Help with residency application

[msflsunshine]

Does anyone have any suggestions for help with completing residency applications? I have found ‘residency in costa rica’ on their website. Apparently (for a fee – unknown $ yet) they will process my application for residency in Costa Rica. I also understand that any applications in the system BEFORE March 1st will still qualify under the old $600 rules. Can anyone tell me how much I should expect to spend for help with this application from the US, and if my understanding of the ‘old’ vs ‘new’ requirements and dates are correct.

Any suggestions on other companies or individuals who help with residency and their validity? Thanks so much

[costaricafinca]

I would advise you to consider using the above site. It will be difficult now, to get your application in before the deadline, because you must have all the required paperwork, be finger printed here in CR, and copies of birth certificate in before your application can go ahead and like you, many are now just becoming aware of the change and many, many applications are being prepared.

[msflsunshine]

Thank you. I am ready with just about all requirements at my fingertips, except for the fingerprinting and police report, but can come to costa rica in a few days/weeks – already making plans. All else should be easy – birth certificate, passport, letters, etc. Your help is invaluable and I thank you so much.

Marie
[quote=”costaricafinca”]I would advise you to consider using the above site. It will be difficult now, to get your application in before the deadline, because you must have all the required paperwork, be finger printed here in CR, and copies of birth certificate in before your application can go ahead and like you, many are now just becoming aware of the change and many, many applications are being prepared.
Here is [url=http://www.therealcostarica.com/residency_costa_rica/costa_rica_residency.html]another site[/url] that offers good information and mentions the cost involved.[/quote]

[maravilla]

do you not have a passport? even if you applied tomorrow, it’s unlikely you would have it in time to beat this march 1 deadline. plus all the other documents have to be certified and authenticated, and that usually takes 4 – 6 weeks. i used residency in costa rica. they are very efficient, but if you don’t qualify under the monetary requirements, there isn’t much they can do for you after march 1. plus even after you get all your documents, they then have to be sent to the cr consulate, translated and authenticated again. it’s quite a lengthy process. expect to pay about $1600 for residency. you would be on quite a tight budget with that amount of money, especially if you had to pay rent. san jose will likely be more expensive that the outlying areas.

[DavidCMurray]

The Association of Residents of Costa Rica’s website says that their affiliated attorneys will process a [i]pensionado[/i] residency application for $870US. That may or may not be an updated figure, but if not, it’s probably close. We used one of those affiliated attorneys and have received superb service as have a number of folks we’ve referred to him.

That said, were it me, I’d be planning on meeting the new income requirements. If the attorneys and Immigration are backed up and your application under the old law isn’t accepted, you’ll be in the soup.

And maravilla is absolutely correct in saying that your income will be stretched very thin if you plan to live in the environs of San Jose. Outlying towns will be much less expensive for rent which will probably be your largest single expense. Even at that, $1,000US per month isn’t going to keep you in grand style.

[msflsunshine]

THank you all for your help. I did speak with Javier today who said that I only needed to get the process started with passport, birth certificate and finger prints started and in before March 1st to qualify under the old rules, but I have also been doing more research on the true cost of living in Costa Rica (rents in particular). i wasn’t expecting grande style and I do have other income (just not guaranteed more than $1000) so I wasn’t too concerned. I can’t live in Florida in ANY style on $1000 a month an have been spending savings at an enormous rate to stay here. Can anyone tell me how much I would have to pay for a 1 bedroom apartment in a SAFE place anywhere around San Jose? How much money do you think it takes to live (over and above rent) for one person – a young 55 year old?

Marie
[quote=”DavidCMurray”]The Association of Residents of Costa Rica’s website says that their affiliated attorneys will process a [i]pensionado[/i] residency application for $870US. That may or may not be an updated figure, but if not, it’s probably close. We used one of those affiliated attorneys and have received superb service as have a number of folks we’ve referred to him.

That said, were it me, I’d be planning on meeting the new income requirements. If the attorneys and Immigration are backed up and your application under the old law isn’t accepted, you’ll be in the soup.

And maravilla is absolutely correct in saying that your income will be stretched very thin if you plan to live in the environs of San Jose. Outlying towns will be much less expensive for rent which will probably be your largest single expense. Even at that, $1,000US per month isn’t going to keep you in grand style.[/quote]

[maravilla]

i don’t live any where near san jose, and my house is totally paid for, so all i need are living expenses, which, usually run about eight hundred a month, depending on whether or not my dogs have to go to the vets but that includes all my utilities, caja, food,hi speed internet, guard, and transportation and i usually have some money left over every month. we don’t live extravagantly but i didn’t live that way in the states either. on that $800 a month we have every thing we need and we don’t do without, but i doubt you could live that cheaply in san jose, and why would you want to live there anyway?

[costaricafinca]

Just realized when passport was mentioned and that you don’t have one, as yet. You mentioned you will be coming in Feb, but you must have one to get here in Feb but I highly doubt you will get one in time, unless it is [i]much faster[/i] in the USA than in Canada.

[maravilla]

it’s taking approx 6 weeks to get a passport in the States now. so you had better apply for one TODAY!!!

[msflsunshine]

I don’t know where someone got the idea I don’t even have a passport. I DO have a current US passport…. not a problem..
[quote=”maravilla”]it’s taking approx 6 weeks to get a passport in the States now. so you had better apply for one TODAY!!![/quote]

[msflsunshine]

I thank you all for your help. I am going to apply for residency – I am WELL traveled, and quite intelligent in my own way, just got back from 2 trips to Europe in the last 3 months…DO have income above the pension to cover my expenses and of course DO have a passport so I think I must have given someone the wrong idea in my past posts – I apologize for that 🙂

[jdocop]

post removed so as to avoid any risk of offending forum members.

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