hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($ 150,000.00) in U.S. currency. |
| Rentiers | Conditions |
|---|---|
| Rent | The applicant must provide an income statement issued by any of the banking institutions belonging to the National Banking System showing that in not less than two years, the applicant will receive a monthly, permanent and stable income of not less than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.00) in U.S. currency.
If a banking institution does not issue such an income statement, an Authorized Public Accountant duly accredited in Costa Rica may prepare and present such a statement. |
| Pensioners | Conditions |
|---|---|
| Pension | The applicant must demonstrate with a document issued by a competent authority that they receive a lifetime pension of not less than one thousand dollars ($1000.00) in U.S. currency. |
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Our team is available to advise you on your investments in Costa Rica and guide you through your immigration procedure. For more information, contact us at [email protected] or +506 6280 2269 via WhatsApp or Telegram.