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I had a very hard time getting through customs here last month. I am in the process of residency, but don’t have the required “number” yet. It wasn’t an issue in August, but this time the customs agent here asked to see my return ticket. Spirit Airlines made me buy the return ticket before I checked in last May, so I bought a fully refundable ticket. However refundable isn’t what it seems to mean. I only got credit for a future trip with Spirit, not my money back. I would recommend not flying Spirit at all, and buying a bus ticket here before you leave (to Panama or Nicaragua) to have with you when you come back through customs. Perhaps I should have answered the question on the purpose of my trip differently. That may have flagged the questioning. Answer that the trip is a vacation!
Are you asking me if I have health insurance or life insurance? Or are you just shouting at me to see if I am selling something?
My experience is from last summer.
1) International Health Certificate (exam from your vet within 30 days of arrival) (shots need to be more than 30 days)
2) Certification from USDA of Health Certificate. (Local State offices are on USDA webpage. Call for appointment)
3) Shot records. Shots required are on CR Embassy webpage.
You do not need any approval by CR.
Have several copies of everything.I brought a cat as a carry on last July. They just wanted to see the same papers that the airline had to see at the beginning of the trip. The vet health certificate, the USDA certificate and the shot records (bring extra copies). I also brought another cat and a dog in cargo. They brought them to me at the luggage area, and we all went through together. I understand now that the animals in cargo have to go to the customs facility. I did not need a vet to do anything.
A car takes longer to get than household goods. I shipped my car in the container with my things (the best way) and it took weeks longer to get the car. I had several containers of Mobil 1 oil in the back of the car, and it all arrived. I left all the keys, and nothing was missing. ShipCostaRica drove it to my house with a full tank of gas, and even gave me a quick lesson on CR driving and signs (No hay paso) very important! 😆
Arden Brink of Ship Costa Rica walked me through every little step, and answered every dumb question, with mucho patience. My household goods and car arrived with no problems. I highly recommend them. Their truck just moved me from Grecia to Puriscal, and again they were the best!
I haven’t tried this myself, but what I have heard suggested was to buy a one way fully refundable return ticket, and then once here, get the refund. And, another scenario is to buy a one way bus ticket and have it with you. (not sure if bus tickets are refundable)
[i]Wake up. All you had to do was be humble and take the edge off with a little humor and an “I am sure you can understand” attitude – and you and the Transito would have had a better day.
Dollars to donuts I bet you all scowled and complained… Or maybe you have not bothered to TRY and learn Spanish yet. Why should you, you are superior and don’t need to learn their little language… Ha! Let them learn English. Ha! Hijo de punlla![/i]
We did not scowl or complain. We were very humble, we were pleading with him not to ticket us again.
Are you suggesting that we “bribe” him. Is that how you got off with only paying 10,000 C ?
My friend (the car owner) does speak spanish, and was explaining to him that she would move the car.
That’s good to know, I was wondering why they have been working on the road between Sarchi and Naranjo, even on Sundays. But it doesn’t explain why Ken in Atenas or the other driver in Tilaran were given such expensive parking tickets. Does anyone know what the fines are for speeding or running a red light or DWI?
John, it was leaving Costa Rica, and the bus driver was fully cooperating with the officers, he was talking to someone on his cell phone (probably Tica Bus office). They had caps and jackets on with the FBI or DEA logo’s, but they spoke spanish, didn’t seem to understand much english. They seemed to be based at the garage they took us to, in the no mans land between borders. Can’t say for certain they were actually US agents. The recent topic of the murders in Mexico highlight that the Central American highway is used for smuggling drugs, and the US may be assisting. Just a theory. This is way off topic of money, and I don’t know if there would be ATM’s near where Dave is going, but as we saw them everywhere we went, I’m guessing there would be some. There was one at the border. Make up a chart of how many cordoba’s you should get for 10,000 colones, so you know if you do choose to use the money changers.
Dave, I just got back from San Juan del Sur. DO NOT use the money changers at the border! Why bother? They will give you the worst rates, unless you are good at thinking on your feet and think haggling is fun, and you have time to waste. ATM’s are everywhere, with the best rates. It’s kind of confusing trying to think in 3 currencies. If you are like me, and don’t use dollars, it’s best to get cordoba’s at the ATM and use their currency. Taxi’s and street vendors give prices in dollars though, and they do expect to bargain with you. Be careful if using your credit card at a restaurant. I had some charges on my statement that were more than even a generous exchange rate could explain. Save your receipts, or just use cash. The border crossing was interesting! We didn’t want to do the long drive on unfamiliar roads so my friend and I took Tica Bus. FBI and DEA agents got on our bus at the Costa Rica border once we were through customs, (over 2 hours) and took us to a garage and more agents with dogs came out,and made us all get off the bus and line up on a ramp in the garage. The dogs sniffed the bus, the luggage, and after making us put our hands on our shoulders, they had the dogs sniff us, including the nuns! They told women with children to get off first and they put them in the back of the garage. Nicaraguan border was much quicker and cleaner! (bring toilet paper)
