The General Directorate of Migration and Immigration created the Complementary Special Temporary Category (CETC) through Resolution No. DG-0064-05-2026. This category offers an immigration regularization alternative for certain nationals of Nicaragua, Venezuela, Cuba, and Colombia who applied for refugee status in Costa Rica and whose proceedings remain pending or were denied.
Applications may be filed only between September 1, 2026 and September 1, 2027, by prior appointment.
Who can apply for this category?
The interested person must meet, among others, the following conditions:
- Be a national of Nicaragua, Venezuela, Cuba, or Colombia.
- Have filed an application for recognition of refugee status between June 1, 2014 and May 7, 2026.
- Have remained in Costa Rica from the filing of the refugee application until the time of applying for this category.
- Have a refugee application that is pending resolution, rejected, or denied.
- Not hold another approved immigration category or have another regularization procedure underway.
- Not meet the conditions to obtain any of the ordinary categories provided for under Costa Rican immigration law.
Having obtained an appointment to apply for refugee status is not enough: the person must have formally filed the application within the stated period.
When does the CETC NOT apply?
The category does not apply, among other cases, when the person:
- Already has approved legal status in Costa Rica.
- Has an immigration procedure other than the refugee application still pending.
- Can qualify for an ordinary category (for example, through a family connection or another applicable route).
- Does not meet the required nationality, dates, or continuous stay.
Don't decide based on speed alone: switching immigration routes can affect an existing procedure. Before filing the application, it is advisable to review the case file, immigration movements, and other available ordinary options.
What benefits does it offer?
Approval of the Complementary Special Temporary Category allows the person to:
- Obtain a DIMEX (Immigration Identity Document for Foreigners).
- Remain regularly in Costa Rica.
- Work in any paid activity, whether self-employed or under an employment relationship.
- Leave Costa Rica and re-enter without applying for a special permit, provided the ordinary immigration conditions are met.
- Renew the category for successive two-year periods, subject to meeting the corresponding requirements.
The category is granted initially for two years and can be renewed for equal periods.
The application is individual
This benefit does not automatically extend to the applicant's family members. Each family member must:
- Individually meet the requirements.
- Obtain their own appointment.
- File a separate application.
- Make the payments that apply to them.
In addition, people who may be able to regularize their status through a connection with a Costa Rican national — for example, by having Costa Rican children — should review the applicable ordinary immigration category, as they may not be eligible for the CETC.
Required documents
The application must be filed complete. The main requirements include the following:
1. Affiliation and withdrawal form
The specific form established by Immigration for this category must be used.
NO REFUGEE STATUS WITHDRAWAL IS FILED
The case is different for someone who had another immigration procedure pending (not the refugee application) and wanted to withdraw it in order to apply for the CETC: Circular DG-026-08-2026 only recognized withdrawals filed before September 1, 2026 as valid. Withdrawals filed after that date do not enable the CETC.
2. Sworn birth statement
A sworn statement using the authorized form, when applicable.
Any of these options may also be submitted:
- A certification issued in the country of origin, duly apostilled or legalized and authenticated.
- A certification issued by the corresponding consulate in Costa Rica.
3. Criminal record certification
A certification from the country of origin or from the countries where the person has resided during the last three years must be submitted.
When the document comes from abroad, it must meet the applicable apostille or legalization formalities. If a certification from a country other than the country of origin is submitted, it may also be necessary to show that the person resided legally in that territory.
People who have remained under a pending Refugee Status application — one that has not yet been resolved — who still hold a valid refugee-applicant ID card, who have not left Costa Rica, and who have remained in this situation for a period of three years, are allowed to submit Costa Rica's Criminal Record Certificate, issued by the Judicial Archive of the Judicial Branch (Poder Judicial), popularly known as the "Hoja de Delincuencia" (criminal record sheet). This Costa Rican certificate must be no more than three months old. This exception does not apply if the refugee application has already been denied with a final decision.
