Costa Rica: Resident Card Issuance Expanded Through Bank Partnership

Costa Rica’s General Immigration Directorate (DGME) has entered into a new agreement with the Bank of Costa Rica (BCR) to expand the delivery of immigration services related to Resident Identity Cards (DIMEX). 

Under the previous arrangement, applicants attended BCR branches to register and submit their Resident Identity Card applications, while the printing and issuance of the DIMEX card remained with DGME. 

Under the new agreement, BCR will also assume responsibility for printing and delivering DIMEX cards for approved renewals, duplicates and first-time applicants whose status has been granted and whose biometrics have been recorded at authorized BCR branches.  

Effective sometime in March 2026 (the exact date was not published), applicants completing these procedures at designated BCR service points will receive their DIMEX cards directly from the bank, expected on the same day. This operational change is expected to help reduce backlogs and improve processing times, which have been significantly delayed in recent months.  

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen.