Costa Rica•North America6 months – 1.2 years
Free
3 years
Renewable
Renewal
Renewable
Family
No dependents
PR Pathway
None
Sponsor
No job offer needed
Work
Remote not required
Temporary residency for those in committed domestic partnership with a Costa Rican citizen or permanent resident, renewable annually and convertible to permanent status.
The Residency by Common-Law Union (Residencia por Unión de Hecho) is Costa Rica's family pathway for foreign nationals in domestic partnerships with Costa Rican citizens or permanent residents without marriage. Administered by the General Directorate of Migration and Foreigners, it recognizes uniones de hecho, allowing couples to maintain residency together.
Annual renewable temporary residency leads to permanent residency after three years of cohabitation. Fees total USD 250 (USD 50 application plus USD 200 ministry deposit); processing takes 6 to 15 months depending on DGME workload and documentation completeness. Work authorization is granted. Applicants must obtain Costa Rican judicial certification of the union and provide apostilled documents.
This visa is ideal for expatriates in stable partnerships with Costa Rican or permanent-resident partners seeking to formalize residency and convert to permanent residency.
Visas you can typically switch to from this status.
Costa RicaValid passport with entry stamps
Certified birth certificate (apostilled)
Criminal background check from country of origin/residence (apostilled)
Judicial certification of the common-law union (Unión de Hecho) from a Costa Rican court
Proof of cohabitation and reciprocal knowledge
Carta de solicitud firmada ante funcionario o con firma autenticada por abogado.
Formulario de filiación completo y firmado.
Resolución judicial que reconoce la unión de hecho, debidamente certificada.
Fotocopia completa del pasaporte vigente del solicitante (todas las páginas).
Certificación de nacimiento del solicitante (apostillada o legalizada).
Certificación de antecedentes penales del país de origen o donde haya residido los últimos tres años (apostillada o legalizada).
Comprobante de registro de huellas dactilares (Ministerio de Seguridad Pública, mayores de 12 años).
Comprobante de inscripción consular.
Fotocopia de la cédula de identidad del conviviente costarricense.
Dos fotografías tamaño pasaporte recientes.
Comprobantes de pago de tasas migratorias y timbres fiscales.
| Formulario de Solicitud Residencia Temporal TITULAR | Fill online |
Discover how your answers compare with the published requirements. 2 minutes. Free trial.
Start Visa Discovery