Costa Rica
Last verified August 7, 2026
Written for U.S. passport holders
Digital Nomad Visa (Law 10008)
- Costa Rica's Law 10008 created a formal 'Stay for Remote Workers and Service Providers' status — not a tourist-stay workaround, but its own immigration category — for people earning income exclusively from sources outside Costa Rica.
- Income requirement: at least USD $3,000/month individually, or $4,000/month for a family unit, demonstrated by bank statements or a certified accountant's statement.
- Valid for 1 year, renewable for a second year if you stayed at least 180 days during the first year. You must complete 'migratory accreditation' within 90 days of entry to make the status official.
Tax Treatment
- Approved digital nomad visa holders are explicitly exempt from Costa Rican income tax on their foreign earnings, and are not required to contribute to Costa Rica's social security system (CCSS) on that income.
The Gotcha
Costa Rica's digital nomad visa is unusually generous compared to most of the other formal programs on this list — it doesn't just grant legal status, it explicitly exempts your foreign income from local income tax and from social security contributions. Very few of the other countries here offer that combination through their equivalent visa.
Sources
This page was drafted from the primary sources below. Rules change — check the linked page directly before relying on any of this.
- Nómadas Digitales — Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería, Costa Rica