Costa Rica provides all foreigners with a document called the "Foreigners' Immigration Identity Document (DIMEX)". A similar document is issued to refugees in application of Costa Rica 2011 Regulation on Refugees. 

Specifically, the Law on Migration and Foreigners at Article 108 provides that a recognized refugee will receive, from the General Directorate of Migration, an identification document that certifies their legal stay in the country. By virtue of this status, refugees will be able to engage in any type of paid or profitable work, either self-employed or as an employee.

The identification document for refugees must include the name, surname, gender, date of birth, nationality, fingerprints, validity, document number, file number, and the bearer's signature. The document shall have the same characteristics as the current migratory documentation without mentioning the refugee status of the bearer. The document will make reference to the freedom of status enjoyed by refugees, Article 57 of the Refugee Regulation. Costa Rican legislation does not provide for the issuance of an identity document to refugees when they do not have a valid travel document.  National legislation provides for the issuance of the DIMEX, which grants refugees an identification document for the pupose of regularizing their status in the country.

Asylum seekers are granted a provisional document, which temporarily regularizes their migratory status in the country and serves as a work permit. This ID is valid to access rights and services, even though many asylum-seekers report lack of recognition at the point of services.

The refugee document shall be established upon recognition of refugee status by the Commission of Restricted Visas and Refugees (CVRR). The document must include the bearer's name, surname, gender, date of birth, nationality, fingerprints, validity, document number, case number, and signature. The document shall have the same characteristics as other foreigners’ documentation without mentioning the refugee status of the bearer. 

As from January 2023, Circular DG-044-12-2022-DTOR, dated 23/12/2022 prescribes the start of a new Digital Immigration Identification Document for Foreign Persons (DIMEX). This is also applicable to refugees. DIMEX becomes a digital identification document in PDF format with a QR code containing non-sensitive information, which can be verified through an institutional website to authenticate the document and check its validity. 

The transition process toward issuance of this digital identification document will last two years, during which both the previous format and the new version of DIMEX will coexist.