Retiring from military

Hello archer74.

Welcome to Expat.com!

Hope you'll be advised by other members soon.

Thank you,
Aurélie

You will not be able to perform and be paid for any work until you become a permanent Costa Rica resident and that takes a minimum of three years and usually ends up running four years for it to happen.  There are a few exceptions if you are being sponsored by a company and they apply for you.  Here is a link to the various residency options.

Thank you all for the replies. I'm actually hoping to go in as a pensionado and start my own business. I'm a personal trainer and have some ideas for a small boot-camp style ecolodge... or to even freelance as a traveling personal trainer, going to resorts or boutique hotels to design short-term workout programs for guests. It's all in the beginning stages... nothing concrete. I just know it won't happen right off the bat. But, if I cannot work as an employee, I will have to survive off of my pension.

Archer,

I know there are some immigration categories that allow expats to work in Costa Rica. Check the following link and see if any applies to you

http://www.outlierlegal.com/Immigration … -Rica.html