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I have stayed at both margarita’s and Posada El Quijote in Escazu. Both have dogs, both allow dogs, both have great owner/operators and both are very comfortable. You can’t go wrong on either account!
He would not be self employed. He would be employed by and paid by a US-based company, and he would be paid in the US, not here.
[quote=”costaricafinca”]He would need, if he intends a long stay, to apply for residency which I don’t think he would want to do, or just keep getting a 90 day tourist visa and taking some side trips…[/quote]
His stays would be (at least initially) 2-3 days a week, then back to the US for a week, and then back to CR. In addition to a good job it looks like he’ll be getting a boat load of company paid air miles!
I logged a call into a CR based immigration attorney today, but haven’t heard back from him yet. When (if) I do, I’ll post a report.[quote=”aguirrewar”]interesting but a FALSE proposition
you want to be in the US Senate and then commit HARAKIRI!! then go ahead and even say SS should be eliminated
now that is a novel idea[quote][b]HYPOTHETICAL RESPONSE FROM YOUR SENATOR OR CONGRESSMAN:[/b]
[i]You make some good points, but stop and think about the one above…Why would I care? I said what I needed to say to get your vote and get elected to the house or senate and after that, rather than casting my vote with the will of those who elected me, I’ll vote the way I want to vote (or, more importantly, the way I am told to vote) and I won’t worry about it one bit.
You see, for the most part my colleagues and I share one common trait – we have no courage of our own convictions, so why would I even worry about doing the right thing on social security, healthcare or any other social issues? Once I got elected I don’t have to worry about retirement again because I can serve one term (or less) and go back home and receive my congressional salary FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE!
Plus, as a “former” member of the house or senate I get invited (for free) to approximately half of EVERY political event in my former district, and EVERY high social event and EVERY key sporting event and I get all kind of “honorary” awards and “honorary” memberships to country clubs, etc. FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE!
I might even get a new library, or fire station, or county park NAMED after me, can you say that? Are you starting to get the point here? “HARAKIRI” – WHAT A JOKE!
So me worry about what you call political “HARAKIRI” – My retirement will be so much better off than all of you yokels that voted for me and I screwed once in office there’s no need for worry!
And you know what, I vaguely remember authorizing one of my aids to sign something for me that indicated that I was aware that somewhere in the bowels of my congressional retirement policy there is a provision (voted in to law by my esteemed predessors) that states something like “whereas you are no longer contributing to the SS system (or the good of your country), and whereas you will not be receiving SS payments upon retirement, and whereas (other than your political legacy) you will not be a burden to future generations of SS contributors, attached hereto is a lump sum check in the amount of “$xxx” which equals the future value of the amount you have previously paid into the SS system, compounded at 22% for each and every year of your anticipated life span (times 2), which is the approved future value index rate applicable to the year of your election as promulgated by legislation authorizing and requiring the SS Administration to immediately repay these funds to you, tax free and under the table”. Anyway, it was something like that.
You don’t think that I, or any of my congressional colleagues are just going to walk away from all the monies we have paid into the system and just leave it in the SS system for you to share, do you? Of course, in actuality, that really no big deal because very few of us ever had a real job before being elected anyway, so just forget I ever brought it up, along with most of my other campaign rhetoric!
So the short version of the long story is, “Dont worry about my retirement and I won’t worry about yours”.
“Sayonara”[/i]
[quote=”bstckmn”]The recent article about Escazu was interesting, but it was not very specific about some details. The soda La Casona looks promising, but it is not at all clear where it is. Judging from the picture, it might be in Escazu Centro, but maybe not. If anybody knows more about directions, please post. Thanks. DC Bob[/quote]
UMMMM, chiccarones (spelling?) at Laly’s, can’t be beat!
But the interesting thing about your post is the date & time… [b]1/11/11 @ 11:11 [/b]- how did you pull that off? Coincidence?[quote=”funmind”]That’s helpful…I am in the Nicoya municipality. Who would be my best best bet to contact to learn the rules this area…an architect, builder, or what department in the municipality?[/quote]
There is a great architect in Nicoya named Freddy Lopez. I have been involved with him on a couple of projects in the past and he is the lead architect on a current project. I can give him my highest recommendation – and I was involved in real estate development in the US for over 40 years.
