Immigration CD-19 Update

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June 27, 2020 —  Update

NOTE:  CURRENT AS OF 06/26/2020.  INFORMATION SUBECT TO CHANGE ON SHORT NOTICE.

We write to provide an update on the effects Corona Virus (CV-19) is having in the application for residency process.  The information provided is based on (a) 06.26.2020 Health Dept. news press release, and (b)  the latest Migracion bulletin, published in La Gaceta, the official newspaper of the government of Costa Rica, on May 31, 2020, and as listed in Migracion’s webpage ( http://migracion.go.cr ) and Facebook page.

CURRENT STATUS: 

 Migracion offices Closed:  Migracion continues closed to the public (since March 17, 2020). Reopens to the public July 20, 2020

The closure applies to all Migracion offices, including headquarters in La Uruca and regional offices (Migracion’s Facebook page, 05/14/2020).

Expected date of Migracion reopening for residency application business:  Monday, July 20, 2020.

Borders – Reopening date for tourists:   July 31, 2020 at 23:59 hours – airports open ONLY to  specific countries, based upon how successful the country is in controlling CV19.  Assume the US is not going to be in the first opening date.

https://www.facebook.com/migracioncostarica/

See also US Embassy website’s facts, at the end of this message.

In-bound commercial flights

According to the Costa Rican Consulate in Los Angeles, there is currently one in-bound flight from United Airlines, from Houston to San Jose, once-a-week.  Other clients report available flights from other airlines, but I cannot confirm that information.

Pending Applications – delay in processing: We expect at least a 45-60-day delay in the processing of applications already filed.  We have not received any new communications from Migracion via e-mail regarding status of applications since about April 14th.

Most frequently asked questions:

  • MOST ASKED QUESTION: If I have my application for residency in process, BUT I have not yet been approved, can I enter CR now, prior to the borders being opened?
  • Answer:  Most likely NOT. In the original announcement of the closing of the borders back in March, the ability to enter CR by a person whose application is pending was not addressed.
  • But, on Migracion’s website there is a paragraph (even now, also in the US embassy website) that says that someone with a filed application and who has the application number can enter Costa Rica prior to the opening of the borders. https://migracion.go.cr/Paginas/Cierre-de-Fronteras.aspx Item No. 2; https://cr.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/
  • However, this issue has NOT been mentioned in the last three most recent announcements—see below. Thus, we are not 100% certain of the answer but if I were to guess I would say there is at least a 98% probability that you will NOT be allowed in without being a legal resident. We sent emails to Migracion asking clarification to this question. Its answer, on 06/01/2020 was the highlighted info below, from the 05.31.2020 announcement.

05.31.2020 Announcement: Individuals with pending applications are NOT included in the very specific list of individuals who are able to enter Costa Rica prior to the reopening of the borders on July 1st:

 

“ARTICLE 5.- The restriction measures established in article 2 of this Executive Decree, as well as the sanitary actions that the Ministry of Health will carry out.

In this sense, they will be applied to foreign persons who have an

authorized legal stay under the immigration categories of Residence

Permanent, Temporary Residence, Special Categories or Non-Residents under the “Estancia” subcategory, that leave the country between 23:59 hours on March 25 and 11:59 p.m. on June 30, 2020, both dates inclusive…” (Google translation)

TIME LINE, AS OF 06.26.2020 – Subject to changes on short notice

Event Old Date NEW DATE
Migracion reopens for specific emergencies only: issue passports to Costa Ricans, permit for a minor to exit CR, etc.

 

04/18/2020 May 18, 2020
Appointments to obtain residency card –DIMEX—for the first time are made ONLY thru Correos Nacionales or Banco de costa Rica.   ONLY Pensionado to get first DIMEX card, and renewals:  Appointments at BCR or Correos Nacionales can be made now.

 

 

Airports schedule to re-open, allowing travelers from countries who are controlling the number of CV cases.

 

06/15/2020 August 1, 2020 at 00:01 hrs.

 

Migracion reopens to the general public, starts to accept new residency applications, get copies of files, etc.

