Residency Thru Marriage - with a name change

Member since 09 April 2022

CMontiel21New member08 January 2023 20:08:27

Good afternoon everyone! So I am hoping to find someone who has married a Tico or Tica and changed their last name - as is typical in the USA for us to do but not so much in Costa Rica. My concern is that my Cedula will have my Birth name and my Passport has my Married name - my lawyer submitted my residency application with my birth name. Has anyone had this happen? Should the lawyer have submitted with my married last name? She did submit both my passports (my old one with my birth name listed and my current with my married last name).

We had our interview in November 2022 there in Liberia. No one even asked me for my ID/passport only my husbands. We had our interview and seems to have gone good. Still waiting for their decision - I assume being so close to the holiday season it will take a bit longer.

Anyhow, any information or experience you might have on the name situation please let me know. Surely someone out there is in the same situation. :-)

Pura Vida

Corey

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dbuettner New member

Member since 27 November 2022

dbuettnerNew member08 January 2023 20:20:32

It's my understanding you do not need to be married to a Costa Rican citizen to establish residency status. However you would need to marry a Costa Rican if you want to become a citizen of the country. I do not know the ins and outs of the laws. I believe this is correct.

CMontiel21 New member

Member since 09 April 2022

CMontiel21New member08 January 2023 20:31:08

Correct, there are many routes to residency - but, I am already married to a Costa Rican so I am getting residency thru marriage.

daveandmarcia Serial expat

Member since 03 February 2023

daveandmarciaSerial expat09 February 2023 19:15:48

354

You do NOT have to marry a Costa Rican in order to become a citizen. Expats must first endure two years as an approved legal temporary resident.(pensionado/a, rentista or investor). Then you may apply for permanent residency. After three years as an approved permanent resident you may apply for citizenship.

Those to whom citizenship is granted will undergo a legal name change. Each applicant is treated separately, so while she used “Marcia McMillan Murray for over forty years, since 2018 in Costa Rica she is legally “Marcia Faith McMillan Bettes”. That’s her given first name, her given middle name, then her father’s last name and her mother’s last name. I’m David Charles Murray Gonter.