If you would like his contact info please send me a PM.
I prefer not to name names, so all I can say on this forum is we used a “highly recommended” Costa Rican based shipper:
the originally quoted price was approx $5,900 – the same as a friends container (#1) that shipped about 3 months earlier, and this was based on my submitted inventory list that detailed each item and clearly identified new items as new and listed the price at or near the actual purchase price.
our container was dropped off by the shipper in Tampa at the same location as was #1;
our container was there for the same time period as #1;
our container was loaded in the same manner as #1 (by us);
our container was picked up at the same location as #1;
our container was delivered to the same shipping port terminal as #1;
also shipped to Limon, same as #1; and trucked to the same warehouse as #1, and (I presume) unloaded in the same manner as #1 (I was not there).Only after it was in San Jose and unloaded was I informed that [i]”Because of the high concentration of new stuff and because the container was so full, we made some special arrangements with the inspectors”. [/i]
I documented with the shipper that
a) the valuation of my container (using my high values) was only 11% more than my friends valuation of container #1 – [i]question: aren’t we always told that “you send us your list and we’ll make our list for customs on this end” or “your list is for US Customs and insurance if you want to get it, our list is for CR customs”[/i]
b) – the percentage of new item boxes on our container was significantly lower than the percentage of new item boxes on #1, including only 8 new boxed appliances on #2 versus 16 new boxed appliances on #1
c) – did you notice the “[i]and because the container was so full[/i]” part of the reasoning by the shipper as to the reason for the “special arrangements with the inspectors”? [i]question – aren’t we always told that “it really doesn’t matter how full the container is or how much it weighs….”?[/i]By the way, the requested “special arrangements” fee was $2500 – without grabbing your calculator I can tell you that is just over 40% increase for the “special arrangements”.
Although the situation was “tense” for a few days, in the end, we came to an amical solution that did not include the full 40% additional payment and did include some additional storage time for our belongings. Since that time this same shiipper has assited me in getting additional items down here and I have recommended that company to other friends – – with the caveat that they get a firm guarntee of the price before ever starting the shipping process.
[quote=”DavidCMurray”] Sue, please do not let the threat of import duties on your household goods deter you from shipping a container. Everything in the container is, by definition, “used”, so it’s value is greatly diminished. Unless you are shipping lots of new and expensive electronics, the Customs duty will be minimal compared to the cost of replacing perfectly good things once you’re here.
Others are welcome to chime in, but I have never heard of a container of household goods being taxed as much as $1,000 by Customs. In our case, we insured part of our shipment for over $100,000 and paid about $600 in duty on the whole works, insured and uninsured.
You can include a vehicle in your container. Weight is immaterial; you’re paying for the container full or empty. Someone else will have to elaborate on the matters of which port your container would enter and the “drive on/drive off” question.[/quote]
As usual David has hit the nail on the head….it is better to ship all of your “used” stuff – and everything in your container (unless it is still in the original, unopened, factory-supplied box) should be listed on your inventory as “used”. Unless it is obvious that it is new, it is “used”. Having said that, I think most will agree that if you need “new” electronic devices it is still better to purchase them in the States and ship them – even with full duty (not likely) you will be better off.
As far as the costs of duty, you are really at the mercy of the customs officer AND YOUR SHIPPER! I had provided my inventory list with a lot of “new” listings (TV’s, appliances, furniture, etc.) to my shipper and I had received a quote from him. Once the container arrived I was told I needed to pay an additional $2500 to reimburse him for the extra duty he had to pay because “there was so much new stuff”. We eventually agreed on a lower amount, and everything arrived as advertised, or pretty much so. But when the shipper has received your container and has it in his or her possession, you are at their mercy and all you can do is hope that they are being honest with you.
