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you said you had done research and concluded that there was no way you could live here legally. that is a HUGE obstacle, in fact it is huger than huge. are your children bi-lingual? putting them in a public school will give them a good dose of culture shock if they cannot communicate. private schools are very expensive here. it really does not appear that you have done enough research because you would know that for three people it is going to cost you at least $1500 to $2000 a month to live in a safe area, get your kids in school, buy an over-priced car, shell out all the cash to get settled. 7 years ago this place was a cheap place to move to. not so anymore at all. everything is nearly doubled and that includes electricity rates, phone, etc. Developing countries are really not the place you run to and think you can wing it — there are more rules and regs here than any place i have ever lived. it would be a shame to see your dream turn into a nightmare, which it has done for many people. i can’t even count the number of people i’ve met in 7 years who couldn’t hack this place for more than a year or so. you really need to come here, check it out, and then make your decision. you may discover that paradise has its downside.
Okay, Kim, let’s recap . . .
You are resolved not to marry a Costa Rican in order to gain the right to remain here indefinitely. And you understand that, as a “perpetual tourist”, you must leave the country at the end of every visa period (a maximum of 90 days but it could be much less) and you may not be permitted to re-enter. What will become of your belongings and the cat?
You understand that, at least as a massage therapist, even if you could work legally you probably could not support yourself and your daughters. And you are resolved not to work here illegally, so at the earliest, you could work as a Permanent Resident after three years as a temporary resident plus processing delays — about five years altogether.
You have said that you do not have the resources to qualify for legal residency, so the temporary/Permanent residency thing isn’t going to happen anyway.
I’m afraid that the answer to the question you posed in the title to this discussion thread, “How Do I Make It Happen?” is that you cannot.
Yes David that is an accurate recap! You are correct it is not possible…I do have some income from the US of about 750 a month but that does not get me to the 1000 I would need to become a resident. So I am now in search of another country that may not be as difficult to become a resident or work in.
Thanks to all for your input.most countries have just as strict requirements. mexico is one of them, and almost all the other latin america countries have similar policies and some have even higher income requirements, and those requirements have to be verified and they usually have to be a “for life” kind of thing, not something like child support which has an end date. whatever country you choose to investigate, go there first before making any decision about living there. a two-week vacation doesn’t even begin to mirror what life on a daily basis is like in a foreign country. also, you should investigate whether your children’s father will allow them to leave the country (if he has any say in their upbringing). that is a whole other bureaucrazy hurdle. good luck in your quest.
maravilla, you make two important points that are worth reiterating. First, the income requirement is, indeed, [u]for life[/u]. No end-dated income stream (such as child support) will suffice.
And, too, removing the children of a divorce from the state of their residence or from the United States is a legal matter which requires the permission of the other parent in most cases and of the court which supervises the custody of those children.
The last thing anyone with children needs is to take them out of the country and find himself or herself in the legal status of a parental kidnapper.
There was a posting on another forum this past week, from a single mother with sons, 7 and 9, who was has lived and worked in Roatan for 13 years and was asking for similar information on moving here because she couldn’t afford the private education she felt was necessary.
Again, raising children anywhere is getting more expensive, everywhereKim – where do you live now? Is it really a question of “escaping” from where you are for some reason(s) or a true desire to come to CR?
There are many beautiful places in the US, some “tropical”, that may offer you a better opportunity for employment and education for your kids, and you can always come to CR for extended vacation(s). Then, after the kids are out of public school and off to their own lives (college or work) CR will still be here and things may be a little easier for you to make the move.
Take the time to visit CR and other countries, there may be places and lifestyles you like better than what you perceive it to be here.
Keep searching, and you’ll find a place and a way!
crbKim…..by all means come and see for yourself if Costa Rica is the country of your dreams. It is not paradise but I wouldn’t live any other place. Don’t let the nay sayers scare you away. I really wonder why some on this forum are so negative. Maybe they just don’t want to share the secret. Maybe you will meet the Tico of your dreams and all will be solved. Nothing worth doing is easy. I say, go for it but be careful.
i really don’t get why people think pointing out the obvious is being negative. there are many many things to consider when moving here with children. the primary one is having the funds to live here and the origin of those funds if you are not able to legally work. then there is resiidency and all the headaches and paperwork that come with that little adventure. relying on meeting the Tico of one’s dreams is a bit farfetched — what does a single mother do in the meantime? did you just pack a bag or two and move on down to Costa Rica with nary a thought to these issues? i doubt it.
You are exactly right, maravilla. Too often, people, especially people pursuing a dream, simply don’t consider all the implications of what they have in mind. And too often they don’t take good advice.
Telling it like it is isn’t being negative. It’s simply being truthful.
In Kim’s case, anyone who suggests that she just pack up and move to Costa Rica without any workable plan for what she’ll do, what she’ll have to do, and what she will not be allowed to do once she steps off the plane is leading her down the garden path to a very bad experience. Telling her what she’ll be up against is doing her a favor. If the news isn’t good, at least it’s truthful.
moving to ANY foreign country is not the same as moving to a neighboring state. poorly thought out decisions are partyly to blame for the expat exodus.
I’m all in favour of people taking calculated risks, following their dreams and “going for it” even when the odds are against them but, I certainly would not encourage someone to take those risks when they are solely responsible for the safety and wellbeing of two very young girls…
Scott
Due diligence is paramount. In my foreign country relocations, I researched every aspect of the country, that I could obtain. Then, I prepared a list of the positive, negative and a “My Expectations List.” These lists have helped me to adapt and adjust to foreign relocations and cultures.
Absolutely;
I have traveled and lived in many countries but with a CAVEAT.
The US Gov. sent me there and I had a paychech, roof over my head, medical, dental and FREE school for my kids.
France, Germany, Spain, Panama, Costa Rica and Mejico were home for some time and all payied by tax money while I served in the US military.
Every time I would have a move I prepared my kid’s which were born in Germany, Panama and Costa Rica in that order and their question was always “WHY do we have to move again”. Then after 6 months in the NEW place they settled down.
If you are not exposed to this environment you could not posible understand the consequences.
I never had the GEOGRAPHIC escape, meaning that if I left this place my problems would stay behind and I could start a NEW life. Deal with your personal problems and FIX them before considering moving to another country.
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