"Border hopping"

Why don't you simply apply for a status "Pensionado or whatever"?
You'd have to pay about $50. per month for health care, and skip all this border crossing stuff.

Parritaman, one doesn't 'just apply' for Pensionado status and be instantly awarded that elusive cedula!!! You must have a guaranteed for life pension of at least $1000 per month.
You are required to supply all the required paperwork, then proceed with your lawyers assistance, with an application. This will cost approx $2000 of which $1000 is the fees paid to the government. Your monthly CAJA fee is decided by a percentage of your declared pension, approx. 10-13%
Presently, it is taking between 18-24 months to receive a cedula so you will have to 'border hop' at least twice. Although once you have received the official paperwork, saying your application is in the system, you are not required to leave CR to renew your tourist visa, but if you wish to continues to drive using your home drivers license, you have to do this until your have a cedula in hand and your tourist visa has expired.

All that said, if you have chosen to live here, indefinitely, why not apply for Residency?

Exit tax of $5 per person starts Mon. 30th Nov. 2013 at all land border crossing

kohlerias wrote:

[edited by me]
You are required to supply all the required paperwork, then proceed with your lawyers assistance, with an application. This will cost approx $2000 of which $1000 is the fees paid to the government. Your monthly CAJA fee is decided by a percentage of your declared pension, approx. 10-13%
Presently, it is taking between 18-24 months to receive a cedula so you will have to 'border hop' at least twice. Although once you have received the official paperwork, saying your application is in the system, you are not required to leave CR to renew your tourist visa, but if you wish to continues to drive using your home drivers license, you have to do this until your have a cedula in hand and your tourist visa has expired.

So how long does it take - generally ? - to get one's papers that allow you NOT to have to leave the country every 90 days, when applying for pensionado status?

And so what you are saying re the drivers' license is that even though you are not legally required to leave the country because you have your residency processing and have proof of that, you still do have to leave in order to use your USA driver's license??

And can the border crossing people then choose to block you from entering because you are not a resident, thinking you are a "perpetual tourist"?

It seems to be taking between 18-24 months to receive your cedula. And if you wish to continue to drive and you are not in the possession of a CR license, you are required to continue to 'border hop'. Once you have your cedula in hand, you must then wait until your 'passport expires' then you can apply for a CR driving license.
The paperwork you receive does not say your application is approved, just that it is 'in the system' so a border official can stop anyone from entering CR if he so desires...or he may give you a 7 day visa.

kohlerias wrote:

It seems to be taking between 18-24 months to receive your cedula. And if you wish to continue to drive and you are not in the possession of a CR license, you are required to continue to 'border hop'. Once you have your cedula in hand, you must then wait until your 'passport expires' then you can apply for a CR driving license.
The paperwork you receive does not say your application is approved, just that it is 'in the system' so a border official can stop anyone from entering CR if he so desires...or he may give you a 7 day visa.

All I can say is "that seems crazy!".

So, what if you are processing your residency and they decide not to let you back in the country. What does one do then?

As to the driver's license I'm not sure what you are saying. You mean they won't give me a license for  Costa Rica and I have to keep crossing the border every 3 months until my USA passport expires?? That could be 10 years!!!

When you have acquired your cedula, and let's say there is 25 more days left until your tourist visa runs out, you have to wait until this visa stamp is in fact 'outdated', then you can apply for a Costa Rica DL the day after that ...
Any country in the world can decide that you are a persona non grata and deny you entry, at any time.

kohlerias wrote:

When you have acquired your cedula, and let's say there is 25 more days left until your tourist visa runs out, you have to wait until this visa stamp is in fact 'outdated', then you can apply for a Costa Rica DL the day after that ...
Any country in the world can decide that you are a persona non grata and deny you entry, at any time.

Thanks for the info.
Maybe any country in the world can deny you entry at any time, but in most countries it is not at the WHIM of a border officer, and would require a valid reason such as a crime having been committed.

But yeah, I understand that in some less then "1st world" countries the laws, rules and regulations are sometimes enforced willy nilly and you are indeed at the whim of government agents in many cases, some of whom may be drunk on power - or perhaps just drunk ;-D.

