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Renewal of "residente pensionado" cards

Last activity 08 July 2016 by ERMAC

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ERMAC

We will soon need to reniew our "cedula" and I was wondering if anyone (we are Canadians) have done it lately, through BCR, and what documents were requested.
We have looked in many internet sites, and all of them show different requirements.
I understand the process has improved, but still wondering what is requested.  Thank you all for your help.
M-C

pebs

I have been renewing mine for 26 years now without a big deal..I am a Brit with duel US Citizenship but think it is the same for all ex pats.Just take your current  Permenant res. card  to the Immigration office (There is one just on the outskirts of Heredia. I  never needed any extra paperwork,,Not even my passport , and they give a 5 year extension as needed.I just did it 2 months ago..Good Luck

GuestPoster0987

A friend of ours tried to renew his Pensionado Residency at BCR recently, but he ran into a glitch, requiring him to now make an appointment at Migracion.  They claimed that the pension funds must be deposited into a CR bank, but that was not a requirement for him previously.  They said he must go to Migracion if he cannot meet that requirement.  If you do have a pension deposited into a CR bank, you should be ok.  My wife and I renewed our Rentista Residency at BCR recently and did not encounter any problems.  We had to provide the following: original and copy of current cedulas, current CCSS cards, passports, and a receipt showing current  payment to CAJA; and a bank statement relating to our rentista deposits.  (Rentista does require that funds be deposited into a CR bank.)  It took a few weeks for our new cedulas to arrive at our local post office.

ERMAC

Thank you Pebs and redbeard !
Redbeard, that is what I am worried about.  Since Canada do not have a  tax treaty (something along that line) with Costa Rica, my military pension cannot be deposit directly in my BCR bank account.  But it was not an issue when we applied for our pensionado residency.  I also read on the internet that a letter from the bank describing that you have "spent" the required 12000.00 $ USD was enough.  It can get very confusing.

kohlerias

No Canadian pension can be direct deposited here, but you can get a letter from a local accountant showing you have the same 'guaranteed for life' amount that was stated in your 'Pensionado amount'  application. The $1200 amount stated in your example, would be for a $1200 declared  pension, so if you have a pension of $2000 a month, that has to be the same amount.

We were recently  required to produce copies of current cedulas, current CCSS cards, passports, and a receipt showing current  payment to CAJA at our recent renewal at BCR. We received our new cedulas in 4 weeks.

ERMAC

Thank you Kohlerias,

Pretty consistent.  I was under the impression that the 12 000.00$ USD a year was a set amount of money you have to spend here per year.  So I gatther that if I get a letter from our governement stating that I receive a pension for life (same as the original application for Pensionado) it should do ? Which would bring me to another question.  Would it have to be notarise/legalised by the Canadian Embassy ?  If a simple letter from a local accountant would work, that would be even easier.

kohlerias

I would suggest that you phone the Canadian Embassy and ask if they would do this, although I don't think they will ...

I would print out your Canadian bank deposits or the letter showing the pension amount...just in case either is needed...along with the notarized letter from the accountant first, as I'm sure that will be easier to do.
Else take it to the immigration office  in Liberia.

ERMAC

Kohlerias,

You are a bundle of knowledge !  Thank you so much.  I didn't even know there was an immigration office in Liberia.  I thought only San Jose had an offce there.  So much closer for us than San Jose.  We might just stop by and ask some questions.  I am sure there is an "inquiry desk"..........

kohlerias

A very small inquiry desk in a very small office. It is located 'more or less' across from the mall where the movie theater is located at the end of one of the new overpasses , but the staff is very helpful. Go early in the morning.

kohlerias

Found directions for you...although disregard the the 'reference to 'Burger King 500 metros al sur carretera de San José' as the Burger King is gone...but the sign is still there. ;)

ERMAC

Great, thank you Kohlerias, we will find it !  We know where the mall is and also where the Burger King was, so it should be all right.  Thank you for the direction.  M-C

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