Located in downtown San Jose Costa Rica are the headquarters of Costa Rica's largest banks: El Banco Nacional, El Banco de Costa Rica and El Banco Credito Agricola. The government guarantees all monies deposited in these state banks.

In order to open a bank account all that you need is a minimum deposit, your identification and usually a letter of reference from someone else who has a bank account in the bank of your choice (2 letters if you can not provide a water, telephone or electric bill in your name.)

In order to open a local checking account you have to be a resident and may be asked to provide a Costa Rican ID card or passport.
If opening a checking account in local currency you'll need an initial deposit of around $50.00. If you have a Costa Rican Corporation you may also opening a local corporate checking account. In order to do this, you will have to provide the following: Passport or c?dula (Costa Rican ID), the name of the corporation, proof that it is active, a letter from person who has general power of attorney of your corporation authorizing those people who can sign on the account along with their ID numbers and an initial deposit of around $100.00 for an account in local currency or $200 for a local dollar account.

List of Banks in costa rica

Banco Nacional de Costa Rica - BN
Banco Nacional San Jose Tel. (506) 2223-2166
Fax. (506) 22255-2436
Banco nacional Jaco Tel: (506) 643-3072 Fax: 643-3252 San Jose Center

Banco de San Jose
Tel. (506) 22256-9911
Tel. (506) 22222-8208
Apdo. Postal: 5445-1000 San Jose
San Jose

Banco de Costa Rica - BCR
Tel. (506) 22287-9000
Fax. (506) 22255-3316
Apdo. Postal: 10035-1000 San Jose
San Jose

Citibank Costa Rica S.A.
Tel. (506) 22201-0800
Fax. (506) 22201-8313
Apdo. Postal: 10277-1000 San Jose
Sabana Sur, San Jose

Banca Promerica
Tel. (506) 22296-4848
Fax. (506) 22232-5727
Pavas, San Jose

Banco B.C.T, S.A.
Tel. (506) 22257-0544
Fax. (506) 22233-6833
C. Ctl. Av. 1 y 3, San Jose

Banco Credito Agricola de Cartago
Tel. (506) 22223-8855
Fax. (506) 22222-1911
C. 2 Av. 4, San Jose

Banco del Istmo
Tel. (506) 22257-9511
Fax. (506) 22221-6795
Apdo. Postal: 10184-1000 San Jose
San Jose

Crediahorro, S.A.
Tel. (506) 22256-4110
Fax. (506) 22256-5634
E-Mail: cahorro@racsa.co.cr
Apdo. Postal: 184-2120
C. 3 Av 5 y 7, San Jose

B.F.A. Valores, S.A.
Tel. (506) 22223-0197
Calle Blancos, San Jose

Ban Crecen
Tel. (506) 22296-5601
Fax. (506) 22296-5305
Apdo. Postal: 10143-1000 San Jose
Sabana, San Jose

Banco Banex. S.A.
Tel. (506) 22257-0522
Fax. (506) 22256-0210
Website: www.banex.co.cr
Apdo. Postal: 7983-1000 San Jose
Av. 1, C. Ctrl, Edificio Banex, San Jose

Banco B.C.T., S.A.
Tel. (506) 22257-0544
Fax. (506) 22233-6833
San Jose

Banco B.F.A.
Tel. (506) 22299-0299
Fax. (506) 22296-0026
La Uruca, San Jose

Banco Cathay de Costa Rica, S.A.
Tel. (506) 22290-2233
Tel. (506) 22296-5721
Pavas, San Jose

Banco Central de Costa Rica
Tel. (506) 22243-3333
Fax. (506) 22243-3011
San Jose

Banco Centroamericano de Integracion Economica
Tel. (506) 2253-9394
Fax. (506) 2253-2161
San Pedro, San Jose

Banco Continental, S.A.
Tel. (506) 2257-1155
Fax. (506) 2257-1171
Barrio Tourn in, San Jose

Banco Cooperativo Costarricense, R.L.
Bancoop
Tel. (506) 2233-5044
Fax. (506) 2233-9661
Apdo. Postal: 8593-1000 San Jose
San Jose

Banco Credito Agricola de Cartago
Tel. (506) 2223-8855
Fax. (506) 2222-1911
Apdo. Postal: 5572-1000 San Jose
San Jose

Banco de Cofisa
Tel. (506) 2257-6363
Fax. (506) 2233-4594
Apdo. Postal: 10067-1000 San Jose
Urbanisacion Tourn ? n, San Jose

Banco de Comercio S.A.
Tel. (506) 2257-6010
Fax. (506) 2222-3706
Apdo. Postal: 1106-1000 San Jose
San Jose

Banco de Credito Centroamericano
Bancentro, S.A.
Tel. (506) 2280-5555
Fax. (506) 2280-5090
Apdo. Postal: 5099-1000 San Jose
San Jose

Banco Cusclatan de Costa Rica
Tel. (506) 2221-2845
Tel. (506) 2220-2140
C. 28 y 30 P. Col ? n, San Jose
San Jose

Banco de la Industria S.A.
Tel. (506) 2221-3335
Fax. (506) 2233-8383
San Jose

Banco del Istmo
Tel. (506) 2257-9511
Fax. (506) 2221-6795
Apdo. Postal: 10184-1000 San Jose
San Jose

Banco del Pacifico
Tel. (506) 2257-1344
Fax. (506) 2221-6795
Apdo. Postal: 5884-1000 San Jose
San Jose

Banco Federado R.L.
Tel. (506) 2283-5050
Fax. (506) 2253-4803
Apdo. Postal: 806-1000 San Jose
San Jose

Banco Finandesa, S.A.
Tel. (506) 2243-8900
Fax. (506) 2257-0051
C. 28 y 30 P. Col ? n, San Jose
San Jose

Banco Fincomer, S.A.
Tel. (506) 2233-7822
Fax. (506) 2222-0405
Apdo. Postal: 1220-1002
San Jose

Banco Hipotecario de la Vivienda
Tel. (506) 2253-0233
San Pedro, San Jose

Banco Improsa, S.A.
Tel. (506) 2257-0689
Fax. (506) 2223-7319
San Jose

Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo BID
Tel. (506) 2233-2543
San Jose

Banco Internacional de Costa Rica, S.A.
Tel. (506) 2243-1000
Fax. (506) 2223-7071
Apdo. Postal: 5762-1000 San Jose
Barrio Tourn , San Jose

Banco Metropolitano
Tel. (506) 2257-3030
Fax. (506) 2222-3460
Apdo. Postal: 6714-1000 San Jose
San Jose

Banco Popular y de Desarrollo Comunal
Tel. (506) 2257-5797
Fax. (506) 2255-1966
San Jose

Bantec
Tel. (506) 2290-8585
Fax. (506) 2290-4361
Apdo. Postal: 11164-1000 San Jose
La Uruca, San Jose

Cia. Financiera de Londres, Ltda
Tel. (506) 2258-3003
Fax. (506) 2221-2003
Apdo. Postal: 10290-1000 San Jose
San Jose

Dresdner Bank Lateinamerika AG
Tel. (506) 2220-4880
Fax. (506) 2220-4873
Sabana Sur, San Jose

Scotiabank Costa Rica S.A.
Tel. (506) 2287-8700
Fax. (506) 2255-3076
Apdo. Postal: 5395-1000 San Jose
E-Mail: scotia@racsa.co.cr
Website: www.scotiabank.com
Costado sur del club union, San Jose

BISCA Banco Internacional de Costa Rica
Tel. (506) 2257-0885
A special international bank with an office in a Miami bank.

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