When a border official looks at someones passport they possibly will be looking for multiple entries, so may decide this person is a perpetual tourist...and we know that that is frowned on
I did know personally, one person that had been refused re-entry as they were known to have been operating a business, while not a legal resident. It was a well known B&B plus a catering business and it was no secret who did the work. This was many years ago.
Now, if you arrive in Costa Rica by air, and you cannot produce a return ticket when asked by Immigration, and do not the have the funds to purchase this ticket, you will be 'escorted' and put on the next plane out.

kohlerias wrote:

When a border official looks at someones passport they possibly will be looking for multiple entries, so may decide this person is a perpetual tourist...and we know that that is frowned on
I did know personally, one person that had been refused re-entry as they were known to have been operating a business, while not a legal resident. It was a well known B&B plus a catering business and it was no secret who did the work. This was many years ago.
Now, if you arrive in Costa Rica by air, and you cannot produce a return ticket when asked by Immigration, and do not the have the funds to purchase this ticket, you will be 'escorted' and put on the next plane out.

This story is practically legend! Since you knew the person I am curious:
Did this person who was basically kicked out of Costa Rica for working in his own business, do something to gain the dislike of someone who had this done to him or was it just random?
And was he or she ever allowed back in Costa Rica?

I am inclined to believe he/she must have done something that brought attention on himself beyond just working in  Costa Rica at his own business because there are MANY - many! - expats who do this, and this is the only story I've ever heard of one not being allowed re-entry because of working at their own business. I even know of people who have web sites and are well known in the expat community, yet they seem to have no problems and have been doing it for 10 or 20 or more years!

My guess is some employee or neighbor made a stink about this person and forced someone's hand to do something about this "technically illegal" activity.

He wasn't kicked out...he just wasn't let back in. Denied entry for 10 years.
His business collapsed as his employees 'removed' everything.
I do know of others that have been 'picked' up and taken by immigration when found working, some in their own businesses, and lawyers got involved. Some were temporary residents but not yet legally permitted to work, i.e. Permanent Residents.

This is why you are 'required' to deposit a further $300+ when you have been granted Residency, which is the funds to pay for your exit ticket if immigration decide you are no longer welcome in the country.

I suspect this has happened to more than any of us know...

If you do choose to work illegally, you are taking a chance, so you alone must weigh the consequences.

Kohlerias, not to be too argumentative, but there is little difference between "kicked out" and not allowed to come back in for 10 years. The results are basically  the same.

As to your suspecting this happens more than any of us know, I am doubtful of that. I guess you say it based on your experience in one direction and I say the opposite based on what I have seen and heard so neither of us are "wrong", we just see it differently.

Like I say, I have known people doing this since 1990 and still know people doing it. Again, I suspect it requires that you piss some Tico(s) off and they then retaliate by filing a demanda or whatever it's called. Not that it doesn't also happen "organically" without pissing someone off; but I heard in at least 2 cases that that is what led to this action being taken. The people I have personally known who run hotels and work in Costa Rica as developers and so on are people who also employ quite a few Ticos, who give back to the community and are generally well liked. Then again I know a couple a-holes who also work in  Costa Rica and have NOT been denied re-entry over the course of 15-30 years.

I do agree with this: "If you do choose to work illegally, you are taking a chance, so you alone must weigh the consequences."

On the same subject, Didn't they now make the law so that legal residents CAN work in Costa Rica? Or was that something they were going to do that didn't get written into the law?

Once you have gained Permanent residency, you can work. Or if you get a work visa.
A frustrated ex-pat who 'is doing things right' is just as likely to report you for working as a Tico. Physically working in a business when immigration is performing the 'checks' catch some too.

Samramon,

I agree with you, Kohlerias is just speculating and not basing his comments in any facts. Let me give you some facts:

First of all, it is difficult to estimate the number of perpetual tourist in Costa Rica because they are living here ilegaly. However, we can have a conservative estimate of 20,000 US nationals living as tourist in Costa Rica based on DGME statistics. There is an estimate of over half a million foreigners living in Costa Rica, including legal and illegal immigrants. Of all of this people, only 748 were deported in 2012. The vast majority of deportees were from Nicaragua and only 37 were from the US. The number of US deportees as you can see is very low.

