How to become a Costa Rica citizen? ?

Foreigners never really can become a citizen (unless they were born in Costa Rica) but can obtain a residency status (which there are numerous ways, like investment, businesses, retirees, etc), where they can get just about all the rights as a citizen and be treated as one so to speak. The process is long and hard and I would recommend that you get a good CR attorney to help handle the paperwork - the below link gives a fairly good outline of what is required and the costs involved. Except I now believe that your monthly income requirment has been raised to $1000. http://www.costaricarealtyone.com/Residency.htm However, when all said and done, there is no guarantee, a US felony or any jail time (in any country) will deny your application. Also just because you get married to a Costa Rican, does not mean you will get residency, the government has been clamping down on that also - even if you do get your residency, get involved in a crime and you have a very good chance of being deported! Added: Costa Rica 03 ... make a good remark, so I will clarify - after a foreigner obtains citizenship they ‘do not have’ or ‘have somewhat’ the same citizenship as a natural born would have. Lets say a "citizenship foreigner" gets involved in a major crime (or undesirable, like suspected securities fraud fugitive from the US, Robert Vesco who lived in CR) the government can revoke your citizenship (or what they did to Vesco, deport him) since you are not a natural born Costa Rican - where a natural born CR citizen you would be able to keep their citizenship. It is the same policy the US has.

I am a little surprised at "tico times directory" this time. Normally I agree with its information, but not with the statement: "Foreigners never really can become a citizen (unless they were born in Costa Rica)..." Even the link he gives talks about citizenship (through the naturalization process which is very similar to the U.S. one). I, myself am in the process of considering becoming a citizen of Costa Rica. I'm trying to find out what benefits there are over and above those of a resident (which I already am). For one thing, I know I'd then be able to vote. A place I've used in the past for very reliable information and dependable service is the ARCR (Association of Residents of Costa Rica) in San Jose Ave.4, Calle 40. Try them.