Bye to Costa Rica - Hello Nicaragua with a Heart
An amendment to the proposed immigration reform law says that a husband and wife seeking rentista status here must show a monthly income of $2,000. And they must show an additional $500 a month for each dependent they bring with them. The immigration law is approaching a vote in the Asamblea Legislativa, and the draft of the bill was made available by the legislative services department of the assembly. Article 77 of the bill retains the current conditions. Pensionados have to have an income outside Costa Rica of at least $600 a month to gain residency here. And a rentista must have an income from external sources of $1,000 a month. |
But a new Article 78 qualifies
this amount if the rentista brings a spouse. In that case the monthly
amount is $2,000 or $24,000 a year.
Those with residency here also have the right to bring children. Rentistas are more likely than pensionados to have youngsters in the family. The new section said that minor children and students as old as 25, plus handicapped children are welcome, but the monthly amount is increased $500 a month for each one. A couple with three children, then would have to show an income each month of $3,500 and a starting amount in a bank here or outside the country totaling 60 months or five years. That’s $210,000. Under the current law they would have to have a bank deposit of $60,000 |