Quick answer: Our process runs in four phases — a Discovery Trip to test the ground, investment selection and due diligence, application filing and DGME processing, and post-approval support through DIMEX issuance. End to end it is closer to two years than six months, and most of that is document-gathering and processing rather than our work. Here is exactly what happens at each stage.
Ready to talk specifics? Book a strategy call and we will map your situation against the options below.
Phase one: the Discovery Trip
We start people with a Discovery Trip because committing capital to a country you have spent three weeks in is a mistake we would rather prevent. Over three to five days you tour pre-vetted qualifying properties, meet the legal team, open pre-approval banking conversations, and leave with a written investment shortlist and cost breakdown. The trip fee is credited toward any subsequent advisory package if you proceed within 90 days — so it functions as a deductible first step, not a sunk cost.
Phase two: investment selection and due diligence
Once you choose a qualifying investment — most commonly real estate at $150,000 or more (the Law 9996 threshold until 14 July 2026) — we run full legal due diligence: registry title search, structure review to confirm the investment actually qualifies, and, critically, confirmation that title is taken in the form DGME currently expects, which increasingly means the applicant own name rather than a corporation. The investment is registered with the Central Bank as foreign direct investment. Getting this phase right is what prevents an application failing at verification later.
Phase three: filing and DGME processing
We prepare and coordinate documents — apostilles, certified translations — and file with DGME. Processing commonly runs 6–18 months depending on category: rentista 9–14 months, investor 14–18 due to investment verification. The single biggest cause of avoidable delay is slow response to DGME requests, so managing that promptly is part of what we do. Spouse and dependents are included.
Phase four: approval to DIMEX
Approval is not the same as holding the card. DIMEX issuance can add two to three months, and Caja enrolment follows at 7–11% of declared income. We carry clients through this tail rather than treating approval as the finish line, and our fuller engagements include a post-approval advisory retainer for the settling-in period.
What we do not hide
Two honesties. First, the timeline is genuinely long — we set that expectation up front rather than after you have paid. Second, if your application is denied, which is rare for complete, properly structured cases and usually stems from missing documentation, we manage the appeal or re-application at no additional professional fee. That is a deliberate alignment of our incentives with your outcome.
The Discovery Trip credit, and why it is structured that way
The $5,000 Discovery Trip fee is credited in full against any advisory package if you proceed within 90 days, and that structure is deliberate rather than a discount gimmick. It means the trip is effectively a deductible first step for anyone serious, while filtering out people looking for a free holiday. A free tour is a sales event; a credited, fee-based trip buys genuine diligence — pre-vetted properties, real legal time, real banking introductions — with no net cost to those who move forward.
It also front-loads the honest conversation. By the end of the trip you have a written investment shortlist and cost breakdown, so you are deciding on documents rather than impressions. People who conclude Costa Rica is not for them have learned that in five structured days at modest cost — which we count as a good outcome, not a lost sale.
Where the time actually goes, phase by phase
Setting realistic expectations is part of the service, so here is the honest breakdown. Document-gathering runs one to three months and happens mostly in your home country, which is why we push it to start early. DGME processing is the long pole — 6–18 months, with investor cases at the slower end because the investment must be verified and registered with the Central Bank. DIMEX issuance adds two to three months after approval, and Caja enrolment follows.
Front to back, that is closer to two years than the six months some competitors imply. We would rather you plan around the real timeline than be disappointed by an optimistic one — and most of that time is document-gathering and government processing, not our work, which is exactly why responsiveness to DGME requests matters so much to the total.
Frequently asked
How long does the whole thing take?
Realistically closer to two years than six months, front to back — most of it document-gathering and DGME processing, not our work. We would rather you plan around that than be surprised by it.
Do I have to do the Discovery Trip first?
We strongly recommend it, and its fee is credited toward any advisory package if you proceed within 90 days. Committing to a country sight-unseen is the mistake it prevents.
What if my application is denied?
Denials are rare for complete, properly structured cases. Where DGME issues one — typically for missing documentation — we handle the appeal or re-application at no additional professional fee.
Are my spouse and children included?
Yes — dependents are included in our advisory engagements at no extra professional fee.
Can you speed up DGME processing?
Not the queue itself, but we sharply reduce the errors and slow responses that cause resubmission and delay — the front where DIY applicants lose months. Complete, correctly apostilled filings and fast responses to requests are where time is genuinely saved.
What happens in the 12-month post-approval retainer?
Our fuller engagements carry a post-approval advisory retainer for the settling-in period — Caja, banking, and the practical matters that arise after the card is issued — rather than ending the relationship at approval.
Do you work with clients who already own property here?
Yes — if you already hold a qualifying asset, we can begin at the filing and verification stage, confirming the property qualifies and is titled correctly for DGME before preparing the application. The Discovery Trip is most valuable for those still deciding.
What is included versus quoted separately?
Our advisory fee covers professional services and, in fuller packages, spouse and dependents at no extra fee. The qualifying investment, government filing fees ($200–$500 per applicant) and property transaction costs are separate and quoted up front.
Can you begin before I have chosen a property?
Yes — the Discovery Trip and early planning happen before you select a qualifying investment, and much of the document-gathering can run in parallel. Filing follows once the qualifying investment is chosen and, for property, titled correctly.
Where to start
Decision-stage questions are best answered against your actual numbers, timeline and family situation rather than a general article. Book a strategy call and we will tell you plainly whether Costa Rica fits — and, if it does, which route and structure suit you. If a country other than Costa Rica is the better answer for you, we will say so.
This article is general information, not legal, immigration, tax or investment advice. Program terms and figures change and are applied to individual facts; those cited were accurate at the time of writing and should be confirmed. Engage qualified counsel and your own tax adviser before acting.