Costa Rica Opens Residency for Stuck Asylum Seekers

Costa Rica · Expat Living

Costa Rica just opened a door that thousands have been waiting on for years. A revived immigration category gives stuck asylum seekers two-year Costa Rica residency with the right to work legally — here is who it covers.

What Costa Rica did

Under resolution DG-0064-05-2026, published in the official gazette on May 29, Costa Rica revived a “complementary special temporary category.” It had lapsed in 2024, and officials had ruled out bringing it back as recently as last year.

The measure takes effect on September 1, 2026. It is a humanitarian-focused path for people whose asylum claims have stalled in the system.

Who qualifies

The category covers nationals of Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Colombia. They must have filed an asylum request between June 1, 2014 and May 7, 2026 and stayed in Costa Rica continuously since.

Their case must be pending, denied with finality, or declared manifestly unfounded. People who already hold another approved status, or who qualify for an ordinary residency category, are excluded.

What it grants

The headline benefit is work. Beneficiaries get unrestricted authorization to work in any paid activity, employed or self-employed — the barrier that has kept many in limbo for years.

The status lasts two years and renews indefinitely in two-year terms. Holders can also leave and re-enter the country under standard travel rules, without a special permit.

Cost, timing and the bigger picture

Fees start at about US$105 per person, covering the application, the two-year term and document issuance. That does not include certifications, apostilles, translations or background checks, and each family member pays separately.

Applications run by appointment in San José from September 1, 2026 to September 1, 2027. The move is a notable regional precedent, responding to pressure on an asylum system holding tens of thousands of long-pending claims.

Frequently Asked Questions

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