By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica What follows is a much-needed update on situations that stressfully impacted ex-pat migrants at the various stages of the residency process. We are emerging from two mutually exclusive events. The end of covid (sort of) and the installation of a new government handed a solid mandate to fix constipated bureaucracies here in Costa Rica. BUT FIR...

By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica How to choose where to live in Costa Rica. So, you are contemplating a move to Costa Rica after being intrigued by the promise of its unique beauty and livability. Going back to 1500, Christopher Columbus gave it the name which translates into "Rich Coast." It had nothing to do with gold, despite that being a major preoccupation. Without drif...

Former tourists and foreign residents have chosen to live in Costa Rica for many good reasons, not the least of which is the breathtaking beauty, fantastic weather, and an idyllic lifestyle measurably better than those left behind. Most experience significant improvements to their health after living in Costa Rica only a year. Fewer pills, or none at all, tremendous stress and weight reductions. T...

By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica Elections in the home countries of the U.S., Canada, and E.U. (and other countries) have been painfully divisive affairs these past decades as the social engineers behind the curtain pull on the levers of influence. As such, many of us are tempted to avoid the subject. We are either preaching to the choir or engaged in hostile exchanges with tho...

By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica We all love tax cuts. Therefore, it is understandable that many of you got very excited when you heard about the new laws governing importation and investment incentives designed to stimulate post-COVID investment in Costa Rica. It did not help that many trigger-happy lawyers, and certain media hyped it up as though it would take effect the n...

By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica The following is the latest update from the Costa Rica Ministry of Health (Ministerio de Salud CR): Gradual opening will mark the last quarter of the year. 1. From October 16 to October 31, the sanitary vehicle restriction will be from 10 pm to 5 am from Monday to Sunday and the establishments may operate until the same time. 2. If the evol...

According to the Missing Americans Project, a nonprofit organization helping to track Americans and other nationals who vanish in Costa Rica and elsewhere, disappearances of foreigners are under-reported and not closely monitored by any organization. “Families of people who go missing outside their country’s borders frequently find themselves alone and struggling”, according to the organization’s ...

By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica Due to COVID, rules and procedures continue to change and evolve regarding travel and how one remains legally in Costa Rica. For tourists and those of you preparing for or waiting to have your applications for legal residency submitted (by appointment) or for those of you awaiting approval on submitted applications, the dreaded border runs ar...

By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica In response to some emails requesting clarification to my previous article, the following is a brief synopsis regarding visa expiries, the validity of foreign drivers' licenses, and border runs. 1. If you have been in Costa Rica on a Tourist Visa extended several times throughout 2020 and 2021, that visa expired on June 1, 2021. You need to d...

By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica After repeated visa extensions throughout 2020 and 2021, June 2, 2021 (coming up soon) is the last extension date on visa expiries if you are here in Costa Rica on a tourist visa alone. As a reminder, tourists who enter Costa Rica with a passport from the U.S, Canada, and EU, plus several other countries in the approved country groups, automa...

By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica In my March 14th article about the validity of foreign drivers’ licenses used by tourists, I also mentioned that it was pending an official resolution. At long last, we finally have that resolution, and it will be published in the official newspaper La Gaceta in the next few days, according to the MOPT website. The resolution covers two categ...

The Minister of Tourism, Gustavo Segura, announced that Costa Rica will be ready to open land borders as of April 5th for tourism purposes. The country reopened its air and sea borders in August 2020. The Costa Rican Tourism Board considers it is ready to proceed with the normal operation of land borders, which also allows European tourists to move freely between Costa Rica, Panama, and Nicaragua...

By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica While unofficial at this writing, MOPT (Costa Rica Ministry of Public Works and Transportation) has issued a recent communication. The validity of foreign drivers’ licenses for TOURISTS with valid visas has been extended to June 1, 2021. This is in keeping with the recent TOURIST visa extensions from March 2, 2021, to June 1, 2021. The offici...

