Originally Posted by expatfocus.com

Types of residency and the requirements:

- Residency for Pensioners or Retirees (Pensionados or Rentistas). If you earn $600 per month from your pension, or $1000 a month from your investments you can qualify for these permits.

- Residency for Investors (Inversionista). If you invest in a local business in Costa Rica. According to the Center for the Promotion of Exports and Investments (PROCOMER), the current priority investment areas of business are ornamental plants, leather articles, spices, fruits and vegetables, processed foods, wood products, and tourism. You will be required to invest at least $50,000 US dollars in one of these areas. If you prefer an area of investment not listed by PROCOMER, you must invest $200,000 US dollars in that business. Another option is a reforestation project with a minimum investment of $100,000. You must live in Costa Rica for six months per year and will not be required to maintain a minimum monthly income.

- Work Permits. If you are a qualified business executive or a qualified technician from an accredited institution, a qualified worker in an educational center with a special contract, or a domestic servant, you can get a work permit or temporary residency.

Originally Posted by fuzebox (Post 13225571)

Easiest thing for me was to just stay a tourist. I leave at minimum every 3 months (ends up being more like every 6 weeks), and avoid all the legal/immigration bullshit.

Originally Posted by fuzebox (Post 13225571)

Easiest thing for me was to just stay a tourist. I leave at minimum every 3 months (ends up being more like every 6 weeks), and avoid all the legal/immigration bullshit.

Originally Posted by Kristian (Post 13225638)

I read about people doing that. Honestly I'd probably be a bit chicken just in case they changed the laws. In fact I read on expatfocus they're tightening up on people doing that. Will consider it though if its the only option.

Originally Posted by DamageX (Post 13225699)

Do tourists get work permits, even if they work for themselves?

Originally Posted by Kristian (Post 13225508)

I'm considering the move. We moved to Malta from the UK last November but for various reasons we're not entirely happy with the country.

I've narrowed the possible countries down and Costa Rica is now top of my list. What we'll likely do is have a vacation out there towards the end of the year or january next to get a feel for the place.

Question : How hard is is to enter Costa Rica? I have a British passport.

Any ideas?

Originally Posted by sortie (Post 13225743)

Good luck. This is what you'll look like when you get back.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=05HZWveaZhs

https://youtube.com/watch?v=4H6CtEA4MAg

Originally Posted by fuzebox (Post 13225737)

A work permit to use my laptop? :1orglaugh

Originally Posted by jalami (Post 13225810)

I've been in Costa Rica for 5 years now and I can say that it's great. I would advise anyone who is thinking of moving down here (or any other country for that matter) to make an extended vacation down here, like 2-3 months, to get a real feel for the place and what it's like to live here.

Remember, whatever it was that you didn't like about Malta, may also be true here -- or you'll find totally new things not to like. So it's definitely worth doing a test drive first.

UK passports fly by customs at the airport like they were VIP passes -- you should have no problem coming to Costa Rica.

Originally Posted by DamageX (Post 13225940)

Most countries will require you to either register a company or have a work permit, in order to use your laptop for any sort of activity that would result in economic gain.

Originally Posted by DaddyHalbucks (Post 13226283)

Spend some time down there, and talk with others who have done the same.

What didn't you like about Malta?

Originally Posted by Kristian (Post 13226404)

Mostly the pollution and poor internet / telephone service. Aside from that Malta is pretty good. We moved here mainly for investment purposes. Property prices are rising rapidly and set to skyrocket over the next few years. But my health due to pollution has never been worse. The only solution is to find another home (we have two lol) on the sea but this has proved impossible for the areas we like.

Originally Posted by fuzebox (Post 13226327)

I've never heard of this before.

Regardless, sounds like an honor system thing to me... I'm a travelling student with a laptop, so sue me.

Originally Posted by fuzebox (Post 13226523)

You won't find much different in CR :(

Well if you live on the beach you will avoid the pollution but that's about it.

Originally Posted by knew (Post 13227083)

Hey fuze, is there a lot of dengue/malaria where you are?

Originally Posted by Kristian (Post 13226998)

Yeah? Rats. I'd hear pollution was low and connectivity good.

Well that's why I post here because I can get advice from people who actually live in CR.

Originally Posted by fuzebox (Post 13227129)

I find traffic, pollution, and noise in the city to be a big pain in the ass. Not as bad as some american cities I bet, but a hell of a lot worse than Vancouver where I am from.

As far as internet goes, the best you can get is 4mbps and I believe it's around $160/mo... I pay $100/mo for 2mbps down / 512kbps up, and it randomly goes down for between minutes to hours at a time, at least every week or two. There's also the clusterfuck that is the government-run monopoly communications company that I don't really need to get into ;)

Originally Posted by CherryLipsRosa (Post 13227201)

kristian, we have the Costa Rica bash at the end of February if you want to come to the show as well as visit the country.

Originally Posted by fuzebox (Post 13225725)

Haven't had any problems on 12+ entries... If they do change it then I'll see about applying for residency (costs about $50k), or just leave. Not really a big deal to me, IMO the immigration laws are made because of all the nicaraguans getting paid under the table (like mexicans in the USA), not gringos coming to inject new money into the economy.

Originally Posted by Kristian (Post 13227207)

I've lived in Lagos, Nigeria

Originally Posted by DamageX (Post 13227294)

Brutal corruption LOL

Originally Posted by ShellyCrash (Post 13227226)

I always wanted to check out Malta. When you say polution- is it like smog in the air?

I hear St. Kitts is nice also. I know some people who have moved their businesses there.

Originally Posted by Kristian (Post 13227212)

Hi Rosa :)

I've had a bit of a reality check from fuzebox but would still like to check out CR. That end of feb bash sounds perfect so yeah that's a distinct possibility. Would be lots of fun!

Originally Posted by Kristian (Post 13227344)

Tell me about it! It was a shocker coming from boarding school in North Wales.

Everything works with back-handers and you need protection. We had guards on the front gate and walkaround bodyguards too. I was only a teenager at the time so it was just an adventure to me but id never go back.

CR in comparison is probably paradise. But saying that if its just like Malta i dont really want to move there, no point.

I'm not knocking CR btw for anyone who lives there. I just need to stay clear of pollution.

Originally Posted by Kristian (Post 13227207)

You're making me glad I posted here. :1orglaugh

When you read write-ups on expat sites you get a totally different idea of the place.

Originally Posted by pornguy (Post 13227243)

DAMN!!!!!!! Fuck that Move to Mexico, getting an FM3 is really easy. Cost about 120$. Just need a valid passport, a bank statement ( has to show like 3 to 4k a month income ) and a rental agreement.

Originally Posted by fuzebox (Post 13227657)

Easily doable :) If you're looking online stick to the Guanacaste province, very beautiful beaches, some of the towns have high speed now, and it's an up and coming investment area (keep in mind the prices posted online will be hugely inflated).

Originally Posted by fuzebox (Post 13227119)

There was a scare a month ago in Limon, which is the shipping port town on the Caribbean coast, but I haven't heard much about it recently... There's no reason to even be in the shithole that is Limon unless you are passing through to go furthur south anyway.