During the pandemic when tourism was at an all time low, the digital nomad visa was proposed in Costa Rica as a way to attract long term tourists to the country. This proposed law was presented on September 21 and official notice for comment was published in the Gazette on October 2, 2020. Since then the proposal has been making its way through various steps of approval on its way to becoming a law.
First it had to pass two congressional debates. During this process the income requirement was lowered to $3,000 per month for individuals, instead of the initial $5,000 that was originally proposed. More of the specifications were worked out about what the requirements and benefits would be for this new visa in the estancia category. For months supporters and followers of this new visa waited for news of the bill’s advancement.
It took until the end of June, 2021 to pass the first congressional debate. But then it quickly passed the second debate in July, and was signed into law by president Carlos Alvarado in August. There was finally some momentum and excitement after many months of waiting. But since it was signed into law we have entered another quiet period of waiting for the final stages of this law to become a reality.
The final ruling should be announced in the coming months, with the application requirement details defined. We will then know all of the specific benefits and who will be able to apply for this long-awaited visa.
Since the original proposal, they have been claiming this visa application process will be quick and easy, compared to other visas in this category. The application will be online, and approvals will be granted in a short amount of time, making it easy for digital nomads to plan their stay without waiting months for an approval. We are hoping this plan becomes a reality soon!
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