Costa Rica. Law. Life.

U.S. Apostille for Costa Rica Residency: State and Federal Requirements

The United States does not have one apostille office for every public document. The correct authority depends on whether the document was issued by: A U.S. state […]

How to Move to Costa Rica: A Practical Guide to Residency, Relocation, and Starting a New Life

Costa Rica Immigration Guarantee Deposit: Why Permanent Residency Applicants May Be Asked to Pay Again

For many foreign residents in Costa Rica, the immigration process feels like a sequence of forms, appointments, payments, and waiting periods. Most applicants expect some…

Real Estate Mistakes in Costa Rica: Seven Preventable Errors

We’ve walked through the entire Costa Rica real estate process: Letters of Intent, Purchase Agreements, due diligence, escrow, closing, and working with realtors. In each article,…

Realtors are often the first people you interact with when looking for Costa Rica property. They show you listings, arrange viewings, answer questions, and facilitate…

The Closing Process in Costa Rica: What Happens When You Sign the Deed

You completed the Due Diligence and everything checks out. Now, you need to complete the closing process in Costa Rica. This what happens when you sign the […]

Business Succession Planning in Costa Rica

Business succession planning in Costa Rica is not simply deciding which child, partner, or employee should “take over” the company someday. There are really three different…

Labor Compliance for Small Employers in Costa Rica: A Practical Long-Term System

Labor compliance for small employers in Costa Rica should not begin when an employee complains, an inspector arrives or the business prepares to terminate someone. It should […]

Costa Rica Corporation and Inheritance: What Your Structure Means for Your Heirs

The question most foreign owners of Costa Rican corporations never fully think through is what happens to the entity when they die. Not what they intend to […]

Managing Assets During Marriage in Costa Rica

Managing assets during marriage in Costa Rica starts with understanding something that is frequently explained incorrectly. Costa Rica is not a conventional community-property…

International Estate Planning in Costa Rica for Expats

International estate planning in Costa Rica becomes important the moment a person’s life crosses more than one legal system. A U.S. citizen might live in Costa Rica, […]

Inheritance in Costa Rica: Who Inherits and What Taxes Apply?

Inheritance in Costa Rica works differently depending on whether the deceased left a valid will. When there is a valid testament, Costa Rican law gives the testator […]

Prenuptial Agreements in Costa Rica: How Capitulaciones Matrimoniales Work

Prenuptial agreements in Costa Rica operate differently from the familiar U.S. concept of a “prenup.” Costa Rican law calls them capitulaciones matrimoniales. They are not simply…

Getting Married in Costa Rica: A Legal Guide for Foreigners

Getting married in Costa Rica is relatively straightforward, including for foreign nationals, but the legal process is often misunderstood. You do not need to become a Costa […]

Guardianship in Costa Rica: Planning for Minor Children

Guardianship in Costa Rica is an important estate-planning issue for parents, but the legal concept needs to be understood correctly. Costa Rican law distinguishes between…

Living in Escazú, Costa Rica: A Practical Guide for Expats and Retirees

If your idea of moving to Costa Rica involves a secluded mountain house surrounded by coffee farms, Escazú probably isn’t the first place you should consider. But […]

Living in Atenas, Costa Rica: A Practical Guide for Expats and Retirees

Living in Atenas, Costa Rica: A Practical Guide for Expats and Retirees For foreigners considering living in Atenas, this Central Valley community has been appearing on Costa […]

Living in San Rafael de Heredia, Costa Rica: A Practical Guide for Expats and Retirees

San Rafael de Heredia rarely appears at the top of international lists of the best places to live in Costa Rica. That may be one of its […]