Now, in relation to the rejections, in 2012, 3.25 million people entered Costa Rica, but only 7,593 were rejected. Not surprisingly, 5,902 of those rejections were for Nicaraguans in the northern border and only 160 rejections were for US nationals.

As of December 31, 2012, there were 18,250 US nationals living legally in Costa Rica, which adds up to almost 40k when we factor in the estimate for illegal immigrants. In this case, having 37 deportations and 160 rejections is a pimple in the scheme of things. So, as you noted, kohlerias is inflating the situation out of proportion.

I do not suggest living in any country illegally. I have worked all of my career doing immigration law all over the Americas, and whether it is in the US, Canada, Argentina, Brazil or Costa Rica, being illegal is tough. My suggestion is for any person to obtain legal status. There is always a way.

First of all, it is difficult to estimate the number of perpetual tourist in Costa Rica because they are living here ilegaly.
I disagree with this statement. A tourist with a current visa is not here illegally. And this is coming from a so called lawyer.

rendrag,

I appreciate your skepticism. I am glad to let you know that I am not a so called lawyer, I am in fact a lawyer. I went to Law School both in the US and in CR. Please note that a tourist visa is not meant for long stays such as living in a country. It is only meant for short stays. Therefore, if you want to live legally in Costa Rica, you need to have any of the categories designated for longer stays. Otherwise, you will be living here illegally. The fact that you have legal status does not mean that you are living here legally.

If you would like to discuss further, I will be glad to have a cup of coffee with you and answer any inquiries you may have about Costa Rican Law an immigration.

It is not nor has it ever been illegal to be a tourist in Costa Rica. Just like ARCR, if you have something to sell, tell them it's not legal.

rendrag,

Unfortunately, you do not know what you are talking about.

I can only agree with one thing, it is not illegal to be a tourist. However, if a person decides to stay permanently in Costa Rica, it cannot be considered a tourist anymore. That is not the purpose of the tourist visa.

Immigration Regulations define a Tourist as a person who is visiting for leisure purposes only, not a person who is planning on getting a job, opening a bank account, pay insurance, get a cell phone, rent a house.

Although, there are thousands of people living here as tourist, and while a tourist visa is a valid legal status, they are not in compliance of the law because they are using a legal status for a purpose different to what it was initially intended.

There is a distinction between being in country illegally and living in the country illegally. Although the perpetual tourist may be in the country legal, they are living here illegally. I am telling you this not from a personal perspective, but from a legal perspective. You can disagree all you want. Regardless whether you agree or not, you cannot take away the fact that there are tons of people who are receiving fewer than the 90 days visas at the border and that the Costa Rican government is taking steps to stop the perpetual tourism.  And the reason why the government is doing it, is because from a legal perspective, they are living here illegally.

I personally believe that everybody should have the freedom to live wherever they want. But my believes are not a reflection of the status quo of Costa Rican immigration, or any other country for that matter.

I am not here to blow my own horn. As a matter of fact, our law firm has an initiative for foreigners to petition the government to relax the immigration regulations for the people who are in the limbo between perpetual tourism and permanent residence.  This initiative is a pro bono project. Until that happens if it happens, we suggest people to put their papers in order. There are plenty of options for people to become residents or obtain other status. In order to do so, they should consult an immigration attorney. I am not interested in promoting our services here because it is contrary to the bylaws of expat-blog, but I encourage people to reach an immigration attorney. At the same time, I encourage people to refrain from hiring a relocation company or an entity such as ARCR, as they are not attorneys. You can locate a significant number of attorneys at the US Consulate website.

Regards,

Rafael Valverde

Rafael, well said!
For everyone to be able to live where they choose is just not possible. Every country has their requirements and one must apply for permission to live there, if they intend to stay there for the long term.  Why should one expect Costa Rica to be any different?

From AM Costa Rica Oct.5,2012. A quote from Freddy Montero Mora, Deputy Director General of Immigration.                    “So if you stay one month more, you won't be allowed to enter for three months,” said Freddy Montero Mora, deputy director general of immigration.  “If you stay a full year, you can't come back for three years.”

