- Digital nomad visa
- Yes
Estancia para Trabajador Remoto, created under Ley 10008
Overall7/10Easier visas than about 75% of cities
Good to know
Good to Know
- The maximum stay for most Western nomad nationalities is officially up to 180 days, but the exact number stamped in your passport is at the discretion of the individual immigration officer on the day — don't assume you'll automatically get the full 180.
- Always carry proof of an onward or return ticket and some evidence of funds (a credit card is usually enough) — officers can and do ask for this at the border.
- There's no in-country extension process for tourist stays; most long-term nomads plan a short trip to Panama or Nicaragua and re-enter to get a new entry stamp.
- Marijuana and related products are illegal in Costa Rica despite the country's laid-back reputation, so don't assume any Costa Rica–Costa Rica cannabis tolerance.
- Many long-term nomads in Santa Teresa still rely on tourist entries rather than the formal remote-worker visa, largely because of the paperwork and processing time involved in the official permit.
- If you're relying on tourist stays instead of the remote-worker visa, be aware that Costa Rica has tightened enforcement around repeated back-to-back tourist entries in recent years, so it's worth checking current border-run rules before assuming an indefinite renewal pattern will work.
- Keep private health insurance documentation and proof of ongoing foreign income organized from day one if you plan to apply for or renew the remote-worker visa, since both are required at application and renewal.
Visa Free Entry
- Who Qualifies
- Citizens of the US, Canada, UK, most EU/EEA countries, Australia, New Zealand and a broad list of other nationalities can enter for tourism without applying for a visa in advance. Some other nationalities (roughly 30-day visa-free groups, or visa-required groups) face shorter stays or must apply ahead — travelers should check their specific nationality on the official Costa Rican immigration site before booking.
- Baseline Summary
- Costa Rica does not have a single Schengen-style bloc; it uses a nationality-based grouping system, but the practical baseline for most nomads (US, Canada, UK, EU/EEA, Australia, New Zealand, and many other nationalities) is visa-free entry with an entry stamp issued on arrival rather than a visa applied for in advance.
Process
- Extensions
- The tourist stay is generally described as non-extendable within the country; the common practice among long-staying nomads is a 'border/visa run' — leaving to a neighboring country (e.g. Panama or Nicaragua) and re-entering to receive a fresh entry stamp.
- Departure Tax
- CRC 14,645
Departure tax when leaving Costa Rica by air, though it is usually already bundled into the airline ticket price.
- Work Restriction
- A tourist entry stamp does not permit working for a Costa Rican employer or engaging in local paid employment.
- Advance Application
- None required for visa-exempt nationalities — no online form, no fee, no pre-approval.
- Proof Of Funds Guideline
- CRC 50,500
Commonly cited guideline is roughly $100 USD per month of intended stay; a credit card or bank statement is generally accepted as proof.
Entry Documents Typically Checked
- Passport valid for the duration of the stay (commonly recommended to have at least 6 months validity for smoothest entry)
- Onward or return ticket (flight, bus ticket to a neighboring country, or cruise departure proof)
- Proof of sufficient funds for the stay
- Accommodation details, if requested
Length Of Stay
- Maximum Days
- 180
- Notes
- The current maximum tourist entry period for most Group One nationalities (US, Canada, EU, UK, Australia, NZ, etc.) is up to 180 days, written into the passport by the immigration officer at entry. Sources disagree on how consistently the full 180 days is granted in practice; some report officers commonly stamp for shorter periods (e.g. 90 days), with the officer having final discretion at the border.
Digital Nomad Visa And Tax
- Visa Name
- Estancia para Trabajador Remoto (Remote Worker/Digital Nomad Stay), created under Ley 10008
- Application Path
- Applications are filed with Costa Rica's Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (immigration department), typically online, and can be submitted from abroad or while already in Costa Rica as a tourist.
- Duration And Renewal
- The permit is initially granted for one year and can be renewed for a second year, for a maximum continuous stay of up to two years under this category; renewal requires re-demonstrating the income requirement and valid insurance coverage.
Tax Notes
- Special Regime
- Approved remote-worker visa holders are exempt from Costa Rican income tax on their foreign-sourced remote income for the duration of the permit, and are also allowed a one-time duty-free import of personal home-office equipment and a vehicle.
- General Tax Residency Trigger
- Outside of the remote-worker exemption, Costa Rica's general tax residency rule is based on physical presence: an individual who spends more than 183 days (whether continuous or accumulated) in the country within a fiscal/calendar year is generally treated as a tax resident and becomes subject to Costa Rican tax on Costa Rican-sourced income (Costa Rica does not tax foreign-sourced income for residents in the same way many countries do, but local-source income and business activity carried out in-country can be taxed).
Documents Required
- Valid passport with at least the remaining validity to cover the requested stay
- Proof of stable remote income (recent bank statements, pay stubs, or employment/contractor letter) meeting the monthly threshold
- Evidence the income source is foreign (foreign employer, foreign clients, or a foreign-registered business)
- Proof of private medical insurance valid in Costa Rica for the full duration of stay
- Completed application form and payment of the applicable government fee
- Additional civil documents (e.g. marriage/birth certificates) if including dependents
Income Requirement
- Individual
- CRC 1,500,000
Approximate CRC equivalent of the required USD 3,000/month; the law specifies the USD figure as the legal threshold, with CRC shown here at an approximate current conversion.
- With Dependents
- CRC 2,000,000
Approximate CRC equivalent of the required USD 4,000/month for applicants including dependents.
Visa Ease Tier
moderate
Visa Ease Tier Rationale
Costa Rica offers a generous baseline visa-free tourist stay and a purpose-built remote-worker visa with a clear tax exemption on foreign income, but the formal digital-nomad permit involves real bureaucratic paperwork, government-portal processing delays, and a fairly firm $3,000/month proof-of-income bar that keeps many nomads simply cycling on tourist status instead.
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
This section has no cited sources.
More About Santa Teresa
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.