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Hi. Javier Zavaleta, again. A police letter is valid for only 90 days. The internal regulation as to the validity of a police “background letter” was changed back in mid 2004, and enforcement began in February/March 2005. It is now in full 100% enforcement and is the most frequently reason given for denying a residency application. Once the application is denied, Migracion will give your representative 30 days to produce a new, authenticated letter.
When in doubt call Migracion in San Jose. If you go to this address you will find a complete telephone directory for Migracion: http://www.migracion.go.cr/contactenos/index.html Please note that Migracion’s website has an excellent “residency” info section, however, that portion of the web site is down while they re-write the regulations for the new Immigration law. By the way, if Migracion’s own web-site is down because there are no regulations yet in place, please do not assume that the CR Embassy’s web-site is up to date it is not.
Regards,
Javier Zavaleta
Residency in Costa Rica
http://www.residencyincostarica.comUnder the NEW law, currently in effect, as a married rentista applicant with one child, each applicant is required to prove income as follows:
Husband: $1,000/month x 60 months = 60,000
Spouse: $1,000/month x 60 months = 60,000
Child: $ 500/month x 60 months = 30,000You are looking at a monthly income requirement of $2,500/month x 60 months = US$150,000. The law does not require that each aplicant have a separate savings account. Thus, one account in the name of the primary applicant (let’s say you) with a balance of at least $150K is what is required.
Under the OLD requirement, $1,000 per month ($60,000) would have been sufficient to qualify the entire family regardless of how many children apply. Clearly, it is a big increase.
Javier Zavaleta
jzava@pacbell.netUnder the NEW law, currently in effect, as a married rentista applicant with one child, you would be required to prove income as follows:
Husband: $1,000/month x 60 months = 60,000
Spouse: $1,000/month x 60 months = 60,000
Child: $ 500/month x 60 months = 30,000You are looking at a monthly income requirement of $2,500/month x 60 months = US$150,000. Under the old requiremetn, $1,000 per month ($60,000) would have been sufficient to qualify the entire family regardless of how many children apply. Clearly, it is a big increase.
Javier Zavaleta
jzava@pacbell.netHello, everyone. My name is Javier Zavaleta from Residency in Costa Rica. This is my first posting in this web site in over 2 years. I am taking this opportunity to clarify a couple of items contained in ItsButchs posting of September 8, 2006. Please see below my signature line.
Before addressing Butch’s message I have a comment to make regarding fingerprints. Why is anyone worrying about a requirement that, as of today, simply does not exist? The requirement is a police report from the community where the applicant has resided for the last six months. If anyone has written evidence to the contrary, please share it with all, as I would love to see it. Will the FBI be required at some point? Probably. When will that be? Who knows& Not as of today. A reminder that police letters are valid for only ninety (90) days.
And a thank you to both Maravilla and Wendy for your kind words.
Javier Zavaleta
323.255.6116Posted Sep 08,2006 7:39 AM itsbutch
David
Javier called me last night at 9PM from Los Angeles. He told me the same as you stated about the fingerprints etc.
I’d like to work with a local lawyer.
==JZ: We maintain an office in San Jose, where we have local attorneys on retainer, as well as an office in Los Angeles, California, where I am based.
Javier claims that he files all the residency papers in Los Angeles?
==JZ: Not correct. As of August 12, 2006, the date when the new Immigration Reform Law went into effect, all applications for pensionado, rentista and inversionista, MUST be filed abroad, normally in the country of origin of the applicant. In San Jose, Migracion will accept only applications filed under the vinculo con costarricense program. This requirement may change at Migracion’s whim, but as of 08/12/06 the law requires the filing of applications abroad.Javier quoted me over $2000 for each of us – too much, I am sure there must be a less expensive way.
==JZ: Not correct. Our fee for pensionado applications is $1,650. As I explained to you, our fee already includes just about all the expenses to be incurred in the preparation of the application, including authentication fees payable to the Costa Rican consulate ($40 per document), to the local secretary of state (from as low as $1.00 per document in Hawaii to $26 in California), FedEx, translations, preparation of power of attorney ($80), etc.
==JZ: You indicated elsewhere in your message that your attorney charged you $1000 plus $280?? for the authentication stamps. Almost $1,300 for only doing the work in Costa Rica and presumes that YOU will be getting all you documents authenticated in the U.S. That means that you are responsible for having the documents authenticated by the local secretary of state and the Costa Rican consulate with jurisdiction over that particular state. If anything goes wrong with the authentication you would have to start all over again, most likely from Costa Rica. I think our price structure is not only fair, but may actually be too cheap.
==JZ: We are responsible for the complete authentication process and our fee reflects the extra services and costs for the work done in the U.S. on your behalf. As far as I know, no other company based in Costa Rica does the authentication process on your behalf. By the way, we routinely get hired by CR attorneys and competitors to authenticate their clients’ documents in the U.S. and Canada. So, while at first sight our fees are higher than your attorney’s or ARCR (a great organization), we are doing a lot more for you and getting you results. Remember the old Tico saying: Lo barato sale caro.Thank you all your time to read this message. JZ.
