Apostilles for Costa Rica Residency: The Complete Guide

Foreign documents used in a Costa Rica residency application must be authenticated so that Costa Rican immigration authorities can verify where they came from.

For documents issued in countries that participate in the Hague Apostille Convention, this authentication is completed with an apostille. Documents issued in countries outside the Convention must follow the applicable legalization process instead.

Costa Rica has participated in the Hague Apostille Convention since December 14, 2011. The Convention replaces the older chain of consular legalization with a single certificate issued by the competent authority in the country where the document originated.

This guide explains:

• What an apostille certifies
• Which residency documents require one
• Which authority must issue it
• How the process works in the United States and Canada
• How apostilles differ from notarization and legalization
• How translations and document-validity rules affect the application
• Which mistakes can delay a Costa Rica residency case

Quick answer: An apostille confirms the origin of a public document. It must be issued by the competent authority connected to the country—and sometimes the state, province, or region—where the document was issued.

What Is an Apostille?

An apostille is an official certificate used to authenticate a public document for use in another country participating in the Hague Apostille Convention.

The apostille certifies:

• The authenticity of the signature on the public document
• The official capacity of the person who signed it
• The identity of the seal or stamp appearing on it

An apostille does not certify that the information written in the underlying document is true. It authenticates the origin of the document, not its contents.

For example, an apostille attached to a birth certificate verifies the signature, seal, and authority behind the certificate. It does not independently investigate or confirm the facts of the birth.

What Does an Apostille Look Like?

An apostille can be:

• Printed directly on the public document
• Attached to the document as a separate page
• Secured with staples, ribbons, seals, grommets, or another attachment method
• Issued electronically where the competent authority supports e-apostilles

A separate attached page is often called an allonge. Its use does not make the apostille invalid. The Hague Conference expressly recognizes apostilles placed directly on a document or attached through an allonge.

Do not remove, detach, restaple, or alter the apostille after it has been issued.

Why Does Costa Rica Require Apostilles?

The Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería, or DGME, must be able to verify the authenticity of public documents issued outside Costa Rica.

Costa Rica’s immigration regulations state that documents originating abroad must be apostilled or properly legalized through the Costa Rican consular process.

Without the correct authentication, DGME cannot treat the foreign document as properly validated for use in the residency proceeding.

An apostille is commonly relevant to:

• Temporary residency applications
• Permanent residency applications
• Special immigration categories
• Changes of immigration category
• Certain civil-status matters connected to an application

The precise documents required depend on the applicant’s Costa Rica residency category and personal circumstances.

Apostille vs. Notarization vs. Legalization

These terms are related, but they do not describe the same process.

Apostille

An apostille authenticates a public document for use between countries where the Hague Apostille Convention applies.

It is issued by a government authority designated by the country where the document originated.

Notarization

Notarization confirms that a person signed a document, acknowledged a signature, swore to a statement, or completed another authorized act before a notary.

A notary does not issue an apostille.

Some private documents must first be notarized before the notary’s signature can be apostilled. However, notarizing a photocopy does not automatically make it an acceptable substitute for an official public record.

Legalization

Legalization is used when the Apostille Convention does not apply between the issuing country and Costa Rica.

The process can involve:

1. Authentication by an authority in the issuing country
2. Legalization through a Costa Rican consulate
3. Additional authentication after the document reaches Costa Rica, when required

The exact chain depends on the country and the type of document.

Process	What it does	Who performs it
Apostille	Authenticates the origin of a public document under the Hague Convention	Designated competent authority
Notarization	Certifies a signature, oath, acknowledgement, or authorized copy	Notary public
Legalization	Authenticates a document when the Apostille Convention does not apply	Government and consular authorities

Which Documents Need an Apostille for Costa Rica Residency?

The documents that require an apostille are the foreign public documents submitted as part of the application.

The two documents most frequently required across Costa Rica residency categories are:

• A birth certificate
• A criminal-record or police-clearance certificate

DGME’s published residency information repeatedly identifies foreign birth certificates and criminal-record certificates as documents that must be legalized or apostilled.

Additional documents depend on the category and the facts of the case.

Birth Certificate

The applicant must provide the type of official birth record accepted by the issuing authority and DGME.

