Registration of company in Costa Rica

Starting a Business in Costa Rica - Registration of Company

The Republic of Costa Rica is one of the smallest States in Central Africa. Costa Rica bordered by two Countries: by Panama to the southeast and by Nicaragua to the north.

According to Report of World International Forum Costa Rica hits top 40 (out of 132) of Economical Countries, and has the first place in Latin America. Economical, political and social stability of the State was recognized by international community. In 1949 Costa Rica canceled involuntary military service. 

According to report of International Bank of Development - World Economic Crisis doesn’t influenced on economic of Costa Rica. According to data that was represented by the Bank Costa Rica is in Top 30 (out of 186) States, and has the first place in Latin America.

Public Health Service of that Country is highly developed. There are professional Doctors, developed infrastructure, modern technical equipment and low prices if to compare with other States.

Costa Rica is one of the most favorable States in Latin America, first of all because of life quality and annual GDP. The life span is the one of the longest in the world: 77 years for man and 80 for women, level of education is equals to 96%. Local Diploma if Higher Education Is recognized in all world.

Costa Rica has healthy political, financial and economical Stability. The State canguarantee the absolute inviolability. Also there are no war conflicts, revolutions or cataclysms. Costa Rica is the first State in Latin America which applies Democracy. State has Spanish law system (based on Roman Law), Ex President - Nobel laureate in social questions. The State signed treaty with USA about free trade and etc.

Prices on Realty are stable, when prices goes down in all world, in Costa Rica Prices comes up due to high quality of service and due to good quality of Buildings. That fact may give you profit from realty trading.

Realty trading in Costa Rica

All trading operations in Costa Rica are protected by the Law and all information about changes in legislation is mentioned in National Register of Property (Registrode la Propiedad).

National legislation is applicable in different cases and can be really used during your Business, also it is applicable not only for citizens, but also for foreigners. There is no special restrictions for Foreigners in land tenure, but you can’t buy 50 meters along coastline. You will able to rent 150 meter along coastline for 20 years (with right to prolong that term).

If to speak about realty both citizens and foreigners has equal rights in Costa Rica, so it is the good reason to invest in that sphere of Business on the territory of that Country. That’s why it is easy to start own business in Costa Rica or to buy ready made Company or realty.

Beginning from year of 2000 income from realty investments hoes up, today it equals to 27% per year, and it is approximately 300 million of USD per year.

Also you may try to lease realty with 10% income per year. In Costa Rica dual citizenship is allowed. If you are citizen of that Country you may have:

• Non-visa regime: EU, South Korea, Japan, Latin America, New Zealand, South Africa.
• Easy Spanish citizenship obtaining procedure.

Citizens of Russian Federation who want to visit Costa Rica need only Sсhengen visa or visa of Costa Rica Embassy in Russia. The simplest way to obtain Costa Rica Citizenship is to invest into realty, business, industry (in total at least 200 000 USD). In that case you will receive residence permit and in 3 year you will able to obtain citizenship.

According to Constitution of Costa Rica you may obtain citizenship in order to nationalization. Costa Rica recognizes dual citizenship even if the second State doesn’t.

Also there is special regime to obtain citizenship for Company’s representatives and for the third parties (top managers, professional staff).

In Costa Rica there are few different forms of Organizations:

• Limited Partnership;
• Public Limited Liability Company;
• Sociedad Limitada (Join-Stock Corporation);
• General Partnership;
• Collective Corporation;
• Sociedad Anonima;
• Foreign Corporation;
• Empresa Individual De Responsabilidad Limitada.

National legislation is simple and free from bureaucratism.

A few word about Company registration in Costa Rica:

Limited Partnership:

• registered capital is divided between owners;
• two types of founders (General partner and limited partner);
• general partners are liable (according to debts and Companies’s obligations), and limited partners are limited liable for their own part of Shares;
• to transfer his shares to the third party owner have to receive the Decision of board of directors and file that decision to Preregistration Authorities of Costa Rica;
• partners may handle activities of the LP according to articles of incorporation.

Sociedad Anonima (Join-Stock Corporation) - the most popular for organizational form for foreign investor:

• at least two natural persons or two legal entities may incorporate such organization, and after registration all shares may be transferred to a single shareholder, who will become the sole owner;
• further capital of the Company may be created in any currency and have to be more than 100 USD, 25 % of that capital should be paid once the Company is registered;
• capital represented as any type of shares with different price. All information contains only in internal register of the Company;
• board of directors consists from at least 3 members (not necessary residents), who acts as president, secretary and treasurer;
• this meeting may be in any part of the world (if that was mentioned in articles of incorporation);
• general meetings may be conduct any number of times but other meetings should be conducted at least once per year;
• statutory auditor (not necessary resident) is controlling activities of Director’s Board and he must maintain records for shareholders;
• corporation appoints a registered Agent in Costa Rica, who deal with connection between Authorities and Directors of the Company. That person have to be resident of Costa Rica according to legislation.

Also, it is allowed to use legal address of Costa Rica for foreign Companies and vice versa. Registration of Company in Costa Rica takes 24 Hours and more. 

Costa Rica - Offshore

According to Tax legislation of Costa Rica, profit from abroad is not subject to taxation (regardless the place of conduction of the agreement). As a result all profit from abroad is free from Taxes in Costa Rica. If Company is operated from the territory of the State and profit flows to Bank of that Country you will have to pay Taxes.

There is no Capital Gain Tax and on inheritable property in Costa Rica.

Taxes should be paid only from profit that was gained on the territory of Costa Rica.

Companies, which acting according to legislation of free zone are free from taxes. There is 12 free zones in Costa Rica, where different Companies deal with shipbuilding, processing and delivery of goods for export and environmental protection;

There was implemented new corporate tax from 2012 on activity/inactivity of the Company 120/240 USD.

Regardless the place of business of the Company it must file annual reports, but mention only activities that were on the territory of the Costa Rica.

All documents should be Spanish. Costa Rica didn’t conclude any agreements about double taxation, but has an agreement about financial information exchange with USA, concerning American citizens.  

We will register for you Company (offshore) in Costa Rica is short terms. It is very simple to buy offshore right now! Registration of offshore in Costa Rica is the simplest and cheapest way to start legal international business. Registration of offshore is one of the main activity of our company.