What is the Costa Rica digital nomad visa?

The Costa Rica digital nomad visa is a visa aimed at freelancers and remote workers. With this visa you can extend what would otherwise be a tourist visa of 90 days, to be valid for one year. Later, it’s possible to extend the visa for a further year.

Note, as with digital nomad visas in other countries, such as Spain or Estonia, the Costa Rica digital nomad visa is only permitted for individuals employed by an employer located outside Costa Rica. 

This is similar but distinct from the rentista visa, which is initially valid for two years: Neither visa allows you to begin employment with a company in Costa Rica, but the rentista visa also prohibits working for overseas companies — it  is intended for residents with a passive income source only. 

Visas for digital nomads are not the same as traditional business or work visas: With a business visa you can enter a country temporarily to conduct business activities. These visas generally have a short validity period similar to a tourist visa. A work visa lets you stay for a longer period of time and allow you to work for a local company, and are sometimes the first step towards permanent residency or citizenship.

If you have a digital nomad visa for Costa Rica you are entitled to open a bank account in the country and are exempted from paying local income tax for a period of time. Another benefit is that you can waive customs tax for electronic and telecommunications devices that you need to work remotely.