Minors are not required to submit the criminal record certification.
As indicated by the DGME in an informational video, nationals of Cuba may request this certificate directly from the Cuban Consulate in Costa Rica, without needing to have it authenticated at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or in another country.
4. Identity document
The following may be submitted:
- Passport.
- National ID card or identity document from the country of origin.
- Consular certification that includes a photograph.
The document may be expired, provided it is legible, in good condition, and adequately proves the identity of its holder.
5. Proof of fingerprinting
This requirement will be requested for the file.
However, people over 12 years old should go ahead and arrange the fingerprinting certificate issued by Costa Rica's Ministry of Public Security, because appointments for it are running very far behind.
6. Proof of stay and ties to Costa Rica
The person must show that they have remained in the country since filing their refugee application. For this, they may submit, for example:
- Proof of enrollment at educational institutions.
- Documents proving their children's enrollment at Costa Rican schools, together with the birth certification showing the relationship.
- Proof of medical care received at Costa Rican Social Security Fund (Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social) facilities.
- Documents issued by Costa Rican public institutions.
- Other evidence Immigration considers suitable to prove the person's stay in the country.
If any of these documents is already included in the refugee file, this should be indicated when filing the application.
What happens if documents are missing?
If the application is incomplete, IT WILL BE REJECTED.
The General Directorate of Migration and Immigration is not required to give the person a chance to complete missing documents: the rejection happens on the spot, and that decision cannot be appealed.
For this reason, it is not advisable to go to the appointment without having first checked the validity, apostille, legalization, and content of each document.
How is the appointment requested?
Applications will be received only by prior appointment through the 1311 call center.
Each person, including minors, requires an individual appointment.
Appointments and applications correspond to the period between September 1, 2026 and September 1, 2027. It is recommended to periodically check Immigration's official channels to confirm the date appointments open and the filing location.
What happens after approval?
Once the favorable resolution is notified, the person has 90 days to complete the documentation process. If they do not do so within that period, the category may be cancelled automatically.
To obtain the DIMEX, the following documents must be submitted, among others:
- The resolution approving the Complementary Special Temporary Category.
- Current proof of enrollment with the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social).
- Proof of payment of the cost of the immigration document. The officially published information currently indicates an amount of US$138, payable to the account indicated by Immigration and in the name of the beneficiary.
Amounts, bank accounts, and payment requirements must be confirmed again before making any deposit.
When can it be denied or cancelled?
The category will not be granted, or may later be cancelled, when the person:
- Has served a sentence for an intentional (willful) crime during the last ten years, in Costa Rica or abroad, under the conditions established in the resolution.
- Is considered a threat to security or public order.
- Submits false information or documentation.
- Stops meeting the conditions that justified granting the category.
Likewise, when requesting renewal, Immigration will verify immigration movements. Entries or exits made through unauthorized checkpoints may prevent renewal, unless the person provides evidence that duly justifies the situation and this evidence is accepted by the immigration authority.
A decision that must be reviewed individually
The Complementary Special Temporary Category represents an important regularization opportunity, but it is not necessarily the most convenient option for everyone.
Anyone with a pending refugee application should consider that the form includes withdrawing that proceeding. It should also be reviewed whether there is a possibility of applying for residency through a connection with a Costa Rican national, through marriage, for employment reasons, or through some other ordinary category.
Before filing the application, it is advisable to review the refugee file, immigration movements, personal background, and available documentation. An individual legal assessment can prevent the application from being rejected or an unnecessary waiver of another immigration alternative.
Advice on applying for the Complementary Special Temporary Category
At our office we can review whether you meet the requirements, review your file, and help you properly prepare the documentation needed to file your application — or even handle the entire process before the DGME for you. Request an appointment at 8965-5582.
Because applications will be received during a limited period and must be filed complete, we recommend starting early to obtain certifications, criminal records, apostilles, and proof of stay in Costa Rica.