Temporary Residence Permit Applicants Can Submit Offer Letters From Abroad

Foreign employees of companies accredited by the General Directorate of Immigration can now submit executed and authenticated offer letters in support of their Temporary Residence Permit applications from abroad, according to a recent amendment to a regulation. 

Prior to this change, the foreign worker must have traveled to Costa Rica to execute an attorney-authenticated work contract. If this was not possible, a Costa Rican attorney could travel to the foreign worker to authenticate the document, or the foreign worker could have the contract certified by a consulate, or certified by a foreign public notary and legalized with apostille. 

The foreign worker can still submit a work contract and follow the above processes, but now also has the option to submit an offer letter from abroad. The letter must first be executed by a company representative whose signature is authenticated by a Costa Rican attorney or a notary public. The General Directorate will accept the offer letter as long as it can verify that the foreign worker is not in Costa Rica when the residency application is filed. Foreign workers must also have a copy of their passport notarized and subsequently legalized for use in Costa Rica. 

Foreign workers must still present an executed and authenticated work contract upon approval of the Temporary Residence application in order to receive their residence card (cédula). 

What This Means for Employers and Foreign Nationals 

The offer letter option simplifies the Temporary Residence application process and eliminates the need for the foreign national to either be in Costa Rica to sign the contract before a notary, or have the contract legalized.

Foreign workers submitting offer letters must notarize and legalize a copy of their passport. 

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected]. 


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