 

04/18/2020 July 20, 2020
All scheduled appointments at Migracion are postponed to a date after:

 

  July 18, 2020
Tourist visas extended.  The tourist visa of a tourist who entered Costa Rica after 17 December 2019 is extended until:

 

Varies August 18, 2020

 

Driving with a non-Costa Rican driver’s license extended for the same amount of time of the tourist visa extension:

 

Expires when the tourist visa expires August 18, 2020

 

 

Expiration date of any document (birth certificates, FBI reports, income letters, etc.) is extended to. 6 months after issue September 18, 2020

For example, the document was issued October 1, 2019, but could not be filed prior to its expiration date of April 1, 2020 because Migracion was closed, will now be valid and accepted until September 18, 2020.

 

Time to respond to a “prevencion” – a request from Migracion to the applicant to present additional information or documentation, most commonly an FBI report – is extended.

 

Varies September 18, 2020

 

Attorney appointments at Migracion are re-scheduled for dates after:

 

Varies September 18, 2020

 

Validity of Permanent Resident  DIMEX cards that expired after December 18, 2019 is automatically extended until

 

Varies September 30, 2020

 

Validity of Pensionado, Rentista, Inversionista and all special category DIMEX cards that expired after December 18, 2019 is automatically extended until

 

Varies September 30, 2020

 

The time to renew all expired DIMEX card is extended without penalty for:

 

Varies Up to 90 days after September 30, 2020

 

NOTE: “estancia” DIMEX cards have different rules/deadlines

 

     

 

 

 

$1700 Birth Certificate

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$1700 Birth CertificateThe client, born during the tumultuous period of time when Indonesia gained its
independence from the Netherlands, needed to get a certified copy of her birth
certificate to apply for residency. A simple request to the Netherlands should have
solved the problem, right?

Wrong. The Netherlands denied the request because the client had become an American
citizen. Essentially, our client was told to go get it from Indonesia.

Because she had no family or friends in Indonesia, we hired an Indonesian private
investigation firm. The investigators had to go in person to three locations and
manually search for the right volume where the six-decade-old birth registration could
be found. It took two months to find it. All we had left was to get, it and it was
free!

Wrong again. Indonesia does not issue apostilles. It uses the old and tedious
authentication method called legalization. Our Canadian clients are painfully aware of
this process, as Canada still uses it. Worse yet, at that time Costa Rica did not have
a consular office in Jakarta as it does now, so we would have to do Third Country
Legalization.

Once the Indonesian government authenticated the birth certificate, the investigator
took it to, you guessed it, the Canadian consulate in Jakarta. Then it was FedEx’d to
our document processing agent in Ottawa, Canada. Once in Ottawa, the document went to
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Costa Rican Consulate. Our agent next FedEx’d
the document to our office in San Jose to get its final signature at Casa Amarilla.
Now fully legalized, we filed it with Migration.

The moral of the story is to be patient and creative in finding a solution to the
problem. It took us close to five months, 53 emails, and almost $1,700 paid by our
client to get this one document. Fortunately, this was a very unusual case. Getting a
copy of a birth certificate usually costs about $10.

I am happy to report the client is not only a resident but she is now a permanent
resident!

written by Javier Zavaleta of Residency in Costa Rica

article first appeared in AM Costa Rica 3/14/18

U.S. income tax avoidance drawing some to Costa Rica

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Another reason to live in Costa Rica? This article appeared in www.amcostarica.com last week. It points that some American citizens are moving to Costa Rica and once there they continue to work by “telecommuting.”  In many cases, telecommuting allows that individual to take advantage of IRS tax rules and they do not pay taxes on foreign earned income of up to $101,000.  Tax savings could be substantial. We strongly recommend you consult with a tax professional familiar with the Foreign Earned Income rules, and how those rules apply to your own circumstances.

10 Reasons Why You Should Quit Your Job and Move to Costa Rica

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Viva Tropical posted this story by Camille about the reasons retirees and expats decide to move to Costa Rica. Read her full story – the top 10 reasons are:

      1. Stunning Nature Abounds
      2. Great Healthcare is Affordable
      3. Comfortable Climate Year Round
      4. Its Proximity to North America
      5. The Established Expat Community
      6. A Healthy Lifestyle
      7. The Stable Government and Economy
      8. Kind, Generous Local Culture
      9. Outdoor Adventure Opportunities
      10. The Pura Vida Lifestyle