By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica If you go to the MOPT (Costa Rica’s Ministry of Public Works & Transportation) website (English translation), you will see a very misleading headline: “Drivers can use foreign license for 6 more months.” https://www.mopt.go.cr/wps/portal/Home/inicio/ We wish. Not true for those of you who just had your TOURIST visa extended to Ju...

By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica As mentioned again in my February 24 article here, throughout 2020, the Costa Rica government repeatedly extended visa expiry dates. That last extension, up until last night, was until today: March 2, 2021. They had announced that there would be no further extensions. The previously announced land border openings to tourists were also push...

By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica With the impending March 2 visa expiry looming, people are understandably getting very stressed out. Due to fear of COVID, many do not wish to move about unnecessarily, let alone leave Costa Rica to get a renewed visa stamp. Understandably, the idea seems preposterous and counter to so-called COVID safety initiatives. Foreigners also wish to ...

By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica Tensions are running high as we continue to endure COVID and its impact on tourists and those seeking legal residency in Costa Rica. Readers under stress are least capable of absorbing reams of information, so I will be as concise as possible in addressing or re-addressing some key issues. March 2 visa expiry date: Out of compassion for tour...

By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica Happy New Years Everyone Costa Rica Entry Requirements… For entry requirements and recently announced new restrictions within Costa Rica, please click on the links below and also read part one "How COVID-19 Changed Costa Rica Immigration in the Eyes of Residency Expert Laura Gutierrez" a recently published article on December 29th. You ...

On January 8, 2010, the Red Cross received an emergency call for a dead American in Florida de Baru. The ambulance driver who was first on the scene described walking into John Bender’s bedroom and seeing “a blanket of jewels”, both cut and uncut, strewn about the bedroom and stuffed loosely into backpacks – over 3,000 jewels in total. What has happened to them all? When the police arrived at t...

By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica As of Oct. 15: Residents of Florida, Georgia and Texas will be allowed into Costa Rica. As of Nov. 1: All U.S. citizens and residents will be allowed into Costa Rica. Please click here for Laura's personal travel experience from Costa Rica to the USA and back during the COVID-19 Pandemic. For a comprehensive list of all originating coun...

By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica Once again, the Department of Immigration (DGME) re-opening date has been moved back from September 18th to December 1, 2020, just as I had cautioned in previous articles. Also, as I predicted, this will be a by-appointment-only program on a first-booked, first-served basis. The DGME will begin receiving bookings on October 19th. How those booki...

By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica On September 3, United Airlines flight 1080 non-stop to Newark was the first commercial passenger flight out of Costa Rica in six months. I was on it to visit family in New Jersey. In reviewing those trips to Newark and back to Costa Rica seven days later on September 10, I hope to answer persistent questions still coming to me from stress...

Covid 19 seems to be the most popular phrase of 2020 in Costa Rica and the entire world. This virus appeared as an unwanted host, destroying plans for education, health, jobs, and economic growth around the world. In Costa Rica, the impact has been very severe. Even before receiving this "new guest" the economy was showing signs of "pneumonia." aswell as taking into consideration that during 2019 ...

By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica Prominent newscaster to a famous virologist: “Doctor, how long do you think this pandemic will last?” Doctor: “How would I know? I’m not a politician.” With the many emails I receive from dear clients trying in vain to set some travel dates either in or out of Costa Rica, often to coordinate with submissions dates for their residency applica...

Three American citizens with Costa Rican residency filed a Habeas Corpus recourse (through which a person reports unlawful detention) against the Ministry of Health and the General Directorate of Migration after they were denied entry to the country on August 6th when they flew back to the country from Houston, Texas aboard a repatriation flight. A US national with Permanent Residency, who is m...

Over 5,800 Americans gave up their citizenship in the first half of 2020, compared to 2,072 Americans who renounced their citizenship in ALL of 2019. How many of them are heading to Costa Rica? Why did they decide to leave? CNN, Newsweek, NY Times and Fortune Magazine have all reported recently that Americans seem to be leaving the US in droves. Many are permanently giving up their citizenship,...