Montero said border employees do not check for traffic tickets at the border.  That was in response to news stories elsewhere that said persons who owe traffic tickets will not be allowed to reenter the county. He also said that the agency does not have the tools to crack down on so-called perpetual tourists.

If a person leaves the country within the visa period and has the correct documentation, immigration agents will not bar them from returning.  A perpetual tourist is a foreigner who lives here and renews a tourist visa, usually every 90 days, by traveling outside the country.

“If you want to keep leaving and coming back, that's your decision,” he said. His comments were perhaps the most clear ever uttered on the subject by an immigration official.

So the lawyer has no comment? Very strange indeed.

Article today on qcostarica regarding this issue.

kohlerias wrote:

Article today on qcostarica regarding this issue.

I'm not sure if the qcostarica site is down or if the link is bad, but whatever the case may be I couldn't get to the article.

Outlier Legal Services wrote:

[edited for emphasis by me]

...
As a matter of fact, our law firm has an initiative for foreigners to petition the government to relax the immigration regulations for the people who are in the limbo between perpetual tourism and permanent residence.  This initiative is a pro bono project. Until that happens if it happens, we suggest people to put their papers in order. There are plenty of options for people to become residents or obtain other status.

What "other" status are you referring to that would allow people to stay in  Costa Rica legally other than residency?

I applaud you for your petition to relax the immigration regulations. What is the status of that petition?

Outlier Legal Services wrote:

In order to do so, they should consult an immigration attorney. I am not interested in promoting our services here because it is contrary to the bylaws of expat-blog, but I encourage people to reach an immigration attorney. At the same time, I encourage people to refrain from hiring a relocation company or an entity such as ARCR, as they are not attorneys. You can locate a significant number of attorneys at the US Consulate website.

I'm not a big fan of ARCR myself, but have heard they do a pretty good job of helping people become residents. It is my understanding that they refer people to attorneys they work with, they don't do the work themselves.

Sam Ramon,

There are a number of issues that we are trying to tackle. One of them is regarding "snow bears" (I never got it right whether it was snow birds or snow bears). There are lots of people who come to CR for only the winter, exceeding the 90day mark. We would like to see a "visa" category allowing to extend the 90 day visa without having to cross a border, particularly if the person owns real estate in Costa Rica. Another issue we are trying to tackle is about driver's license. Under the law, people have the right to obtain a DL regardless of the the status, but they are giving people a hard time about this.  Please note that this is not related to validating a foreign DL. These are only two examples of the different battles we are trying to fight.
About the status? We are filing a complaint this month with the Supreme Court related to the access to healthcare,. Last month we won a battle with Banco Nacional for not wanting to open a bank account for people with applications pending. It is a slow process and we are trying to proselytize the cause, but very few people care.

About ARCR, I have heard both good and terrible stories. I do not know their internal structure, but I cannot recommend them to provide immigration services as they are not a law firm.

Could you please clarify your statement "Under the law, people have the right to obtain a DL regardless of the the status, but they are giving people a hard time about this."  We recently obtained our "Comprobante Tramite Migratorio" and we were informed by our lawyer and the police that we cannot apply for our Costa Rica driver's licenses until we have obtained our Cedula.  In the meantime we are able to drive under our Alberta, Canada driver's license which is only valid according to the length of time stamped in our passport when we enter Costa Rica.  If for example we have a 90 day stamp we are allowed to stay in the country without repercussions due to having our Comprobante Tramite Migratorio but when our ninety day stamp expires we are no longer permitted to drive.

TerrynViv,

You need to read more carefully, my comment says: "Under the law, people have the right to obtain a DL regardless of the the status, but they are giving people a hard time about this.  Please note that this is not related to validating a foreign DL". I reemphasize that this is NOT RELATED TO VALIDATING A FOREIGN DL. In your comments you are talking about validation, which is not my point.

I have to be frank with you, I  was initially hesitant to share this information with you, primarily because you are a client of ARCR, and I believe that since you have so much faith in that organization, you should then get your answers from them and "their attorneys".

