Applying for FTZ Benefits

Applying for FTZ Benefits

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Business - Starting a Business


In order to do business in an Free Trade Zone (FTZ), your company must be incorporated in Costa Rica either as a subsidiary of a foreign company or a local company. Then, you must select the Free Trade Zone or Free Trade Subzone where you want to set up your company, and file an FTZ Benefit Application to request FTZ privileges. It takes about five weeks to receive an answer to the application.

Your application must be approved by many organizations:

  1. First, request the Free Trade Zone Benefit Application (Formulario de Aplicacion para inscribirse en el Regimen de Zonas Francas) at the Treasurer's Office (Tesoreria) located on the second floor of the Trade Center (Centro de Comercio Exterior.) Fill the application out and pay a filing fee of 1500 Costa Rican colones (approximately $3.00 U.S.)

  2. Second, PROCOMER's (Promotora del Comercio Exterior (Costa Rican Commerce Marketing Company)) legal and operations departments will ensure that your application meets all the legal and operational requirements. Then, PROCOMER's consulting department along with a business analyst will issue a report that will be approved by PROCOMER's Technical Commission.

If PROCOMER's Technical Commission finds no objections, the business analyst will draft an Executive Free Trade Zone agreement. Both the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Ministro de Comercio Exterior), and the President of Costa Rica must review and sign the Executive FTZ agreement. If one of them finds objections to the agreement or denies it, PROCOMER's Operation Department will be notified and then, PROCOMER will notify you.

If the Executive FTZ agreement is approved and signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the President of Costa Rica, PROCOMER will notify you and you will be required to pay a $5,000.00 guarantee deposit and to publish your executive agreement in the Gazette, the official government newspaper.

Three months after the signing of the executive agreements, a commission appointed by PROCOMER will visit your business facility at the respective FTZ to verify that your business is established.

Note: If you need to change the terms and conditions of your FTZ Agreement, you will follow the above procedure. PROCOMER's Technical Commission's approval is not required for changes.

 
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