Residency for Parents of Costa Rican-Born Children

Residency by Parentage, officially called Residencia Temporal por Vínculo con Costarricense, allows foreign parents of Costa Rican-born children to obtain legal residency in Costa Rica. It is one of the most protected residency categories, grounded in the constitutional right to family unity.

What Is It?

This type of residency is granted to foreign nationals who are the parent of a Costa Rican child, whether born in or out of wedlock. The key condition is that the child must be:

  • Born in Costa Rica and

  • Registered as a Costa Rican citizen (which happens automatically if born in the country)

Unlike other residency categories:

  • There is no income or investment requirement

  • The parent is immediately authorized to work in Costa Rica

  • The parent can later apply for permanent residency after 3 years

The application requires proving the biological or legal parent-child relationship, often through birth certificates or judicial declarations of paternity/maternity if not already established.

Who Is It For?

This residency is for foreign parents who:

  • Have at least one Costa Rican-born child

  • Wish to live in Costa Rica to care for and raise their child

  • Are seeking a secure and straightforward immigration path based on family ties

This includes single mothers or fathers, couples where one parent is Costa Rican, or any foreign parent of a Costa Rican child, regardless of marital status.

  • Requirements

    • Requirements for Residency as the parent of a Costa Rican born child.

    The main requirement is to produce a birth certificate for the child born in Costa Rica.

    If the child was born abroad to a Costa Rican parent, it will be required for the birth to be registered in Costa Rica.

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  • Fees and expenses

    • What you need to pay.

    To obtain residency as a retired person, there are fees to be paid to the Costa Rican Government both when filing the application for residency, as well as when the application is approved.
    In addition, there are expenses to comply with the formalities of the application.
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  • Service Fees

    • What we charge for our service.

    These are the fees for hiring our services.

    There are four payment options.
    You can make a one time payment or chose between two or three installments. You can also choose to do a monthly plan for 18 months.

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    Service fees for Costa Rica residency for parents of Costa Rican-born children, showing a $750 USD legal service fee paid in three installments.
  • Processing Time

    • These are the steps of the process and the processing time.

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    • Document and preparation
    • Filing and processing
    • Registration

    Costa Rica Immigration provides outstanding service for dreamers making Costa Rica a home.

    Understanding your requirements and objectives is important to us. We listen and work together to create a truly unique experience.

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    Our commitment is to successfully get you legal in Costa Rica.

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