“Kathleen, your article regarding Costa Rica is inaccurate. To get temporary residence, you should have a job. It does not sound like the people whose letter you published do. Permanent residency is a lot different as they are discovering. You do not need to have lived there to get permanent residency. You need to show US$150,000 in a bank account if not retired to support the country with US$2,500 per month for five years or only US$1,000 per month if on Social Security. There are people to help with residency papers so you do not fall through the cracks as the people who wrote to you have done.”
–Valerie H., United States
I think you may be confused. A foreign resident in Costa Rica would likely get a temporary residency card with a work permit, but that has nothing to do with the couple who wrote in. They were retired. Their struggle was related to establishing residency as foreign retirees, which is a different thing than establishing residency as a foreign resident with or seeking local employment.
Continue Reading: How Much Does It Cost To Retire Overseas?
