Move From Costa Rica to Canada With Licensed Immigration Consultants
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Choosing to immigrate to Canada is an important and personal decision. RightWay Canada Immigration Services supports individuals and families in Costa Rica who are pursuing permanent residence, study or work opportunities, family reunification or another Canadian immigration pathway. Our role is to make the process clearer, more manageable and carefully prepared from the beginning.
Our team of licensed Canadian immigration consultants is regulated by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) and works in accordance with Canadian immigration requirements. Since 2016, RightWay Canada has assisted 67 clients from Costa Rica and earned multiple industry recognitions, along with a strong reputation reflected in positive client reviews.
Every immigration case is different. We take the time to understand each applicant’s circumstances and goals, assess the available options and provide clear guidance on eligibility, required documents and the steps ahead. Our support goes beyond completing forms, helping applicants approach the process with greater clarity and confidence. Book a consultation with a licensed immigration consultant to discuss your individual situation. Information about our services and pricing is available on our fees page.
Costa Rica to Canada Spousal Sponsorship
Applicants applying for spousal sponsorship from Costa Rica must follow the country-specific IRCC instructions alongside the standard sponsorship application checklist. These instructions clarify whether additional local forms are needed and set out document requirements that apply to Costa Rican nationals.
For Costa Rica applicants, no extra country-specific forms are required. However, official documents issued in Costa Rica must be government-certified true copies, and marriage certificates must be issued by the Registro Civil.
Country-Specific Documents
Applicants from Costa Rica must follow the IRCC country-specific spousal sponsorship instructions for Costa Rica.
The Costa Rica instructions confirm that there are no extra country-specific forms for residents of Costa Rica.
Civil Documents
Official documents issued in Costa Rica must be provided as government-certified true copies. The copy must be certified as authentic by the government office that issued the document. It must be:
- signed
- stamped with a seal
Marriage Documents
Marriage certificates issued in Costa Rica must be issued by the Registro Civil.
Costa Rica to Canada Study Permit
Applicants applying for a Canada study permit from Costa Rica must follow the Mexico City visa office instructions for local document requirements. These instructions are listed in the Mexico City Visa Office Additional Document Checklist — IMM 5837, which is used together with the standard Canada study permit checklist.
For Costa Rica applicants, IMM 5837 focuses on passport validity and blank pages, VAC consent where applicable, and recent documents for financial support provided by a third party.
Required Forms
Costa Rica study permit applicants must follow the Mexico City Visa Office Additional Document Checklist for study permits.
Country-specific checklist and locally listed forms include:
- Mexico City Visa Office Additional Document Checklist — IMM 5837
- VAC Consent Form, if applicable
Passport Documents
Costa Rica study permit applicants must provide passport documents as listed by the Mexico City visa office.
The passport or travel document must have:
- at least one completely blank page, other than the last page
- validity for at least six months
- validity covering the planned stay in Canada
Financial Documents
Costa Rica study permit applicants must provide proof of funds covering tuition and living expenses for at least one year in Canada.
If a third party, including a parent, is providing the funds, the applicant must include:
- a signed letter from the person providing the funds
- a photocopy of that person’s passport or other official photo identification
- a bank certificate showing that the person has sufficient funds
The third-party support documents must be dated within three months of the date the application is submitted.
Costa Rica to Canada Visitor Visa
Applicants applying for a Canada visitor visa from Costa Rica must follow the Mexico City Visa Office Instructions, IMM 5878, alongside the standard temporary resident visa requirements. These are visa-office instructions rather than Costa Rica-only instructions.
For Costa Rica applicants, documents not in English or French require certified translations. Official documents may need to be submitted as photocopies because they are not returned after processing, and a VAC Consent Form may be required when applying through a Visa Application Centre. The checklist outlines CAN+ eligibility, financial evidence, and additional documents for business travel, short-term study, transit, and family visits.
Visa Office
IRCC does not publish a separate Costa Rica-only visitor visa checklist.
For visitor visa applications from Costa Rica, IRCC’s current visitor visa flow shows Visa office instructions – Visit [IMM 5878].
The relevant document is the Mexico City Visa Office Instructions, IMM 5878 E (02-2021).
These instructions are tied to the Mexico City visa office, so they are visa-office instructions rather than Costa Rica-only instructions.
Entry Document
This is an entry-document note, not a Costa Rica-specific visa-office checklist item.
Some Costa Rican citizens may qualify for an electronic travel authorization, or eTA, instead of a visitor visa when travelling to Canada by air, depending on IRCC’s current eTA conditions.
Document Rules
According to the Mexico City checklist, documents that are not in English or French need a certified translation.
Applicants may also need to submit photocopies only for official documents, since documents are not returned after the application is processed.
If applying through a Visa Application Centre, the applicable VAC Consent Form may also be needed.
Financial Documents
The Mexico City checklist includes a CAN+ option for some applicants.
If the applicant has travelled to Canada or the United States in the last 10 years and can provide proof, proof of financial support may not be needed.
For other applicants covering their own trip, financial examples include:
- bank statements or bank book covering the past three months
- employment letter
- pay slips
- proof of pension
- business registration
- investments
When someone else funds the trip, applicants may need to include:
- signed letter from the person paying
- photocopy of that person’s passport or other official photo identification
- bank certificate showing sufficient funds
- explanation of the relationship
- documents dated within three months of the application date
Specific Situations
Some Mexico City checklist items depend on the applicant’s situation.
For business travel, the checklist points to an employer letter explaining the purpose of the trip and naming the companies or contacts the applicant will visit.
For study in Canada for less than six months, applicants may need to include a copy of the letter of acceptance from the Canadian school.
For transit through Canada for less than 48 hours, examples include:
- copy of the itinerary
- visa for the destination country, if applicable
For applicants visiting a friend or relative, the checklist points to an invitation letter with the inviter’s full name and date of birth.
