There are a variety of banks in Costa Rica to choose from, if you are thinking of opening a bank account here. Banco Nacional, Banco Credito Agricola, and Banco de Costa Rica are the three government guaranteed banks, but there are many others as well.
Opening a typical savings bank account
In order to open a simple bank account in Costa Rica, you will need:
- Passport or cedula (the Costa Rican form of identification)
- A recent water, telephone, or electric bill
- A letter of recommendation from someone holding an account at the bank
- A phone number
Bring all of these things, as well as a small deposit, and you should be all set with your new Costa Rican bank account.
Opening a Checking Account in Costa Rica
Opening a checking account is a little more difficult than a regular bank account. In order to open a checking account, you will need to be a resident here, and the bank will likely ask for your cedula or passport. To open a checking account in colones, you’ll need a minimum deposit of 250,000 colones, the equivalent of $500. To open a checking account in dollars, the minimum deposit amount is $2,000.
Opening an Account of a Corporation
If you own a corporation in Costa Rica, you might consider opening a checking account for that corporation
Things you’ll need to open a corporation checking account:
- Passport/Cedula
- Name of the Corporation
- Documented proof that your corporation is active
- A letter from the person in the corporation with power of attorney
- The names of the people on the account and their ID numbers
- A minimum deposit of 500,000 colones for an account in colones and $2,000 for an account in dollars
We have professional services which are available for those who want the extra help. If you would like help you can contact us here and request help.
