Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
My temporary residency is up for it’s first renewal next February. I am wondering what documents they ask for to verify that the CAJA has been paid continuously (or does it even have to be paid continuously when you are not even in the country?) and to show the conversion of $7200 each year into colones. We won’t be returning to Costa Rica until December. Can I ask the bank for an accounting of my conversions of dollars into colones to make sure I will have enough for the year? Or do they even ask for this proof? My passport is up for renewal in September and people have told me that they change the number when you do this. Therefore, I will be going to Costa Rica in December with a different passport number. Is this going to cause problems when I go to renew my residency? Also how far in advance of the end date of my cedula should I go to BCR to renew?
If you are in Costa Rica, simply write a check for cash from your US bank account and deposit it into your Costa Rican bank account. It will take about 3 weeks to clear but it will only cost you the price of the check. If you are not in Costa Rica, a wire transfer may be your only option.:D
Also the medical exam and blood typing does cost money. I think it was more than the license itself.
It seems like I also remember having to take a copy of something to prove a place of residence such as a copy of an electric bill in Costa Rica or a rental receipt from the landlord. They don’t make any copies there so you have to have the copies made yourself before you get in line. Just make sure you go early so that you get in by 11AM. That is the cut-off intake time for processing driver’s licenses for foreigners. Also make sure your current driver’s license from the states is still valid. I was sitting next to some Brazilian guy who waited hours for a Costa Rican driver’s license. His Brazilian driver’s license was expired. They said he had to go and get some kind of police report before they would give him a driver’s license.
There are usually taxi vans at the airport large enough to transport your dogs in their crates. They cost more than a regular taxi but is your only option to get your dogs from the airport to your home. If there is not a large taxi van at the airport at the time you arrive, some one at the airport will be able to call for one.
We are in Venice, Florida and we had to send the International Cerificate of Health Examination to Gainsville. It must be dated no more than 10 days before your travel date. Rabies vaccinnation must be no more than 1 year old nor less than 30 days old. Other vaccines may be required for your cat. We sent it to the US Dept of Agriculture in Gainsville using overnight delivery or 2nd day delivery. We also had to include a prepaid overnight label or 2nd day label with the paperwork from the vet. The vet needs to do an exam on the cat and cerify that it is healthy, has no infectious diseases and is free of anything that would make travel hazardous to the animal. The paperwork is a large 5 page form with carbons in-between. If your vet does not have the right form, the regular health certificate will not do. Find a vet who has the correct form. Make sure to get the phone number of the Dept of Agriculture to double check of the current cost. One year, my vet gave me a small paper with the instructions and the cost. I decided to call them to check on the cost and it had changed (increased of course). I would have sent the wrong amount that could have held up the paperwork possibly risking not getting it back before we left. When you get to Costa Rica, make sure you hold on to this paperwork. If you return to the US, you will need to go through the same process with a vet in Costa Rica. The vet in CR will be able to use the info on the US form to fill out the CR form. I hope this helps.
Unless the cats are larger than the average cat, they should easily fit in the carry on bags. They must be in separate carriers. Make sure they get used to traveling in the carriers well before flying. Use hard carriers unless your cats travel very well. A freaked out cat in a soft carrier might not be a pretty sight. Airline temperature restrictions do not apply to carry-on pets.
[quote=”lauderdalekaren”]Did you check with American out of Miamai? We plan on bringing our two cats on our move in December. I have not checked with them yet. If we have to go to Orlando for that trip we will to use Jet Blue.[/quote]
I don’t think Jet Blue will ship pets as checked baggage or cargo. They only accept carry-on pets small enough to fit in an airline approved carry-on container or bag and then I think they will only allow 2 per cabin.
A dachshund 24″ long is not a mini dachshund and would not fit or be accepted as a carry-on. Buy a 200 size vari-kennel (26″ long) and ship her as checked baggage when you fly. Stick with American Airlines for the best price. AA allows a max carry on size of 19″ x 13″ X 9″ high but your dachshund still will not fit. Just be sure the temp in Miami will not exceed 85 degrees at any stopping point including the point of departure and there are not exceptions. That pretty much cuts out any time from about mid May until about mid October. The temp cannot be below 45 degrees at any point without an acclimation report from a vet (usually can be included on the international health certificate) and not below 20 degrees with the certificate of acclimation. Check the AA website or call them for more specific details. Many people fly their cats or dogs to and from Costa Rica all the time. They just know the right times to fly, the right airline to pick and the right paperwork to get.
American accepts pets both in the cabin (if your dog is small enough to fit in a small carrier that will fit under the seat)and as checked luggage in an airline approved carrier. At 11 lbs, it may be iffy if your little dog will fit but a mini dachsund might. They also transport dogs and cats as checked luggage. If you are traveling with your pet, you just pick him up when you pick up your luggage. As long as you have the right international paperwork there will be no problem. The only caveat is that there are temperature restrictions for animals transported as checked luggage. These don’t apply if the dog goes in the cabin. When it is hot in Florida, he will not be able to fly in luggage.
American out of Miami is less expensive to take pets than Continental. We have used American a lot to Fly from Tampa that connects in Miami.
There is no reason why these items can not be transported in your checked luggage as long as they are well protected to make sure the blades will not poke through the luggage. Most airlines will not allow anything with an engine, such as a chain saw, though, even if it is still in the box and never used.
Besides that, they are very cute – as long as you don’t look too close. Usually when you see one, it is up in a tree or crossing a road by way of the local electrical wire. Since they travel so slow, you have time to get a very good look at them (and maybe even a good picture) before they disappear out of sight.
Last year I was in San Jose completing the process for my residencey. I was staying at a hostel in Paso Colon. I had to wait until later in the afternoon to pick up my cedula so I decided it was a good time to get my Costa Rican driver’s license. A young Costa Rican woman who was just coming on shift at the hostel was talking to me. She could speak some English. I was asking her how to get to Uruca by bus since I was running low on funds and had plenty of time that day. She proceeded to take me all the way there by bus. We made a bus change that I never would have found myself. We talked in English and some Spanish the whole trip. When we got there, I offered to pay her for showing me the way. She would not accept anything, not even her bus fare. In fact, she thanked me for giving her the opportunity to practice her English! I was thankful that there are people still willing to go above and beyond to help someone out. I will remember her generousity the next time that I encounter someone who needs extra help.:)
