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[quote=”costaricafinca”][b]renoqueen,[/b] immigration is up and running….
Did you mean to say “Dec. 2012”?
I also think that other expenses will occur.Hopefully what I have copied below, will not apply to you.
[i]Once you have all the documentation set forth above you are ready to submit your application to the Department of Immigration through the Costa Rican Consulate in your country of origin. The cost of the application is $50 which must be paid to the Department of Immigration. by way of deposit to their account at the Banco de Costa Rica. If you apply locally instead of via your Consular office you will have to pay an additional $200 with your application since they consider this a change of status from a “tourist” status to the new category you are applying for. Generally the Department of Immigration will only receive applications that are accompanied with ALL the supporting documentation. Keep in mind that all the original documents that you submit become the exclusive property of the Department of Immigration and will NOT be returned to you.[/i]
This was copied in part from [url=http://www.costaricalaw.com/legalnet/residency.html]Costa Rica Law [/url]
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So it looks as if we have paid both the $50. fee and the $200. All the supporting documents were submitted. See my info correcting the $350. to $250. and the $50. fee.
[quote=”maravilla”]if you got all of that done, including the $700 deposit to deport you, then you got the bargain of a lifetime because in 8 years i have never heard of any person getting this job done for so little. are you sure the first $350 ea you paid wasn’t the filing fees? because normally you don’t pay the deposit to la migra until you go get your cedula — and that $700 is for a one-way ticket out of here should they decide to deport you to miami! jajaja i would ask your lawyer just so you don’t have a big surprise the day you go to la migra.[/quote]
I just checked my documents. We paid $250. each (n0t $350.) for “cambio de catagoria” and another $50.each for “concepto de solicitude de residencia” (filing fees?)
Crim checks cost $100.total. $130. to Consulate General in Canada, $200. for translation of documents. Birth certficates under $100. Odd bits for “stamps”, courier in Canada,travel to San Jose 3 times, and lunch! I believe there was no charge for fingerprinting in San Jose. Is so it was very little. The 2 or 3 businesses that do residency services have to make a nice profit and I wonder how much lawyers slide off the top?? Anyway, I will be prepared to pay more. I wouldn’t recommend this way to everyone, but if you like a challenge it was an interesting experience so far.[quote=”maravilla”]and then there will be the non-refundable deposit to la migra in the amount of $350 per person, and then the cost of your cedulas.[/quote]
We already paid $350.each to Migracion (included in the price stated) that changed our status. Another $350. each doesn’t sound fair but…oh well! How much is the cedula? One does get used to surprises here. I was told that Migracion was closed all Jan. but that could be incorrect.
In 2011 I requested original long form birth certificates, forms from Gov. showing pension amounts, completed criminal record checks, filled out an application form and wrote a letter of application in spanish while my husband and I were still in Canada. Previously we had spent 4 months in Costa Rica each year for 3 years and own a house here.
Before leaving Canada in Dec. 2011 we met with the Consulate General de Costa Rica in Vancouver. He signed and stamped all the paperwork. We went to Migracion in San Jose to submit our application, after having all documents translated into spanish. Our neighbor accompanied us to help with procedures and language and then we went for fingerprinting. Our status was changed from tourist to ” in Costa Rica for the purpose of attaining residency”. We are to return in February when Migracion opens again but were assured that all our paperwork was good and that the process was almost complete.
The entire process cost under $1400. for both(not each) of us. Including translation, consulate fees, cost of obtaining documents,photos, etc. It was quite easy but a little stressful at the time. Even if it takes more time to complete, or falls apart, we have already saved two years of having to leave the country. We carry letters from Migracion that state we are allowed to stay more than 90 days.[quote=”sueandchris”]AND the “forests” of English ivy that are choking whole forests in the Pacific Northwest. …keep looking for local seeds. use COSTA RICAN vegetables and fruits both in old recipies and new ones. “Adapt woman” I said…and so I have.[/quote]
In Canada we have several plant species brought here that are causing huge problems. We live in CR 4 to 5 months a year. My advice: throw out all N. American cookbooks, buy things at the market that you have never used before, maybe ask a neighbor or the seller (sign language if you have to), experiment and find out that chayote, camote, yucca, etc. and those small fuzzy things are delicious. Enjoy different foods instead of trying to substitute. And I cannot believe someone would take hotdogs to Costa Rica when the chorizo there is so cheap and delicious!
I.J.
