Ordinary naturalisation by official residence

Seven years, or five for specified origins

Ordinary applicants need seven years of official residence. The period is five for nationals by birth of other Central American countries, Spain or Ibero-American countries; naturalised nationals of those countries remain in the seven-year cohort.

Status and actual residence are checked

The calculation begins with grant of the relevant immigration status; migration records and supplementary evidence establish residence. In principle, an absence exceeding three months interrupts the count and it restarts on re-entry, but the regulation requires consideration of the particular case.

Spanish, history and values with exemptions

Applicants normally demonstrate speaking, reading and writing Spanish and knowledge of Costa Rican history and values through Ministry of Education exams or recognised Costa Rican studies. TSE lists exemptions for older adults and medically certified permanent health or cognitive impediments that prevent testing. No CEFR level is specified.

Conduct, means and background evidence

Good conduct and a known occupation or means of support are required. The procedure calls for two witnesses and documentary means-of-life evidence, together with the applicable foreign criminal-record certificate and a declaration concerning repeated contraventions.

Renunciation wording and acquired nationality differ

The application must promise continued regular, stable residence, swear respect for the constitutional order, and declare renunciation of former nationality unless a dual-nationality treaty applies. Separately, Costa Rican nationality is constitutionally non-losable and non-renounceable. The declaration's foreign-law effect is not established by those provisions.