Charmaine B. Says:
Do I need a lawyer to get Costa Rica residency? And can I start the process in the U.S. or do I need to be in-country?
IL Costa Rica Correspondent Bekah Bottone Says:
Hi Charmaine,
In my opinion, working with a lawyer is valuable when figuring out residency, especially if you’re not fluent in Spanish.
Most of the government officials you will interact with will not speak English. Plus, attorneys are familiar with the process and will help you avoid unnecessary delays due to missing documents or other issues.
They’ll take you to the right government offices to turn in the documents to the right people. In sprawling government complexes with lines everywhere, this can be a big plus. Attorneys even have a special window at the immigration office with no wait.
The cost of hiring a lawyer is between $1,200 to $3,000 per person. Cheaper is not always better. And be wary of non-lawyer “fixers” who offer to shepherd you through the process for a fee.
I use Jimena García Aguilar, from the law team at Themis Legal.
Regarding your other question, Jimena shares that, “In order to obtain a Costa Rican residency permit you must be in a legal status in the country, therefore, it is not possible to start the diligence being out of the country. Nevertheless, prior to your visit, there are several documents that you must obtain in your country of origin and residency, so you can get these while in your home country. Once you are in Costa Rica, we can start submitting the corresponding documentation for the residency.”
You can contact Jimena at +506 8852 5372 for more information.
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