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Costa Rica Pensionado Residency Documents
Costa Rica’s pensionado residency needs a pension letter, a birth certificate and a police check, each apostilled in the U.S. and translated into Spanish. The six-month rule on recency is the catch.
Pensionado is Costa Rica’s retiree residency. You need a lifetime pension of at least $1,000 a month from a single, permanent source, such as Social Security, a government pension or an annuity.
Every U.S. document in the file needs an apostille here, because the process cannot be completed once you are in Costa Rica. That means the pension or Social Security letter, your birth certificate, a marriage certificate if your spouse is included, and a police background check. Each then needs an official Spanish translation.
Most of these must be recent, commonly issued within six months, and the residency application itself can then take many months. Gather and apostille them together so nothing goes stale while you wait for the rest.
At a glance
U.S. documents for this visa
| Document | Issued by | Certification | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pension or SSA letter | SSA or pension provider | Apostille | Must state amount, frequency and lifetime guarantee. See SSA letters |
| Birth certificate | State vital records | State apostille | Recent certified copy |
| Police background check | FBI | Federal apostille | Issued within six months |
| Marriage certificate | County or state | State apostille | If your spouse is a dependant |
Checked against consulate guidance in October 2026. Your consulate’s current checklist always takes precedence.
Things worth knowing
- Apostille before you travel. U.S. documents can only be apostilled in the U.S.
- Official Spanish translation is required, often done in Costa Rica by an official translator.
- The pension letter must say the income is for life; a plain benefit statement may not.
How it works
Step 1
Tell us the visa and consulate
We match its checklist against the documents you have.
Step 2
Order what is missing
FBI check, certified copies, or anything else, timed for recency rules.
Step 3
Apostille or attestation
Federal and state documents processed together.
Step 4
Translated and returned
With certified or sworn translation if your consulate asks.
Costa Rica Pensionado Residency Documents: common questions
Can my Social Security letter be apostilled for Costa Rica?
Yes. The printed online letter goes through our notarized copy route for a state apostille, or a letter signed by SSA can take a federal apostille. We confirm which the Costa Rican authorities will take before you pay.
Can you handle all the apostilles for my Costa Rica application in one order?
Yes. Federal documents such as the FBI check go to the U.S. Department of State, and state documents go to the states that issued them. We run them together and return the set to you, with translations if you need them.
Do requirements differ between consulates?
Often, in the details. Treat this page as a guide and your consulate’s own checklist as the final word. Tell us your consulate and we will check its current list against your documents.
Official sources
Requirements, fees and processing times are set by the authorities below and can change without notice. Verify anything time-critical directly with them.
Costa Rica Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería
Ready to get started?
Tell us your visa and consulate, and we will price every document you need in one order.
Related: All visa guides · Mexico · Spain · FBI background check