Nevertheless, the projects that we are developing under the National Expat Association and Outlier Legal Services are for the benefit of the immigrant population at large regardless of race, nationality, gender, religion, political views or income levels. If you want to learn more about the law regarding the Drivers Licenses, please visit our blog at outlierlegal.wordpress.com

Sincerely,

Rafael Valverde

I am duly chastised for not reading more carefully.  I have my "Comprobante Tramite Migratorio" so was not asking about validating my foreign license.  I was asking a reply to your statement "Under the law, people have the right to obtain a DL regardless of the the status"  If I have the right to apply regardless of my stautus why I am being denied that right when I have my "Comprobante Tramite Migratorio".  I don't know how I can make this any clearer as I cannot read more carefully.  I have read your posted blog and find it to be more of an advertisement of your services.  Perhaps if you do not wish to post an appropriate response to a question on this forum then you should take out a paid adverstisement rather than using this forum for free.  I have asked my PAID lawyer this question and WAS interested in your reply.
(and by the way, my lawyer has nothing to do with ARCR, he is of the firm I retained to form my corporation and said firm just completed my residency application in record time)

More information on this website Driving in Costa Rica
Seems the same requirements  apply in Panama and Nicaragua.

TerrynViv,

For you to understand the right to obtain a DL you will need to understand the difference between validating a foreign DL and applying for a DL for the first time.

In your case, I do not understand why you have a problem since your residency was approved, which means that you should already have your DIMEX. The  COSEVI has no issues validating foreign DLs once you have your DIMEX. However, the COSEVI is currently refusing to acknowledge the "application receipt" for people who have filed an application with the DGME and the application is currently pending and do not yet have a DIMEX. I have a problem with this particular issue, because the way that the law is framed, "application receipts" (comprobantes) should suffice for people to validate their foreign DLs. We are currently fighting to have the "application receipts" acknowledged as provided in the law, so that expats can validate their foreign DLs. Please understand that this particular issue is about validating foreign DLs, is not about obtaining a DL as a first time applicant, which is a very different issue.

Please note that we are not in the business of obtaining DLs. We are currently fighting the DL issues (as well as so many other issues) on a pro bono basis, and it is for the benefit of the immigrant community at large.

I do not understand how showing foreigners that they have certain rights and to advocate for the protection and recognition of those rights is an advertisement for legal services.

Regards,

Rafael Valverde

Let me share my "perpetual tourist" experience entering Costa Rica at Juan Santa Maria Airport last Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014:

I had a print-out for a return ticket to the US dated April 24th. (Spirit Airlines wouldn't have let me board the flight from the US without one.) My passport is full of stamps in & out over the course of several years, but I only over-stayed once, in 2011. (Due to my father's illness.) The immigration official asked me how long I was staying (in English). I replied until April 24th. He didn't ask to see proof of my plans, so I didn't show my ticket print-out. Rather, he started asking me detailed questions about where my residence was, saying & his wife owned a lot near there & were waiting for approval to build, etc. I think he was telling the truth, but I also felt he was probing for information. When I looked at my passport later, I saw he had given me only 30 DAYS! This probably was deliberate on his part, but he may have misunderstood my departure date. This development is a major inconvenience for me, of course. I need the freedom to move back & forth between both countries, as this will be a year of transition for me.

My father recently died--here in Costa Rica--& in 2014, I plan to be in both Costa Rica & the US to settle things. I spent my time here taking care of his affairs & on my own interests, not working. Being too young for a pension or anything of that nature, I don't qualify for residency. (I pay for heath care & insurance privately.) Eventually, I'll apply for residency--in Panama, where working is more feasible. For now, I have the resources to stay put, while I settle his estate & get back into the working world on-line, or during stays in the US. But what should I do in the mean time? Any advice from all of you in expat-blog land is welcome.

3 things occur to me:

1) Show up for my flight out on April 24th with my expired visa, present the death certificate & display the urn full of ashes, throwing myself on their mercy. (I'm moving to a smaller place in a different area well before the visa expires, so will not be found in the locale the official asked questions about.)

2) Go to the Immigration Office with my ticket, the death certificate & my passport & request an extension.

