Pensionado category Costa Rica — retiree

Retiree vs. other income — not the same thing

The neighboring Rentista category (not this page) has a different threshold and requires a different kind of income — don’t confuse the two when choosing a route.

What the process consists of

The pension must be confirmed by a certificate from the payer (a government pension fund or private company) stating its lifetime nature; foreign documents require an apostille.

COST ITEM

RATE

APPLIES TO

Confirmed lifetime pension

RATEfrom $1,000/month

per applicant

Apostille/document legalization

RATEdepends on the country of origin

per applicant

Application processing

RATE≈12 weeks

—

How the process runs

Obtaining a certificate from the pension payer

Stating the lifetime nature of the payments and an amount from $1,000/month.

Apostilling foreign documents

Under the Hague Convention — a mandatory requirement for the application to be accepted.

Filing through the official portal or a consulate

migracion.go.cr or a Costa Rican consulate abroad.

Receiving temporary residence for 2 years

With the right to CCSS public health coverage, opening a bank account, and recognition of foreign driver’s licenses.

Renewal and the path to permanent residency

While the income is maintained — renewal every 2 years; permanent residency available after 3 years.

A good fit if

You have a confirmed lifetime pension from abroad from $1,000/month — government, private, or insurance-based.

Age doesn’t matter — there is no minimum age requirement for the Pensionado category.

You are fine with a temporary 2-year status followed by renewal, with a path to permanent residency after 3 years.

You are ready to have your pension documents apostilled — this is a mandatory requirement.

A poor fit if

Your income is not a pension but other passive income (rent, dividends, interest) — a separate Rentista category exists for that, with a different threshold ($2,500/month for 24 months ahead), not covered on this page.

You’re interested in the investment route (Inversionista) — this category is deliberately not published as a separate programme: Law 9996’s reduced threshold expired 14.07.2026 with no confirmed renewal found, and the current figure is unclear as of the checked date.

Your pension is below $1,000/month — no lower threshold exists for the Pensionado category.

You need permanent residency immediately — the Pensionado category grants temporary residence for 2 years, with the path to permanent residency opening only after 3 years.

Who runs this programme

Your request goes to two or three firms from this list. You see exactly which ones before it is sent, and you can exclude any of them.

La Vida Golden Visas

Лондон, Великобритания · since 2002

Over 20 years of experience, clients from 160+ countries; specialises in Portugal’s Golden Visa and other EU programmes.

Global Citizen Solutions

Лондон, Великобритания / Лиссабон, Португалия · since 2016

Global mobility consultancy with a Lisbon office; specialises in Portugal’s Golden Visa and Spain’s Non-Lucrative Visa.

This is an independent list of firms in the market, not our partners — we do not forward requests to them or receive payment for referrals. Contact them directly via the link.

Frequent questions

Is there a minimum age for the Pensionado category?

No — per the available data, there is no minimum age requirement for this category; only a confirmed lifetime pension from $1,000/month is needed.

How does Pensionado differ from Rentista?

Per the available data, Pensionado specifically requires a pension (government, private, or insurance-based), while Rentista accepts other confirmed income from $2,500/month for 24 months ahead — these are different categories with different thresholds.

Why isn’t there a separate Inversionista programme on the site?

The reduced threshold for the investment category under Law 9996 expired 14.07.2026, and no confirmed renewal or officially announced new threshold was found as of the checked date — we chose not to publish an unconfirmed figure.

When is permanent residency available?

Per the available data, after 3 years of continuous temporary residence under the Pensionado category; citizenship is available after 7 years.

How long does processing take?

Per the available data, application processing takes roughly 12 weeks from submission of a complete document package.

Does the visa cover family members?

Per the available data, yes — a spouse and children up to age 25 (or older with a disability) are covered.

Sources

Fragomen — legal overview of the Costa Rica Pensionado category: pension requirements, documentation, residency timelines↗

Figures are for reference only. Verified against official sources on 27 August 2026. A precise quote is issued by the appointed firm after document review. This material is not legal advice, a public offer or investment advice.