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What is the advantage of obtaining residency. Other than not having to leave the country every 3 months. What are any other benefits/advantages? If I understand correctly you can still participate in Caja or Ins health care system without being a resident. Is this correct?
You cannot enroll in the CAJA medical system unless you are a legal resident (or citizen) of Costa Rica.
You can, however, purchase medical insurance from INS (and probably any other companies that do medical insurance business in Costa Rica under the loosened laws occasioned by CAFTA) without being a legal resident.
In the not-too-long run, you’ll find it cheaper and certainly more convenient to obtain legal residency than to be on the constant merry-go-round of leaving the country for seventy-two hours every ninety days. A year’s worth of such travel will cover the cost of residency. And you’ll be in compliance with the intent of the law.
legal residency also makes it easier to obtain financing within the country, opening a bank account, etc.
This question gets batted around in this Forum periodically. The question I would raise is what the disadvantage is to obtaining residency. Why not?
I just received my residency card two weeks ago. From my perspective, the main disadvantages were the waiting times at Immigration in Uruca. I had to spent two full days there to take my picture and get my card.
I did not use a lawyer and the total cost was about $400. A friend of my mine applied for the card at the same time as me using a lawyer, paying more than $600 dollars for the lawyer, and he is still waiting for his card.
For me, the advantages of obtaining residency far outweigh the disadvantages.
Additionally, in order to legally carry a firearm, you must be a Costa Rican nacional or a resident.
DISADVANTAGE: The exit tax if traveling is much more.
ADVANTAGE: Tickets to National Parks are cheaper.
ADVANTAGE: If you are a U.S. Citizen and spend most of your time in CR then there are huge tax advantages (no taxes on up to $80,000 income).
Hey guru,
Does that tax exclusion ONLY apply to income earned outside the US? For example, I am able to do short term contracting work (4-6 weeks apiece) IN the US. Would this income be free from tax if I spent over 80% of my time in CR?
What do you mean the exit tax is more? I’ve never paid more than $26 and they always see my residency card when I pay the tax.
How about this as an advantage to being a perpetual tourist — You don’t have to put up a minimum $60,000 5 year deposit (for non-pensionados)? And I understand they are talking about increasing that amount to include a spouse and any children.
Speaking of which, would anybody know if I decided to be a perpetual tourist if I would be able to enroll my child in school in CR?
We, too, have never paid more than $26 per person for the airport exit tax.
The IRS Code only allows the exclusion of income actually earned outside the U.S. And it must be “earned” income, not income from rents, appreciation, etc. The foreign earned income exclusion pertains regardless of whether one is a legal resident of a foreign country or not.
cubano, the required deposit for rentistas is $60,000 per adult and $30,000 per minor child. That’s been in force for about two years.
And cubano, what if you’re one of the poor folks who gets busted being a perpetual tourist and they decide to make you an example and you’re deported and now allowed to re-enter the country for ten years? Bye bye to your lifestyle here, bye bye to the stability of your family, etc. WHY would you chance being a perpetual tourist considering the consequences if you get caught? If you were a single dude then I guess it wouldn’t much matter, but you’re talking about a child so I assume you have a spouse. Boy, I’d be one pi**ed off wife if my husband jeapardized my lifestyle and security in a foreign country by trying to skirt the law. And when you register your child for school someone is going to know you’re not legal and as long as ONE person knows that who’s to say they won’t snitch to the Migre??
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