In Costa Rica the “Law to attract remote workers and providers of international remote services”, is now a reality thanks to its approval by the National Legislative Assembly’sCommission for Tourism on December 2nd, 2020.

Its passing represents an important opportunity for international digital nomads that take the best decision of their life by relocating to the Land of Pure Life, granting them a series of benefits, including a dedicated brand-new immigration category: “Remote Worker or Provider of Remote Services Resident Visa”. This initiative aims to relaunch the Costa Rican economy, bringing to the nation funds and resources digital nomads and their family members.

The main aspects of the Law are as follows:

• It will apply to “foreign nationals who provide remunerated services remotely”, subordinate or not, and as long as the services are received outside of Costa Rica.
• They will be eligible for a “one-year resident visa, renewable for additional six months”. It is important to recall, that this visa category called “estancia visa” differs from a temporary residency and, no matter how long the person has lived in Costa Rica under the status, it cannot be converted into a permanent residency.
• It must also be noted that, “estancia visas” are not applicable to family members of the principal applicant, in this case the law states that: “the legal status can also be requested for the entire family group, including spouses, children, and even other family members”.
• To be eligible for the visa, the person and his family group must demonstrate that: “they receive an income sufficient to comply with the threshold established in the law”.
• Approval of the applications filed under the new category will benefit from an “expedite process”, which also represents an important plus considering the awfully long standard resolution times of Costa Rican Immigration Authorities.
• Another important benefit for digital nomads will be the: “total exemption from the payment of income tax in Costa Rica”.
• The new category will also allow “driver license privileges”.

Source THE COSTA RICA NEWS