Residency by Common-Law Union (Residencia por Unión de Hecho)

Costa Rica•North America

Open

Residency by Common-Law Union (Residencia por Unión de Hecho)

Residency Pathway

At a Glance

Processing Time

6 months – 1.2 years

Estimated Cost

Not confirmed

Check the official source

Stay Duration

3 years

Renewable

Renewal

Renewable

Family

Not specified

PR Pathway

None

Sponsor

No job offer needed

Work

Remote not required

Official Information

Overview

Temporary residency for those in committed domestic partnership with a Costa Rican citizen or permanent resident, renewable annually and convertible to permanent status.

The Residency by Common-Law Union (Residencia por Unión de Hecho) is Costa Rica's family pathway for foreign nationals in domestic partnerships with Costa Rican citizens or permanent residents without marriage. Administered by the General Directorate of Migration and Foreigners, it recognizes uniones de hecho, allowing couples to maintain residency together.

Annual renewable temporary residency leads to permanent residency after three years of cohabitation. Fees total USD 250 (USD 50 application plus USD 200 ministry deposit); processing takes 6 to 15 months depending on DGME workload and documentation completeness. Work authorization is granted. Applicants must obtain Costa Rican judicial certification of the union and provide apostilled documents.

This visa is ideal for expatriates in stable partnerships with Costa Rican or permanent-resident partners seeking to formalize residency and convert to permanent residency.

Conversion Paths

Visas you can typically switch to from this status.

Permanent Residency by Family Link (Residencia Permanente - Vínculo con Costarricense)

Costa Rica

Permanent Residency by Family Link (Residencia Permanente - Vínculo con Costarricense)

Validity5 years

Processing3 months

View Visa Details

Requirements

PUBLISHED REQUIREMENTS

Valid passport with entry stamps

Certified birth certificate (apostilled)

Criminal background check from country of origin/residence (apostilled)

Judicial certification of the common-law union (Unión de Hecho) from a Costa Rican court

Proof of cohabitation and reciprocal knowledge

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Carta de solicitud firmada ante funcionario o con firma autenticada por abogado.

Formulario de filiación completo y firmado.

Resolución judicial que reconoce la unión de hecho, debidamente certificada.

Fotocopia completa del pasaporte vigente del solicitante (todas las páginas).

Certificación de nacimiento del solicitante (apostillada o legalizada).

Certificación de antecedentes penales del país de origen o donde haya residido los últimos tres años (apostillada o legalizada).

Comprobante de registro de huellas dactilares (Ministerio de Seguridad Pública, mayores de 12 años).

Comprobante de inscripción consular.

Fotocopia de la cédula de identidad del conviviente costarricense.

Dos fotografías tamaño pasaporte recientes.

Comprobantes de pago de tasas migratorias y timbres fiscales.

Advantages & Considerations

Key Benefits

Renewable annually; indefinite residency via repeated renewals without statutory cap
Pathway to permanent residency after 3 years of continuous residence
Spouse and dependent children (under 18) can be included on the same application
Full work authorization — no restrictions on employment type or employer
No job offer or sponsorship required; relationship status is the only criterion
Dual intent permitted — can apply for permanent residency while maintaining temporary status
Relatively low government fees of USD 250 for the entire application process

Worth Knowing

Requires formal judicial court recognition of common-law union (Unión de Hecho) from Costa Rican court
Processing takes 6-15 months depending on DGME volume, document completeness, and administrative follow-up
Must maintain continuous cohabitation with partner and provide proof documentation at each annual renewal
All foreign documents must be apostilled or legalized and translated into Spanish
Dependent children limited to age 18; no coverage for adult children or extended family
Judicial recognition of union must be obtained in Costa Rica; cannot be processed abroad or by consulate
Without proven legal status of common-law union (via Costa Rican court order), application will be rejected