The document should be:

• Issued by the government office responsible for vital records
• An official or certified version
• Apostilled by the competent authority responsible for that jurisdiction

The specific name of the acceptable certificate varies. Some jurisdictions use terms such as:

• Certified copy
• Full certificate
• Long-form certificate
• Extract from the civil registry

Applicants should not assume that every jurisdiction offers a document called a “long-form birth certificate.” The correct version is the official certificate containing the information required for international legal use.

Outlier Legal Services also provides information about the practical process of obtaining and managing vital documents.

Criminal-Record Certificate

The criminal-record certificate must cover the jurisdiction or jurisdictions required under the applicable residency rules.

CRI’s guide to the background-check requirement for Costa Rica residency explains the scope of the requirement, document-validity rules, and the importance of obtaining the correct national or federal record.

For a U.S. applicant using an FBI Identity History Summary, the FBI report is a federal document. Its apostille is therefore obtained through the U.S. Department of State rather than through a state Secretary of State.

A state-level background check, when applicable, follows the apostille procedure for the state that issued it.

Applicants should also review the most common reasons FBI background checks are questioned or rejected by Costa Rica Immigration.

For additional information about the difference between state and federal U.S. records, see Outlier Legal Services’ guide to choosing the correct U.S. background check.

Marriage Certificate

A marriage certificate can be required when:

• A spouse is included as a dependent
• The application is based on marriage
• The certificate explains a change of surname
• DGME needs evidence of the family relationship

A foreign marriage certificate used in the proceeding must be authenticated through the proper apostille or legalization process.

Applicants whose application is based on a Costa Rican spouse can review the complete residency-through-marriage document checklist.

Divorce Decree or Death Certificate

A divorce decree or former spouse’s death certificate can become relevant when it explains:

• A previous marriage
• A change in civil status
• The legal ability to enter a later marriage
• A discrepancy among civil-status records

These documents are not universal requirements for every applicant. They are submitted when the applicant’s circumstances make them relevant.

Evidence Supporting the Residency Category

Some categories require foreign evidence establishing the principal basis for residency. Examples can include:

• A pension certification
• Financial documentation
• Corporate records
• Civil-status certificates
• Religious or institutional records

Whether a particular supporting document must be apostilled depends on:

• Whether it qualifies as a public document
• Who issued or signed it
• Whether it was notarized
• The rules of the issuing jurisdiction
• DGME’s requirements for the specific category

A bank statement or private letter cannot always be apostilled directly. It might first require notarization or another certification that converts the relevant signature into an official act capable of authentication.

Legal Insight: The apostille must authenticate the correct signature or official act. Obtaining an apostille does not cure an underlying document that was issued in the wrong format or lacks the information DGME requires.

Which Authority Issues the Apostille?

The correct authority is determined by where the document originated and who issued it.

It is not determined by:

• Where the applicant currently lives
• Where the applicant plans to submit the application
• The applicant’s nationality
• The location of the nearest embassy

United States: State Documents

A document issued by a U.S. state or local authority normally receives its apostille from the competent authority in that state.

Examples include:

• State or county birth certificates
• State marriage certificates
• State court judgments
• State or local notarized documents

A California birth certificate must therefore follow California’s process. It cannot be apostilled by Texas merely because the applicant now lives in Texas.

United States: Federal Documents

A document signed by a U.S. federal official follows the federal process through the U.S. Department of State.

Examples include:

• FBI background checks
• Certain federal court records
• Consular Reports of Birth Abroad
• Other qualifying federal documents

The U.S. Department of State currently lists a fee of $20 per document. Applicants should verify the fee and submission instructions immediately before filing because government procedures can change.

Canada

Canada’s Apostille Convention entered into force on January 11, 2024.

Canadian documents are apostilled by Global Affairs Canada or by a designated provincial competent authority, depending on the type of document and where it was issued or notarized.

Canadian apostilles can be issued as a separate allonge securely attached to the underlying document.

Applicants should use the official Canadian authentication tool to identify the competent authority rather than sending every document automatically to Global Affairs Canada.

United Kingdom

UK documents are legalized for international use through the UK Legalisation Office, which determines whether the signature, seal, or stamp can be verified before issuing the apostille.

The procedure and available service levels can change. The applicant should check the official UK government instructions when the document is ready.

Other Countries

Each contracting country designates its own competent authorities.