3) Make a quick, very cheap, bus trip over the border to Nicaragua for more than 72 hours  & take my chances on the way back--ticket print-out in my hand, death certificate in reserve.

What do you think? Has anyone had any experiences that may give me a clue as to what to do? I have several weeks to think about it--ONLY!

La Mariposa, sorry for your loss.
Since the death certificate will be a few months old, it may not be acceptable.  You should read this although I would expect you have already done so, and suggest to check beforehand, with your airline, just in case they require any other paperwork in order to transport the ashes 'home'.
I would suggest going to Nicaragua, but you are not required to spend the night there, just long enough to have your Passport stamped, unless the official tells you otherwise. Just purchase the required  return bus  ticket.
Renewing your tourist visa in Panama will be even worse than your airport experience.
By then you will be required to purchase an exit ticket, $7, but this is not yet available at the  border … so be prepared.

LaMariposa,

Our condolences for the passing of your father.

You can request an extension of your 30 day for additional 60 days. This way you can get the maximum 90 days that you are allowed by law. You can request the extension along with the paperwork demonstrating your current circumstances.

The requirements for the extension are:

a. Cover Letter
b. 380 colones for stamps
c. Certified copy of all pages of your passport.
d. Two passport size photographs
e. To demonstrate that you have funds to remain in the country. (generally, $300 in cash will do)
f. $100 fee for the application for the extension.

You should do this prior to the expiration of your 30 days visa. You can do it at any of the immigration offices in the country.

Good Luck!

Thank you for your kind thoughts & advice. Yes, I'm aware of the requirements for "exporting" the ashes... the Polini funeral home told me how to go about it. Will have all paperwork in hand before departure--well before!

Have no thought of going to the Panamanian border. I know the horrors of that personally & have heard about some outrageous recent developments. If I left, it would be to Nicaragua. I know about the 1-day rule, but in practice...the 72 hours is about the duty-free allowance, so I've always felt that's the safest course. Anyway, why not enjoy a few days in a different place, if a trip has to happen? (My reference to Panama concerns residency, in the future, not this year.)

I think the first thing to do is what Outlier says--follow the P & Qs to ask for the other 60 days that are legally available. (Many thanks for outlining the process, a big help.) That said, are there any Immigration Offices that are BETTER or WORSE with respect to the treatment of supplicants such as myself? I'd be interested to know if I'm likely to get a warm welcome or a cold shoulder, BEFORE choosing which one to go to! I live in the Central Valley, near Grecia, FYI. This path will cost a bit of money, but so would a trip of any variety.

Speaking of costs..."all pages of your passport certified"--how much does that cost & who does it?

All input much appreciated, La Mariposa

I was told that the US Embassy charges $50 to notarize a (1) document, so to pay this amount for every page in your passport, it would be expensive, if indeed is the case. I don't know whether notarized and certified is considered to be the same...
Check to see it is acceptable a CR lawyer to it, for less.
Possibly Rafael Valverde of 'Outlier Legal Services' will be able to answer your question.

LaMariposa,

You have two options for the certified copy of the passport:

1. To pay a notary public in your town to certify a copy of your passport. It should cost $30 USD
2. To bring the regular copies with your passport to the immigration department when filing the application. The clerk receiving your documents will compare the copies with the original passport in order to certify that it is a true copy of the original. It does not cost a dime.

Kohelrias, the 50$ charged for notarizing a document at the US Embassy means having this done by a US Notary Public, usually for some US-related purpose. So that's not what the Costa Rican "Migra" wants. (It's good for us to be aware that this service is available, however--expensive, but still cheaper than trip to Miami!)

I think Outlier answered the question--it means a Costa Rican notary OR an immigration official, for this particular purpose. Probably shelling out the fee for a local notary will save some time standing around the office in lines. Also, I would feel more comfortable if I had everything in order before entering the office! The process sounds reasonable enough, however.

The only immigration office I'm aware of is the one across from Hospital Mexico on the highway between SJ & Alajuela. Hope they aren't too mean & nasty over there...

Thank you both for the further input.

Glad it looks to be a relatively inexpensive and easy solution.
Again, good luck.

