Crime in Costa Rica

[jmi82060]

Hello to all in Costa Rica,
I have a question which needs an honest answer. I am a single mother with 5 children adopted from China and Ethiopia.

I get that Costa Rica is beautiful, and I like the culture. Schooling would be a challenge since I cannot afford a private school.

My main fear is the crime there. Is it really that bad?

We live in a small town and never lock our doors or take the keys out of the car. I grew up in a big city so I am used to the usual crime that occurs.

Will we have to live ever watching our backs? Will I not be able to have my children play outside? Must we be inside at night? How safe is it in the smaller towns in Costa Rica?

I am really attraced to San Carlos, but cannot find much information on crime and schools available.

Would appreciate if anyone has the time to make a comment. Thank you, Jeanne

[Andrew]

You can find tons of information in WeLoveCostaRica.com’s 3,900+ articles and in the tens of thousands of Discussion Forum threads…

1. For more information about crime, you will find the *article* [url=https://www.welovecostarica.com/members/programs/search.cfm ]Search engine for WeLoveCostaRica.com here.[/url]

2. The WeLoveCostaRica.com *Discussion Forum* is separate and has a separate [url=https://www.welovecostarica.com/members/cfmbb/search.cfm]Search engine here[/url] where you will also find a lot of information about crime.

3. Compared to the rest of Central America, Costa Rica’s crime rate is exceedingly low, in fact Costa Rica is the safest country in the region.

4. I have no idea how you are able to take care of five children alone, that’s not my business but Costa Rica immigration will certainly want to know how you plan on living here and if you can’t afford private schools then they’ll have to go to public schools where Spanish is most definitely the language and ‘if’ you’re lucky, the school may have a good English program too …

5. The other important matter you need to be thinking about is under what residency category you will be living here… If you can’t afford private schools, then residency under the inversionista category is probably not applicable. If you were able to adopt five children, I’m guessing it’s safe to assume that you are not “retired” so I’m not honestly sure whether you’d be able to get the right residency in order to live here…

6. As for the best location, as always, I would recommend you take an extended visit and have a good look around which may not be quite as easy as it sounds with five children.

7. How much time exactly have you spent in Costa Rica?

Best wishes

Scott

[jmi82060]

Thank you, Scott, for giving me some resources to go to. I thought I might qualify as a pensionado, but now I am not sure with the children. This includes a spouse, but does not mention children. The rentista category does include the whole family, but would be tough to have the required funds in the bank. The monthly amount would not be a problem.
I know, I know…must come and spend a year or so there to make a decision. Just needed to know if making this our new home would even be a possibiliy. Been thinking about Costa Rica for 10 years. Planning to visit in the spring. Thanks again.

[DavidCMurray]

[i]Pensionado[/i] residency approvals normally DO include all members of the immediate family — spouse and minor children. But to qualify, you must be able to demonstrate current receipt of an income in the amount of $1,000 per month which is [u]guaranteed for life[/u]. Many folks qualify on the basis of their Social Security Old Age benefit, or other governmental pension. Some lifetime annuities and private pensions are acceptable to Costa Rican Immigration on a case-by-case basis.

[costaricafinca]

While the guaranteed monetary requirement for [i]Pensionado[/i], is $1000 per month, there is [i]no way[/i] that this would be enough for a family of 6 to live on. Unless you have an ongoing, additional income please do not make any hasty decisions.

[DavidCMurray]

[quote=”costaricafinca”]. . .there is [i]no way[/i] that this [$1,000] would be enough for a family of 6 to live on.
[/quote]

That is the understatement of the week. Especially if you have visions of sending your children to private schools or owning a car, the minimum income requirement would never cover basic needs.

[VictoriaLST]

Yup, Dave and CRfinca are correct. And you will really want private schools if you don’t live in an urban area. Here in the rural areas, there are a lot of tiny (10-15 students) one room schools with little support for books/materials. You aren’t going to be satisfied with the quality of education you get.
Cost of living is also a huge issue – if you want an American standard. Look closely at your finances.

[costaricafinca]

If you are intending to send your children to university in the US, they will be required to attend an accredited school and the public ones will not fit the bill.

[url=ticotimes.com/costa-rica-reference/private-schools/]Accredited schools[/url]

A few weeks ago, the newspaper, [i]La Nación,[/i] posted that in nine high schools [b]not one student[/b] received a passing grade.

[maravilla]

and homeschooling is illegal.

[VictoriaLST]

Depends on what you call “home schooling”. Our local school day is short. You can teach anything you want to at home as long as the child also goes to school. And, in rural areas, a lot of children only get a few years of school before their families either need them at home or can’t afford the uniforms and books to keep them in school. Probably very different in the cities.

[maravilla]

i am talking about “home schooling” — as in teaching your children at home and NOT sending them to school. and just try not vaccinating your kids here. They will be yanked out of your home so fast.

[davidd]

[quote=”maravilla”]i am talking about “home schooling” — as in teaching your children at home and NOT sending them to school. and just try not vaccinating your kids here. They will be yanked out of your home so fast.[/quote]

Maravilla

do you have kids here???

I say this because.. honestly your talking out of your ass for lack of a better word 😀

this is a perfect example of how this wonderful thing called the internet works.. and people either that do NOT know the facts but regurgitate info they read somewhere before or a some soundbite somewhere.

I have alot of respect for you Maravilla so please don’t take ofense.

first off

[b]you can home school kids here. My sister in law did exactly that with her 3 kids..and there are many parents that do this. in the end they have to take a goverment school exams for all the materials to attain thier diplomas.[/b]

2nd

[b]if you don’t believe in vaccinations.. there is no law or if there is no way enforceable that will pull your kids from you and make them get vaccinated.[/b]

this country has not yet reached that goverment micromanaging level.. thank god

like the police state as back in the good ole U.S. of A.

david

PS. for an example of pulling your kids out of your house requires a call to PANI for some type of abuse or neglect

[maravilla]

i have friends who are leaving the country over these two issues, so i have some firsthand information from listening to their detailed accounts of the fights with PANI and other orgs and according to them, they can and will take your children and forcibly vaccinate them.

[costaricafinca]

You are wrong!
The public school will [b]not[/b] allow non vaccinated students in the public school system. This is not so, for [b]all[/b] private schools

Check out previous newspapers reports.

And [b]maravilla[/b] is correct. I too, had American neighbors who were forced to send their children to a public school because the were ‘home schooling’.

One of the Real estate agents who used to post on this forum, left the country due to ‘home schools issues’
One [b]may[/b] get away with the ‘home schooling; if you are only in the country for a short time. I have a friend who has 4 children and they do ‘home schooling’ but they return for many months at a time to the US where they attend ‘regular’ classes.

The parents also know that they could potentially, be charged or made to put all the children in school.

[maravilla]

I know the couple you are referring to and yes, they had serious issues with both the schooling and the vac issue.

so actually, i know TWO families who left because of these things.

and i have heard that they will do a home invasion type raid to take the children to have them vac’d. it’s the long arm of WHO reaching everywhere. thanks for your input. it does seem that some people get away with some things, but not all people and not on all issues.

[Author]

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