Depending on the country, the apostille may be issued by:

• A ministry of foreign affairs
• A ministry of justice
• A regional court
• A provincial government
• A civil-registry authority
• Another specifically designated office

The Hague Conference maintains the authoritative list of contracting parties and designated competent authorities.

How to Obtain an Apostille

Although procedures vary, the process normally follows five steps.

Step 1: Confirm the Exact Document Required

Before ordering anything, confirm:

• The correct document type
• The issuing jurisdiction
• Whether a certified copy is required
• Which person’s records must be submitted
• Whether the document must contain particular information
• Whether it must be issued within a specified period

Do not begin with the apostille office. Begin by confirming that the underlying document is the correct one.

Step 2: Obtain the Official Document

Request the document from the proper authority.

Examples include:

• Birth certificate from the relevant civil registry or vital-records office
• Marriage certificate from the appropriate registry
• Divorce decree from the court that issued it
• FBI background check from the FBI
• Pension certificate from the institution responsible for the pension

A hospital souvenir certificate, informal copy, downloaded account screenshot, or uncertified photocopy is not automatically equivalent to an official public document.

Step 3: Identify the Competent Apostille Authority

Determine whether the document is:

• State or provincial
• Federal
• Judicial
• Notarial
• Civil-registry based
• Private but notarized

That classification determines which authority can issue the apostille.

Step 4: Submit the Apostille Request

The competent authority may accept requests:

• Online
• By mail
• In person
• Through an authorized representative
• Through an approved service provider

Processing time depends on the authority, document type, delivery method, season, and current workload. It should not be presented as one fixed national timeline.

Step 5: Inspect the Completed Document

When the document returns, confirm:

• The apostille is attached to the intended document
• The applicant’s name is spelled correctly on the underlying document
• Every page is present
• The seal and signatures are readable
• No attachment has been removed
• The document has not been altered or damaged

Do not laminate the document or separate the apostille from it.

Does an Apostille Expire?

An apostille does not ordinarily contain its own expiration date. It authenticates the signature, seal, and official capacity that existed when the underlying document was issued.

However, the document attached to the apostille can become too old for the immigration proceeding.

This distinction matters:

• The apostille can remain authentic.
• DGME can still require a recently issued version of the underlying document.

For Costa Rica residency applications, applicants should work from the validity period stated in the current DGME requirements for their category.

They should not rely on an old birth certificate, criminal-record certificate, or supporting letter merely because its apostille remains authentic.

Smart Tip: Plan from the date the application will be filed, not from the date document collection begins. Obtaining time-sensitive records too early can cause them to fall outside DGME’s permitted validity period before filing.

Do Apostilled Documents Need Spanish Translation?

Documents written in a language other than Spanish must be submitted with the translation required for use in the Costa Rican proceeding.

The apostille and the underlying document should be treated as one complete record for translation purposes. The translator needs to account for the text appearing on both.

The proper sequence is normally:

1. Obtain the official document.
2. Obtain the apostille.
3. Translate the complete apostilled document into Spanish.

Translating the document before obtaining the apostille can leave the apostille page untranslated.

For CRI applications, foreign documents are normally translated in Costa Rica by an official translator authorized for the relevant language unless the applicable procedure allows another form of translation.

Common Apostille Mistakes

Using the Wrong Apostille Authority

A state document cannot be sent through the federal process merely because the applicant is a U.S. citizen.

The authority follows the document, not the applicant.

Apostilling the Wrong Document

A perfectly valid apostille does not make the wrong certificate acceptable.

Examples include:

• An unofficial hospital birth record
• A decorative marriage certificate
• An incomplete court record
• A background check from the wrong jurisdiction
• A pension letter that does not establish the required income

Apostilling a Photocopy Without Confirming the Procedure

Whether a certified or notarized copy can be apostilled depends on the law of the issuing jurisdiction.

Even when a notarized copy can receive an apostille, the apostille might authenticate only the notary’s signature—not the authenticity of the original record.

Confusing the Apostille With the Translation

The apostille authenticates the document’s origin. The translation makes the document understandable in Spanish.

One does not replace the other.

Detaching the Apostille

An apostille can be attached in several legally acceptable ways. A separate page is not defective merely because it is not stamped directly on the underlying certificate.

Removing the attachment can break the connection between the apostille and the document it authenticates.

Relying on Fixed Internet Timelines

Processing times change.

