Complementary Special Temporary Category for Nicaraguans, Venezuelans, Cubans and Colombians with pending or denied refugee claims
2026-2027 window · Official name: Categoría Especial Temporal Complementaria (Resolución DG-0064-05-2026)
Costa Rica created a special temporary immigration category for Nicaraguan, Venezuelan, Cuban and Colombian nationals whose refugee claims, filed between 1 June 2014 and 7 May 2026, are still pending or were denied. Applications are accepted only between 1 September 2026 and 1 September 2027. It is granted for 2 years, renewable for the same period, and holders receive a DIMEX identity document. It covers only the applicant, not family members.
Life in Costa Rica
Finance
3
Currency
Costa Rican Colón
CRC
Costa Rican Colón
Cost of living
62
Price level · US = 100
World Bank price levels, 2025
Tax
10–25%
Income tax (national)
VAT (IVA) 13%
Salary scale 2026: monthly salary up to CRC 918,000 exempt; 25% on the excess over CRC 4,727,000 a month. Self-employed have a separate annual scale.
Living
1
Happiness
#4 of 145 countries
World Happiness Report 2025
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Who it’s for
Nicaraguan, Venezuelan, Cuban and Colombian nationals in Costa Rica with a refugee claim filed between 1 Jun 2014 and 7 May 2026 that is pending or was denied.
Eligibility
Nationality and refugee claim dates
Sign in to check this route against your profileYou need to be a Nicaraguan, Venezuelan, Cuban or Colombian national with a pending or denied refugee claim filed within a set period.
- Refugee claim filed between 1 June 2014 and 7 May 2026
Official wording
Nicaraguan, Venezuelan, Cuban or Colombian national who filed a refugee claim between 1 June 2014 and 7 May 2026, which is pending or was denied.
Continuous stay and no other application
Sign in to check this route against your profileHas lived in Costa Rica since filing and has not applied for any other immigration category.
No recent criminal record
Sign in to check this route against your profileYou must not have a record for intentional crimes in the last 10 years.
10 years
Look-back period for criminal records
- Other exclusions also apply
Official wording
Excluded: people with records for intentional crimes in the last 10 years, among other exclusions.
A sneak peek at what's inside
- Next requirement
- Document checklist
- Steps to apply
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- 1 more requirement
- 1 document
- 3 steps
- Processing times and conditions
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