HOW (step-by-step instructions) to apply for a pensionado visa

@dwilhelms1

I highly recommend using a Residency Service unless you are already living in CR and speak fluent Spanish.

Google Residency Services in Costa Rica... there are more than a few.   

If you ask for recommendations... you'll get some specific names on this forum, and others will tell you not to use 'that' service because of their own bad experience.  You are an adult, just read their sites and them send some Q's or make some calls.  If they are willing to answer simple questions without a fee... then they are probably legit. 

There is an Application process that includes, primarily,

1 The application itself... it has to be in Spanish.  My service sent me the questions in English... and they applied them to the Spanish version ... which is the only version that Migration accepts.

2   A series of documents such as:

One copy (not photocopy) of your Birth certificate.;   I recommend, also, having a few copies HERE in CR with you... you may need them for residency renewals, changes from temporary to Permanent applications; etc.

A copy of your passport's 'info' page,

An up-to-date FBI or Police background check (requires a set of fingerprints);   FBI, for many, is easier.

Two passport sized color photos

Proof of SS or other pension GUARANTEED income (minimum of $1,000 USD per month) .. such as your SS Benefits letter; signed and dated by somebody in a SS office.

Another set of Finger Prints for the Gov't here in Costa Rica (you can get that done here) and...

An official CR Lawyer's letter or Notary here that is approved by the gov't that testifies that you are who you say you are... you have to have that done HERE in CR, in person.  that fee is paid directly to the lawyer.  My service here arranged that and took me to his office.  It took less than 20 minutes.

Everything that is coming from your home country must be Apostilled at a Costa Rican Consulate in your country. That Consulate will provide you with a certified Translation 'service' (not free) that will translate all of the apostilled documents from English into Spanish... of whatever your native tongue is.  All of that must be put together, with a set of fingerprints for CR, the Lawyer's document, and your completed application (in spanish) and walked into the Migration office.  A service will and can do that for you... but you must give them the $$ for the Gov't fees that are required to get the application turned in.

Very good to have a service... if they are 'good' they will make sure that you have all of your ducks in a row, and will walk your application to Migration for you and most importantly, They will speak Spanish and can let you know if there are any issues.  The service will be the official liaison between Migration and You... so they will get news from Migration and thus forward it to you and hopefully explain everything.

After The application is turned in, you may wait up to (timing changes constantly) four months just for the Application to be Accepted for PROCESSING ONLY.   During that time/wait, if you are in CR and your passport entry stamp expires, YOU MUST LEAVE and then return to get a renew'd entry stamp.   Once you hear that itisaccepted for Processing, you'll receive a document called "Expediente" (generally a pdf in an email from your service) .... and with that document (make copies and keep one ALWAYS with your passport) you will now wait again... (9 months or more)   BUT!!!  That  Expediente document means that you DO NOT HAVE TO LEAVE Costa Rica if your passport entry stamp/visa expires.  But you will always need that Expediente document with your passport because crap happens.   So you can start living here, buy a house, get a dog, learn Spanish, grow weed, whatever, while you wait. 

Eventually, you'll get news from your service that your application has been Officially Accepted... and you'll get a new document to replace the Expediente... which is called a 'Resolucion'.   Your service will then instruct you to immediately go to a CCSS office to join the National Healthcare system or 'Caja' (which is mandatory for your Pensionista Residency to exist) ...  remember to take any and all documents and Resolucion with you; and you will join the Caja while you are there and pay the first month.  With a receipt of that.. you can then go to a Correos of Costa Rica or to a BCR (Banco de Costa Rica) .... both have on-line reservation options... you can't just do a walk-in; to apply for and get photographed for, your official Costa Rican ID... called the 'Cedula'...  it generally gets sent to your local (closest) Correos of CR office for you to go and retreive... about 2-4 weeks later... so know where your closest Correos office is.  Most big towns have them. 

BTW... by that time you should have a phone with an 8-digit Costa Rican phone number, and Whatsapp on that phone (most phones here have the app already) so that you can get messages from Correos.   

I did the whole process from down here in CR... where I had purchased a home before even applying for residency... I had things sent to a family member in the states (birth certificate copy; etc) and she forwarded to my Service who took care of doing the Consulate visits; apostille process, and translations.   The service here went with me to the Police station in San Jose for finger prints (passport photo shop was across the street) and to the lawyer's office for the notarized document....  she then walked my application into the Migration office without me... I never went there.   The whole thing took half a day... so I was able to get back up to western San Carlos without having to stay in a hotel.

Not all services have persons in both countries... but whomever you select to use will assist you with how to go about doing all of this.

Good luck.