A website stating that an authority takes three days might not account for:

• The time required to obtain the underlying record
• Mailing in both directions
• Signature verification
• Local certification before apostille
• Government backlogs
• Public holidays
• Rejected or incomplete requests

Applicants should verify the current official processing estimate for each authority involved.

Apostille Checklist for Costa Rica Residency

Before submitting a foreign document, verify:

• It is the correct document for the residency category.
• It was issued by the correct authority.
• It contains the required information.
• It was issued within DGME’s applicable validity period.
• The apostille came from the competent authority.
• The apostille is attached to the correct document.
• The document and apostille remain complete and unaltered.
• The applicant’s names and identifying information are consistent.
• The complete document has been translated into Spanish when required.
• A readable digital copy has been retained for the file.

How CRI Helps With Apostilled Residency Documents

The difficult part is often not obtaining an apostille. It is determining exactly which document must be obtained before the apostille process begins.

CRI can assist by:

• Identifying the foreign documents required for the residency category
• Confirming the appropriate issuing jurisdiction
• Explaining whether the document follows a state, provincial, or federal process
• Reviewing the document and apostille before filing
• Identifying name discrepancies or missing information
• Coordinating Spanish translations
• Preparing the documents for submission to DGME

Applicants remain responsible for providing accurate personal information and completing any identity-verification steps required by the foreign issuing authority.

Apostilles are only one component of the application budget. Applicants can also review CRI’s breakdown of how much to budget for the full Costa Rica residency process.

Frequently Asked Questions About Apostilles for Costa Rica Residency

What is an apostille for Costa Rica residency?

An apostille is a certificate that authenticates the origin of a public document issued in a country participating in the Hague Apostille Convention. It verifies the signature, official capacity, and seal connected to the document. It does not verify the truth of the document’s contents.

Which residency documents need an apostille?

Foreign public documents submitted to DGME require the proper apostille or legalization.

Birth certificates and criminal-record certificates are among the documents most frequently required. Marriage certificates, divorce decrees, pension certifications, and other records can also require authentication when they form part of the application.

Does my passport need an apostille?

The passport itself is not normally apostilled as a foreign public document for a standard residency filing.

The application instead follows DGME’s requirements for presenting and certifying the passport copy.

Where do I get an apostille in the United States?

State and local documents normally receive an apostille through the competent authority in the state that issued them.

Federal documents, including FBI background checks, follow the U.S. Department of State process.

Can a U.S. embassy or Costa Rican consulate issue my apostille?

No. An apostille is issued by a competent authority designated by the country of origin.

An embassy or consulate cannot replace the designated apostille authority.

Does the apostille prove that my document is accurate?

No. It authenticates the origin of the document.

It does not certify that every statement contained in the document is true.

Can the apostille be attached as a separate page?

Yes. An apostille can be placed directly on the document or attached through a separate allonge.

Do not detach it.

How long does an apostille take?

There is no universal timeline.

The processing period depends on the country, competent authority, document, delivery method, and current workload. The time needed to obtain the underlying document must also be added.

How long is an apostille valid?

The apostille itself does not ordinarily expire.

The underlying document can nevertheless become too old for a residency application under DGME’s document-validity rules.

Should I translate the document before or after the apostille?

Obtain the apostille first.

The Spanish translation should cover both the underlying document and the apostille attached to it.

Related Costa Rica Residency Resources

• How to Obtain Residency in Costa Rica: Complete Guide
• Background Check Requirement for Costa Rica Residency
• What Causes FBI Background Checks to Be Rejected?
• Residency Through Marriage: Essential Documents
• Which U.S. Background Check Is Right for You?
• Exit Permits for Resident Minors in Costa Rica

Families applying with children should also understand the separate documentation required after residency. The Expat Database explains how an apostilled or legalized birth certificate can be used when obtaining an exit permit for a resident minor.

Next Step: Review the Documents Before Ordering Them

Before paying for a document, courier, apostille, or translation, confirm:

1. The exact record DGME requires
2. The jurisdiction that must issue it
3. The competent authority that must apostille it
4. The period during which DGME will accept it
5. The translation process required after authentication

Ordering the wrong record quickly is still slower and more expensive than ordering the correct record once.

Need help confirming your documents? Contact Costa Rica Immigration before beginning the apostille process. We can identify the records required for your residency category and review them before they are submitted to DGME.