FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
REAL ESTATE LAW
Q – Are foreign people able to legally buy property / homes in Costa Rica?
A – Yes. Foreign people are able to buy and own property in Costa Rica. You do not have to have a local partner or be a resident or citizen.
Q – Do you have to be a resident / citizen to buy property in CR?
Q – What is the process of buying property in CR?
Q – What are some common problems / issues in buying property in CR?
Q – What areas of the country are the best for foreigners to buy property?
Q – Where are the areas of CR that are friendliest to foreign people? (largest foreign communities)
Q – Where in CR is property the cheapest? What areas are best for beaches / mountains / cities?
Q – What kinds of fees are there when you buy property in CR?
Q – Do you need a lawyer to buy property in CR?
Q – What are some of the benefits of buying in the areas Tropico serves? (this would be your chance to list some of the wonderful things about the areas where you specialize).
Q – What are the building codes in CR in comparison to the US / Canada?
Q – Can TropicoLegal help me find an architect / engineer / contractor to design / build my house?
Q – Can TropicoLegal help me to develop my property once I buy it?
Q – Why should I use TropicoLegal to buy my property in CR?
RESIDENCY
Q – How would a foreigner go about becoming a legal resident of Costa Rica? A citizen?
Q – What are the different categories to attain residency in Costa Rica?
Q – Can you get a bank account in CR if you are not a resident / citizen?
Q – How friendly is CR to expats?
Q – Do you have to have a certain amount of money per month to become a resident?
ACCOUNTING
Q – What is the process of starting a business in CR?
Q – How much does it cost to start a business in CR?
Q – What is the legal process of moving to CR?
Q – What are some of the best things about living in CR? (legally?) – ie welcoming to expats buying property, investing, bank accounts, investing, etc…
Q – Am I able to bring my household goods into Costa Rica once I buy a house there?
Q – What are the legal implications of doing so? The cost?
WILLS & MARRIAGES
Q – Can I get married in Costa Rica as a foreign person?
Q – What happens if I move to CR and my spouse dies?
Q – If I have a will in Canada / The US / Europe do I need a different one in Costa Rica?
Q – Do I need a lawyer to prepare a legal will in Costa Rica?
Q – Do I need a lawyer as a foreigner getting married in Costa Rica?
FINANCIAL ADVISORY
Q – I have just relocated to Costa Rica from Europe. Can a lawyer at your firm help me pay my taxes in Costa Rica?
Q – Can a foreign person start a business in CR?
Q – As a foreigner new to Costa Rica, do I need a lawyer to create a new business?
TASKS CLIENTS CAN DO
At TropicoLegal, we want to empower our clients to do as much for themselves as possible, so we have compiled a list of tasks that clients can do themselves, as well as a list of legal documents that can be downloaded depending on your legal needs. A description precedes each document. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us, we would be happy to help you.
LEGAL DOCUMENTS TO DOWNLOAD
Here there will be a list of downloadable PDF documents to download with a brief explanation of each, what it is and in what situation it is used.