I haven’t heard of any drive on/drive off car shippers, and with customs the way it is I doubt that it is a possibility here.
[quote=”aguirrewar”]NO spiders, roaches or insects since that Gecko came to live in my house.
They hunt at night and are 100% efficient the best pest control you can have inside the house.
Warren[/quote]
we’re not trying to kill the geckos, only clean up there “residual” mess. I have been told by both our gardener and our housekeeper (and others) that the yellowish/orange marks on the wall are where they urinate, and our little guy(s) seems to have a very week bladder AND be on FLOMAX!
one of the hotels here in samara has a very simple, yet prophetic sign in the lobby:
“IF YOU DO NOT WANT IT STOLEN, DO NOT LEAVE IT IN YOUR CAR!”we finished the job hours ago and all of the paint is fine, no problems and the spots are gone!
I think we’ll bottle it, package it and sell it as “Geck-OFF”.
[quote=”mayoman”]I’m not sure if this product is available in CR, however, Clorox Magic Eraser is a wonderful product and cleans everything I have ever used it on. If not available in CR, perhaps your next trip to the States you should bring some back with you. You’ll never want to be without.[/quote]
We had some friends bring a plastic tub of the Clorox Magic erasers and THEY WORK! They get 90% of the gecko residue off of the wall without hard rubbing, and they do not seem to damage the painted concrete walls or the painted woodwork.
Experimenting further, my son-in-law just found out that if you wipe the spots with a lime (limon) and let it sit for just a few seconds then you can pretty much wipe the spots off with a dry wash cloth, or even easier with the Clorox Magic Eraser on the area previously wiped with the limon.
If you don’t have the Clorox Magic Erasers, the limon and wash cloth will get it off with a bit of elbow grease.
TRY A FEW TEST SPOTS IN INCONSPICUOUS PLACES FIRST.
[quote=”lavemder”][quote=”costaricabill”]Alexander69 is right on.
Under the new law for residency, the CR immigration office will not accept your application for residency or issue a file number unless your submittal package is complete, and to be complete it must include the form from your embassy.
I don’t know if the original idea for this requirement came from “big brother” or CR, but it is a definate requirement.[/quote]
Just one more?
When you fill the “registration” form do they ask about your address in USA and about your address in CR?[/quote]I don’t recall either being a question on the form. I don’t have an address in the States so I guess I would remember it if it were a problem, and of course there really are no real addresses here.
As I recall, it is primarily a recordation of your passport number and signing a statement that you are seeking residency in a foreign country, being CR. It is a very simple, one page form that takes less than 2 minutes to complete.
You seem quite concerned about this simple requirement, are you hiding out from an ex wife, the local sheriff or are you on the witness protection program?
Alexander69 is right on.
Under the new law for residency, the CR immigration office will not accept your application for residency or issue a file number unless your submittal package is complete, and to be complete it must include the form from your embassy.
I don’t know if the original idea for this requirement came from “big brother” or CR, but it is a definate requirement.
[quote=”lavemder”]What kind of “Application form” you have to fill in Canadian or USA
Embassy in CR in order to apply for residency?
Has anyone have done it lately?[/quote]Oh Man, do you have a lot to get up to speed on!
Yes, people are applying for residency everyday, and there are hundreds of posts on this forum about everyone’s trials and tribulations and frustrations (and successes) in the process. Maybe it should be as easy as “what kind of form?” but the truth is that your embassy is one of the very last in a long agonizing process in the application for residency.
Others are much more astute in detailing the steps, so I’ll leave that to them – but before they can even start you must let us know
(1) which country are you now a citizen of?
(2) are you presently residing in that country or in CR?
(3) what type of temporary residency are you trying to secure?and finally, (4) how much patience do you have?
If the answer to #4 is not “great” or “extensive” or “exceptional”, then you will need to hire an attorney or an organization to assist you. If indeed you do feel that you have adequate patience to undertake the endeavor on your own, then I can assure you (based on the simplicity of your question) that your patience will be sorely tested in the process.
