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I hope someone out there can answer this questions – to which I have gotten many many “ideas”.
“After being in C.R. for 90 days, do I really have to leave for 72 hrs?”
I am in the process of getting my residency “retired”. I obtained all the necessary papers while in California, from a list that my lawyer here in Atenas gave me. She neglected to tell me that I had to have all the documents legalized. I have a niece in the US and I sent them to her about two months ago, along with instructions for getting them legalized at the Costa Rican Consulate in California. After many, many phone calls, leaving messages, etc., she finally made contact and was told that she “cannot” bring them in person, and that she had to mail them along with $40 per document – that $160 for a “stamp”? Anyway, I will not have them back to me probably for another month or so and my three months end Sept. 3rd……..so do I have to leave, even though I have my papers in the works? If I do, any suggestions where to visit that won’t cost a bunch of money.
Thanks! Butch – itsbutch@hotmail.comHey butch,
My expriance is that you have to get your police report legalized here in the U.S. as well as the other documents. I am did mine while I am in the U.S. but mine is relitive of a Costa Rican I don’t know it that is any different.
Before the documents go to the Costa Rican consulate for authentication, they must first be apostilled by the Secretary of State’s office for the state in which they were issued. This includes marriage documents, divorce documents, birth certificates, and police reports. Without the apostille or certification (as it is referred to in some states) there is nothing for the CR consulate to authenticate. I’d think twice about using a lawyer who neglected to give you the proper information about how these forms need to be presented to the CR government.
All your good intentions and good work aside, if your properly executed residency application and the appropriately authenticated supporting documents have not actually been submitted to Immigration, you remain in the status of a tourist. Tourists enter Costa Rica on a 90-day visa and may not legally overstay that visa.
So the answer is that you must, in fact, leave the country for 72 hours and your passport must bear witness to your having left. If you do otherwise, you will be in the status of an illegal alien, and when time comes for Immigration to act upon your otherwise legitimate application for residency, you will very likely find yourself in a world of hurt.
Play it smart. Play by the rules.
As an aside . . . For those who are newly settled in Costa Rica, whether or not you have your residency, have it in progress, or haven’t begun the process yet, you must obtain a Costa Rican driver’s license withing ninety days of arriving here. For the first ninety days, you can drive on a U.S. driver’s license and a copy of your passport. After ninety days, it’s another world of hurt.
Thanks David……..I surely will do the proper thing and leave for the 72 hrs. Lord know I don’t want a world of hurt and thanks too about the drivers license tip…..I’ll do that too………
Thanks again!If you need a drivers liscens and you are in San Jose. Go see my brother in law.. jajajajaj.. . They are on the corner and its the biggest biz on the block. Tell them Rebecas husband sent you.. They might give you a deal… jajajajaj
I should have mentioned that, for your first Costa Rican driver’s license, you must apply in San Jose. There are outlying offices where you can renew your license, but only the main office in San Jose can issue the original one.
Scott:
Thanks for the note – sure, I’d be happy to give the business to your brother-in-law – can you give me an address and a phone number?
ButchDAVID….
THANKS FOR THAT SPECIAL NOTE!!!! I WAS GOING TO GO TO SAN RAMON AS I HAD NO IDEA THAT THE FIRST ONE WAS TO BE OBTAINED IN SAN JOSE. ALSO….I HEARD TONIGHT AT A RESTAURANT THAT YOU HAVE TO GET A DOCTORS CLEARANCE (????) IN ORDER TO GET YOUR DRIVERS LICENSE! IS THIS TRUE TOO?
IS THERE ONE SPECIAL OR SPECIFIC PLACE THAT WE HAVE TO GO IN SAN JOSE?
I JUST WENT THRU ‘H’ OPENING AN ACCOUNT WITH BCR FOR DEPOSIT OF MY SS CHECK………FINALLY FOUND OUT THAT I SHOULD HAVE GONE TO THE EMBASSY OF THE US FIRST, OBTAINED THEIR DIRECT DEPOSTI FORM AND THEN TO THE BANK…….MIGHT BE SOMETHING WE SHOULD POST HERE TOO………THIS WELOVECOSTARICA.COM IS A LIFESAVER AS ARE YOU DAVID!!!!
BUTCHa good inexpensive trip for your 72 hours out of the country is down to Bocas Del Torro. We have done this twice all the way from Jaco on the Pacific side. We take the bus out of Jaco at 5:30 am and are able to arrive on the Island by that same evening. It’s a long day of traveling, but not uncomfortable. We are able to make the trip including buses, cabs, and water taxis for less than $50 for both of us. Once in Bocas we stay at Dos Palmes right on the water for $28 a night. Nice clean room with AC and satellite tv. Our trip report is on our website if you would like to check it out. http://www.dktreadway.com/Trip%20Report.htm
Yep, if you want when you go down town san jose to get your drivers license. On the courner right accross from the entrence of the MOPT (Moter vhiecle license center) building this is at Ave 18 between street 5-7, is my brother in-laws biz. I belive they have 8 doctors now working for them, Ask for Rafa Benavidous or Carlos. They will help you personaly, tell them Scott& Rebeca sent you. Then if you are hungry ask where the Soda is and they will point you to a good place to eat just down the block.
If you want to see a picture of them they are on the photo book of this site.
They have the biggest biz on the block and I will see them this Tuesday and tell them to give you guys a good deal!Its, you must have what is a very simple physical exam in order to get your driver’s license. As Scott says, there are docs’ offices clusterd around the driver’s license office, so there is no shortage of opportunities. The docs will have the form you need.
I think we paid c5,000 each, but it could have been c10,000 for the “exam”.
How ever you can’t just go to any Doc!
This is how it works! The clinics around the MOPT are the only ones that can purchase from the Goverment stamped documents that is filed out from the clinics. After you have your physical done the doctor will fill out the goverment stamped and aproved document that you have to file. Again only certain clinics can purchase these documents and they are around the MOPT. This is to keep control over this system and prevent fraudulant documents.Many of these doctors do this part time to make extra money. ( Can you emagine this in the U.S. hahaha)
A lot of these doctors also work in the hospitals and other clinics.I thought you could renew the initial 90 day visa once (180 days total), before the 72 hour leave becomes mandatory. That’s the rule for vehicles brought into the country as well.
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