The US$150,000 investor visa window has closed: what the July 2026 sunset means
Last updated 2026-08-13 · This is a time-sensitive news post — the Law 9996 window has closed, so confirm the current investment minimum with DGME before you act.
Costa Rica temporarily cut its investor-residency minimum from US$200,000 to US$150,000 under Law 9996. That reduced threshold applied only during a temporary incentive window, which ran on a five-year sunset that closed in mid-July 2026 — now past. With the window closed, confirm the current inversionista minimum with DGME, which is widely expected to have reverted toward US$200,000. If you are investing anywhere near the floor, that difference can be a full US$50,000.
What exactly changed under Law 9996?
Law 9996 — the Law for the Attraction of Investors, Rentiers and Pensioners — was designed to draw foreign capital by making the inversionista (investor) residency category cheaper and more attractive for a limited window. Its headline effect was to lower the qualifying investment minimum from US$200,000 to US$150,000, layered on top of temporary perks such as duty exemptions on household goods and a vehicle. The catch is that these were always temporary incentives with a built-in expiry — not a permanent reform of the immigration law. That reduced minimum and those perks applied only through the window, which ran on a five-year sunset that closed in mid-July 2026.
When did the window close, and what happens now?
The reduced-threshold incentive was tied to a five-year sunset that closed in mid-July 2026 — a date that is now past. During the window an investor could qualify with US$150,000 of qualifying investment; with the window closed, there is no authoritative DGME confirmation of the current minimum, and legal commentary widely expects it to have reverted toward US$200,000 absent a renewal. In practical terms, do not assume the US$150,000 figure still applies: confirm the current inversionista minimum with DGME on the day you decide, because the difference for the same category can be a full US$50,000.
US$150,000 during the window, US$200,000 expected after.
The now-closed sunset drives a US$50,000 swing in how much capital you must commit for the same residency category. Confirm the current threshold with DGME in writing before you wire anything.
| During the Law 9996 window (now closed) | After the sunset (expected, confirm with DGME) | |
|---|---|---|
| Investment minimum | US$150,000 | US$200,000 |
| Category | Inversionista (investor) residency | Inversionista (investor) residency |
| Extra incentives | Temporary duty/tax perks under Law 9996 | Standard rules — perks expire |
| Qualifying assets | Real estate, business, shares/securities, forestry | Same categories, higher floor |
| Titling | Generally personal / own qualifying shareholding | Generally personal / own qualifying shareholding |
| The swing | — baseline — | +US$50,000 of required capital |
Time-sensitive: the Law 9996 window closed on its sunset in mid-July 2026, and there is no authoritative DGME confirmation yet of the post-sunset minimum. Confirm the current figures with DGME for your case before committing funds.
What kind of investment qualifies — and does it have to be in my name?
The inversionista category is not limited to real estate. A qualifying investment can generally sit in registered property, a Costa Rican business or company, shares and securities, forestry, or similar productive assets, provided the value meets the current minimum. The constant across categories is that the investment must generally be personally titled to the applicant — held in your own name, or through a company in which you hold the qualifying ownership. That single requirement is why the holding structure is not a side detail: choose it wrong and the same asset may fail to support your residency file. The holding-structure guide walks through how to hold property so it does double duty.
Does buying property at this threshold get me residency?
Not automatically — and this is where a lot of investors are misled. Buying property never auto-grants residency in Costa Rica. What a qualifying investment does is open the door to apply for the inversionista category; you still file a full application with Migración and satisfy every requirement. Ownership and immigration run on separate tracks, and the deadline pressure only makes it easier to conflate them. The honest answer on property and residency lays out the real rule before you let a clock rush your structure.
How should you act before the deadline?
With the Law 9996 window closed, the current threshold and your structure both matter. Move deliberately, in this order:
- 01
Confirm the current threshold with DGME
Before anything else, confirm the current inversionista minimum directly with DGME. The Law 9996 window closed on its sunset in mid-July 2026, so the US$150,000 figure is no longer guaranteed — legal commentary widely expects reversion toward US$200,000.
- 02
Establish which figure applies to your case
With the window closed, confirm in writing whether US$150k or US$200k applies to an application filed now. That single answer decides how much capital you must commit for the same residency category.
- 03
Choose the holding structure first
Decide personal name versus a company before you buy, so the investment is titled in a way that both protects you and satisfies the inversionista titling rule.
- 04
Run due diligence on the actual asset
A qualifying value means nothing if the title is clouded. Study the National Registry, confirm the appraisal, and match the record to the survey plan before funds move.
- 05
File a complete application
Assemble and submit the full inversionista file with Migración — proof of investment, valuation and personal documents — so a rushed deadline never becomes a rejected application.
Company or personal name?
The holding structure decides whether the same asset also qualifies you for residency.
Does buying property grant residency?
The honest 2026 answer — buying doesn't auto-grant it, but a qualifying investment lets you apply.
Can foreigners buy property?
The ownership fundamentals — the same rights as nationals, and the one coastal exception.
Do you need a lawyer?
Why your attorney must be independent — not the one your realtor recommends.
More in The Journal, or back to the Costa Rica attorney for foreign investors hub.
What was the Costa Rica US$150,000 investor visa window?
Under Law 9996, Costa Rica temporarily lowered the inversionista (investor) residency minimum from US$200,000 to US$150,000. That reduced threshold applied only during a temporary incentive window, which ran on a five-year sunset that closed in mid-July 2026. That date is now past. With the window closed, you should confirm the current inversionista minimum directly with the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (DGME) — legal commentary widely expects it to have reverted toward US$200,000 absent a renewal.
How much do I need to invest for Costa Rica investor residency now?
During the Law 9996 window, the minimum was US$150,000 — but that window closed on its sunset in mid-July 2026, so US$150,000 is no longer a guaranteed current figure. There is currently no authoritative DGME confirmation of the post-sunset minimum; it is widely expected to have reverted toward US$200,000. Confirm the live figure with DGME before committing funds, because the difference can be a full US$50,000.
What kinds of investment qualify for Costa Rica investor residency?
Broadly, a qualifying inversionista investment can be in registered real estate, a Costa Rican business or company, shares and securities, forestry, or similar productive assets, at or above the current minimum. The investment must generally be titled to the applicant. The exact accepted categories are set by Migración and should be confirmed for your specific plan.
Does the investment have to be in my own name?
Generally yes. The qualifying investment must usually be personally titled to the applicant — held in your own name, or through a company in which you hold the qualifying ownership. This is why the holding structure matters and should be decided before you buy, not after, so the same asset both protects you and supports your residency file.
The Law 9996 window has closed — does that change my plan?
Yes. The reduced US$150,000 threshold applied only through the incentive window, which sunset in mid-July 2026. Anyone still planning an inversionista application should not assume the US$150,000 figure; confirm the current minimum with DGME (widely expected to have reverted toward US$200,000) before you commit capital, because being on the wrong side of the sunset can mean roughly US$50,000 of additional required investment.
Does buying property at the investor threshold automatically give me residency?
No. Buying property never auto-grants residency in Costa Rica. A qualifying investment lets you apply for the inversionista category, but you still file a complete application with Migración and meet every requirement. Ownership and immigration are decided on separate tracks — an independent attorney keeps both aligned.
Get the right structure, not just the right price.
We start with a Strategic Valuation Session — a focused, paid US$350 consultation (there is no free call) to confirm the current inversionista threshold with DGME now that the Law 9996 window has closed, and design a holding structure that supports both your investment and your residency, in English. It is credited toward your engagement if we proceed.
Book a Strategic Valuation Session