Originally Posted by Webby

Where you from seven - or rather where is your cousin from? Depends on that as to whether you need to bother with a visa. Normally "tourist visas" last 90 days - tho that's not usually a problem - just get it extended. The other option is if you leave the country for 72 hours (like a flight to Panama or anywhere), you have an automatic additional 90 day visa when you re-enter CR.

If you actually want to stay here - as a resident, it's just a matter of filling in some forms and possibly forming a CR corp ($500). From the moment you complete the application process - you are free to come and go as you please without any visa problems. It's normal to let a lawyer here handle residency paperwork - cos you'd get bored standing in a queue at the immigration dept.