By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica In response to many emails from concerned clients wrestling with travel plans, I would like to address how the most recent adjustment to travel into Costa Rica impacts anything to do with residency. The best summary of the new program can be found in English on the Costa Rica Embassy Washington D.C. website here: http://costarica-embassy.org/...

By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica As mentioned in my previous article, navigating through this crisis is like driving with one foot on the brake and one on the gas. The Costa Rica Department of Immigration has once again hit the brakes with Resolution N° DJUR-0105-07-2020-JM. Don't get nauseous or someone will think you caught COVID. Immigration was scheduled to be open to th...

By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica People sufficiently frightened, lose their ability to think for themselves, and can become overwhelmed. So it is not just these constant changes to resumption of dates for travel and government services that stress us out. Tough decisions must be made about personal logistics in this intrusive state of fear and uncertainty. One foot on the gas. ...

By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica The Pandemic situation has some of you intrepid types thinking about a more tranquil, warm, and safe country in which to live. As one who once immigrated abroad with a toddler in tow, I understand the burning need for realistic and meaningful information. Hopefully, this will help you move beyond dreams into action. Costa Rica boasts a very low...

By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica Well, no big surprise here, but never the less frustrating and stressful. The line in the sand just got moved again. The Department of Immigration has long been scheduled to open this coming Monday, May 18. But the news today is that the "Open to the public and legal representatives" date has now been moved way out to July 18. Obviously, anyo...

The Ministry of Public Security announced that current border restrictions prohibiting foreigners from entering Costa Rica have been extended through June 15, only Costa Ricans will be able to enter the country. As we have informed in previous articles, tourists who entered the country after December 17 have been granted an extension of stay until July 17, driving privileges have also been exte...

By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica Based on many recent communications from clients stuck outside or inside Costa Rica, it seems that the most common ailment out there is Cabin Fever. The #1 request is about the lifting of travel restrictions in or out of Costa Rica. It is interesting and very telling that those “stuck” in Costa Rica seem more comfortable with that situation than...

By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica Over the past ten years, there have been many exchanges between myself and clients or would-be clients about the advantages of living in Costa Rica vs other so-called popular countries recommended by such sources as International Living. The list includes but is not limited to Panama, Nicaragua, Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia and Uruguay. Inquirer...

Costa Rica has 577 cases of Covid-19 confirmed as of Saturday March 11th, the government has announced it will be placing additional restrictions on vehicular traffic until April 30. Beginning on April 13, there will be a complete nighttime restriction from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. every day. When it comes to daytime restrictions, during the weekdays the restriction will be from 5 a.m. and 7 p.m., v...

The General Directorate of Migration (Immigration) established through Executive Decree 42256-MGP-S the temporary measures that are in place through April 30th to prevent the effects and spread of Covid-19 pandemic. According to Laura Gutierrez of Immigration help Costa Rica measures listed in the Executive Decree apply to foreigners who have: Permanent Residency; Special Categories; Non-Residents...

UPDATED April 9th 2020 Since the March 24th article about residencies being revoked for ex-pats leaving Costa Rica,  there still seems to be confusion and understandable anger over this temporary edict. This tough measure was primarily directed at Nicaraguans heading home to Nicaragua for their annual celebration of Semana Santa (Easter Week) – a week early. There were also a significant number...

You’ve chosen to live in Costa Rica for many good reasons, not the least of which being the breathtaking beauty, amazing weather and an idyllic life measurably better than the one you left behind. By now, you have also heard a common refrain from your realtor or other engaged professionals, neighbors, or experienced ex-pats here in Costa Rica: Get your residency! Why? There simply is no othe...

By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica Since 2017, the quality of service from the DGME has steadily deteriorated. Ironically, with the Immigration front gates closed to the public last week until May 18th, things might improve. Up to the end of 2017, and sporadically to the middle of 2018, my submitted residency applications were getting approved in 5 to 8 months on average, depe...

Today, the Costa Rican government implemented several new sanitary measures to try and control the spread of Covid-19 in the country, one of those measures has caused alarm among the foreigners that live in the country and have a legal migratory status. The measure basically states that: As of tomorrow, March 24th all foreigners who have legal residency in the country or regular status and who ...