Outlier Legal Services wrote:

Sam Ramon,

There are a number of issues that we are trying to tackle. One of them is regarding "snow bears" (I never got it right whether it was snow birds or snow bears). There are lots of people who come to CR for only the winter, exceeding the 90day mark. We would like to see a "visa" category allowing to extend the 90 day visa without having to cross a border, particularly if the person owns real estate in Costa Rica. Another issue we are trying to tackle is about driver's license. Under the law, people have the right to obtain a DL regardless of the the status, but they are giving people a hard time about this.  Please note that this is not related to validating a foreign DL. These are only two examples of the different battles we are trying to fight.
About the status? We are filing a complaint this month with the Supreme Court related to the access to healthcare,. Last month we won a battle with Banco Nacional for not wanting to open a bank account for people with applications pending. It is a slow process and we are trying to proselytize the cause, but very few people care.

About ARCR, I have heard both good and terrible stories. I do not know their internal structure, but I cannot recommend them to provide immigration services as they are not a law firm.

Rafael, if I understand what you are saying correctly it is that a visitor to Costa Rica or someone in the process of applying for residence "Should" by law be able to apply for a  Costa Rica drivers' license and then drive legally regardless of not validating their foreign license? Do I understand this correctly?

And so your firm is trying to force  Costa Rica government to abide by their own law in allowing us visitors to apply for a Costa Rica drivers' license?

Also regarding the banking:
So you are saying that it should be legal for anyone to open a bank account but that the banks are NO LONGER allowing this due to agreements with the USA or whoever? I know I myself was a victim of this new law or new "regulation" whereas the banks no longer allow me to open an account in CR, which makes it more difficult for me to deal with taking care of a property there while living in the U.S..

Good luck with all this lobbyiing on behalf of us!

One thing is that you sound very negative regarding ARCR and while I'm not a fan of them I think it makes you look bad to bad mouth them or not want to help people who are involved with them. The fact is many people are helped by them and they are your competitor in a sense that they recommend people to attorneys that they work with, but they themselves do not practice law. They also advocate for visitors and people who are becoming residents, as you do, so I don't see why there is so much hostility towards them. If someone asks you a question on a forum you should just answer it, regardless of what organization or attorney they are working with. In my humble opinion.

And as I said before, I for one appreciate your advocating for visitors and those who are in the process of seeking residency, as well as your participation in this forum.

Re "perpetual tourism" : It seems ludicrous to me that if one is in the process for applying for residency and one has shown real intent to emigrate to Costa Rica and be a legal resident, that one still has to leave the country every 90 days, not only to get their foreign license renewed but to be able to remain in  Costa Rica while the ridiculously slow process of becoming a resident takes place.

Maybe I'm crazy but it seems to me  Costa Rica should allow people to stay in  Costa Rica while their residency is being processed, without having to leave the country. I have experience with people becoming legal residents of the USA and I can't imagine if they told them they had to leave every 90 days! It's just crazy to expect people to do that while waiting on the government to slowly process their paper work!

LaMariposa wrote:

Kohelrias, the 50$ charged for notarizing a document at the US Embassy means having this done by a US Notary Public, usually for some US-related purpose. So that's not what the Costa Rican "Migra" wants. (It's good for us to be aware that this service is available, however--expensive, but still cheaper than trip to Miami!)

I think Outlier answered the question--it means a Costa Rican notary OR an immigration official, for this particular purpose. Probably shelling out the fee for a local notary will save some time standing around the office in lines. Also, I would feel more comfortable if I had everything in order before entering the office! The process sounds reasonable enough, however.

The only immigration office I'm aware of is the one across from Hospital Mexico on the highway between SJ & Alajuela. Hope they aren't too mean & nasty over there...

Thank you both for the further input.

I'm sorry for your loss.
And I'm also sorry the border agent chose to screw you on your 90 days and gave you only 30.
I understand Costa Rica not wanting perpetual tourists but then again Americans are bringing a lot of money into their country and I think they should also consider that it's good for their economy.

Anyway I hope you get everything worked out. It does sound to me like your best bet would be to go ahead and try to get your 30 days changed to 90, legally. I imagine that if you tell them why they will cooperate with you. Good luck!