Costa Rica is located in Central America which is nestled between Nicaragua and Panama.
The country has been well-known as a popular vacation destination with its beautiful landscape as well as diverse flora and fauna ranging from rainforests, waterfalls, and volcanoes to the howler monkeys and toucans.
However, there are still a lot of other things to discover in this Central American country.
The small Central American nation was chosen by the Happy Planet Index as the happiest country in the world in 2012 and it was even once again placed on this top position by the National Geographic Magazine vote in 2017.
This is the most convincing evidence to see that Costa Rica is a country filled with smiles and positivity which also may be a great place for you to work remotely. There are many factors involving these rankings that may interest you.
Among all of the Central American countries, Costa Rica has one of the most stable and most democratic governments..
Did you know? Because of the country’s peaceful reputation and its commitment to human rights, many non-governmental organizations and pro-democracy foundations have chosen its capital, San José, to place their headquarters. Also, San José is expected to become the nucleus of intellectual life in Latin America.
As mentioned, Costa Rica has been attracting tourists as a popular gateway destination because of its breathtaking natural landscape and biodiversity. Part of the reason is that Costa Rica has a strong commitment to preserving its biggest asset. More than 25 percent of the country’s land is a dedication to conservation that means over a quarter of the land in Costa Rica is protected.
When people often say that great things come in small packages, it absolutely also talks about Costa Rica where more than 5 percent of the entire world’s biodiversity can be found. In fact, the Central American nation is confirmed to be home to more than 500,000 different species while its Corcovado National Park is the most biologically intense location on the planet.
If you are the one who loves to experience ecotourism after stressful working hours, it’s no doubt that Costa Rica has a lot to show you.
In addition, the country has an amazing coastline in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean that allows you to have a unique experience in life which is seeing a Caribbean sunrise on one side and a Pacific sunset on another side on the same day.
Costa Rica Digital Nomad Visa Overview
Digital nomads are those who are able to travel while working remotely for a company or are simply freelancers.
The widespread of the COVID-19 pandemic has led this concept to boom and become more popular than ever, when many companies around the world have to allow remote work options to comply with the distancing requirements as well as keep the business running.
In addition, the tourism industry across the world has been suffering from the pandemic. The economy of Costa Rica has been affected as the Central American nation relies mainly on tourism revenue. The country is taking advantage of the digital nomad explosion and using it as an opportunity for a solution to economic reactivation.
Costa Rica is the next country to enter the growing list of digital nomad-supported nations that introduce visas for remote workers. The proposed law was presented on September 21 and an official notice for comment was published in the Gazette on October 2, 2020. Since then, the proposal must be approved through various steps to become a law.
It passed the first congressional debate at the end of June 2021 and quickly passed the second debate in July.
As a result, digital nomads and their families are able to live and work from Costa Rica for a year while enjoying white sandy beaches, fresh fruit, and friendly culture. If you have spent 180 days in the country during the visa period, you are able to renew it for a second year.
The visa program aims to boost the tourism sector, promote the attraction of workers who are carrying their work remotely. The expenditure of resources of foreign origin is expected to inject at least 15 million colones per year into the local economy as well as give more jobs for Costa Rica.
Moreover, holding a Costa Rica digital nomad visa allows you to receive a range of other benefits. These include:
As we said before, the biggest benefit is you can stay and work from the country for a year. If you stay there for at least 180 days during the first year, you can renew the visa for another year.
Also, you will have a full exemption from income tax. Therefore, you will not be considered as habitual residents of the country for tax purposes as well as your received income from abroad. However, this will not apply to your family members.
You can import basic personal computers, computers, telecommunications, or similar equipment that are necessary to your work without paying any import tax.
Your country driver’s license will be valid for driving in Costa Rica.
Finally, you are able to open a local bank account to make living here easier.
It should be noted that these benefits will only be awarded within the term of the visa.
Requirements for Costa Rica’s Remote Work Visa
Basically the only requirements are proof of minimum stable income of $US3,000 per month ($4,000 for a family) for the previous year and proof of health insurance for the year you’re applying for. There will also be a significant fee for the visa but the amount is yet to be determined and it’s not clear whether it’s an application fee or only charged once you are granted admission.
The visa became law in October of 2021 but there are still some kinks to work out in the wording and implementation.
For example, the law was written with a steady paycheck in mind. The law does allow for proof by bank statement vs paycheck but many (most?) digital nomads have variable income and depending on when projects pay out might have $10k, $0 and $8k income for a three month period. That would be triple the required amount but the way the law is written would not qualify.
“Stable” may prove problematic as well since qualifying workers may not have a long term contract or position within a corporation.
Another technicality that may cause some techno expats difficulty is the requirement to prove a year of prepaid health insurance. Most coverage is paid monthly, or quarterly at most.
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