Costa Rica: Whether there have been any changes to the citizenship law since 2003; rights to citizenship for a Colombian-born child of a Costa Rican man and a Colombian woman; rights to citizenship for the Colombian wife of a Costa Rican man (2003-2005)
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Ottawa |
| Publication Date | 29 September 2005 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | CRI100603.E |
| Reference | 2 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Costa Rica: Whether there have been any changes to the citizenship law since 2003; rights to citizenship for a Colombian-born child of a Costa Rican man and a Colombian woman; rights to citizenship for the Colombian wife of a Costa Rican man (2003-2005), 29 September 2005, CRI100603.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/440ed6ef28.html [accessed 31 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
According to a minister counsellor at the embassy of Costa Rica in Ottawa, no changes have been made to the citizenship law of Costa Rica since 2003 (Costa Rica 21 Sept. 2005). The minister counsellor indicated that a reform of the Ley de Migración y Extranjería is in discussion (ibid.).
The Constitution of Costa Rica grants citizenship by birth to any child of a Costa Rican citizen (ibid.). A child can be registered at any Costa Rican consulate (ibid.). According to the Website of the embassy of Costa Rica in Canada, in order to register a foreign-born Costa Rican minor, the minor must have at least one Costa Rican parent who must present a valid Costa Rican identity card, and the person registering the minor must bring the minor's original birth certificate and a copy to the consulate where a request to access the civil register will be made (20 June 2005). The adult child of Costa Rican parents has to present himself or herself in person at the consulate with two witnesses (Costa Rica 20 June 2005).
For the wife of a Costa Rican citizen to receive Costa Rican citizenship, the couple's marriage has to be registered in the Costa Rican civil register (Costa Rica 21 Sept. 2005). Then, the wife can apply to the Directorate of Migration and Foreign Affairs (Dirección de Migración y Extranjería) to receive permanent residency, [translation] "a process which takes around 18 months" (ibid.). The wife of the Costa Rican citizen must reside for five years in the country before requesting Costa Rican citizenship (ibid.). Permanent residents have to live in Costa Rica a minimum of four months per year (ibid.).
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Costa Rica. 21 September 2005. Embassy of Costa Rica in Ottawa. Correspondence sent by a minister counsellor.
_____. 20 June 2005. Embassy of Costa Rica in Ottawa. "Costarricenses."
Additional Sources Consulted
Internet sites, including: Dirección de Migración y Extranjería de Costa Rica.
