The long-awaited Digital Nomad visa option: Last year, the government announced the Digital Nomad visa option for legally staying past the traditional 90-day visa in Costa Rica. While, in principle, a viable option for those seeking to live and work virtually in Costa Rica for 1 or 2 years without having to do onerous border runs, the program, as initially announced, had flaws. It was left to thi...

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...

By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica DIMEX Renewals: This information is a bit dated, but since many of you are still emailing me about renewals of your DIMEX (residency) cards, I thought it timely to post this review. Due to urgent needs to be outside of Costa Rica during COVID, some of you had/have not been able to renew your DIMEX (residency) cards. Or you just let it slip...

By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica CAJA sticker shock. For those who don't yet know, one of the requirements for residency here in Costa Rica is that you must enroll in our national healthcare system (CAJA) upon approval of your residency application. You will be means-tested to assess "fairly" what you can afford to pay—the greater your income, the higher your CAJA premium. A...

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 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...

Six people were murdered on October 17th on the private property of American Stephen Paul Sandusky of Buenos Aires, Puntarenas, Costa Rica. The police arrived at 1AM on October 18th, and have consistently told the press that they are investigating this slaughter as a robbery gone wrong. Was it? Neighbors aren’t so sure. Sandusky was a 61-year old former Floridian, divorced father of two sons. H...

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...

When your lover’s old boyfriend shows up unannounced at your front door, it often means big trouble. This was the case for 57-year old American David Baldino Dominic, who died in a hail of bullets on May 14th, in front of his home in Herradura, Puntarenas. The accused killer is a Nicaraguan by the name of Acuna Centero who came looking for his ex at Dominic’s house early Friday morning. The uniden...

Image Courtesy of Diario Extra The Costa Rican Red Cross found the body of Nicholas Ray (27), off the Jaco Beach shore, Costa Rica. Ray was reported disappeared last Tuesday, believed to have been swept out to sea by a rip current while he was swimming with friends. His sister Nicole Ray Goldsby, had arrived from the US to help with the search, when the body was discovered. Red Cross and friend...

During the next weeks, all those Expats who have a corporation in Costa Rica will have to fulfill some obligations that are relatively recent, making important to take them into account in order to avoid problems and headaches. Certainly, having a corporation is no longer as simple as it was a few years ago, but it still offers advantages, and it is a matter of organizing yourself with the fulfill...

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...

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 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 ...

Costa Rican scientists are aggressively developing a rapid molecular saliva-based test for COVID-19 that will yield results in only one hour, and will cost $15-20. No elaborate equipment will be required to amplify the generic material, making the test much simpler to process. The first prototype has been created and scientists are calling the RT-LAMP test “tiCOVID-19”, after the affectionate name...

Many expats coming to live or invest in Costa Rica decide or receive advice that creating a corporation is the best way to operate and protect their investment here. There are numerous reasons why they decide to proceed with that, but establishing a business, opening a bank account, or obtaining asset protection seem to be the most common ones. The initial process of a creating a new corporation i...

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 ...

Costa Rica, like many Latin American countries, is experiencing tough economic times as the year 2020 comes to an end. Unemployment is at 25% (Our last report here was 24.4%), and many businesses have been forced to close down, of which most never to reopen. COVID-19 hit the country hard beginning in March, and lots of individuals were caught unprepared. Many people had already taken out loans fro...

Costa Rica has its own style of corridas de toros (bullfights), a style shared by no other country on earth. The bulls in “toros a la tica” don’t die in the ring. They fight hard, entertain the crowds, and live to fight another year. But the humans involved in these bullfights tend to get injured – sometimes gravely – so Costa Rica’s Ministry of Health decided this year to forego the tradition and...

By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica On my phone consultation with MOPT, it was confirmed that the validity of foreign driver's licenses has finally been extended to March 2, 2021. The official notice has not yet been posted on the MOPT site as of this writing, but it is official. For those of you whose validity would have expired today (November 18, 2020), you are free to drive le...

The Organismo de Investigacion Judicial (OIJ) announced Tuesday the capture and detention of three suspects in the case of missing American/Costa Rican, Christian Tijerino Lopez. Tijerino disappeared on February 18 in Bagaces, Guanacaste, while on his way to the beach to surf for the day. His Ford Explorer was found abandoned in front of the Bagaces School, where he had apparently run out of gasol...

At 11:01 p.m. on October 31st an earthquake described by many as "long and strong" shook Costa Rica and was felt in most of the Central Valley. According to the National Seismologic Network (RSN) the earthquake registered a magnitude of 5.7 and the epicenter was located 1 kilometer north of San Juan de Tibás in San José, it had a depth of 77 km. The movement was a result of the subduction of...

The family and friends of Albert Lusk are offering a reward of ONE MILLION COLONES (Around $1700 USD) to the person(s) who can help locate this missing American. Albert never returned from his usual hike on the morning of September 21, in the area known as Cerro Turu, near the Parque Nacional Braulio Carillo. His car was found on Calle Brena Mora. His usual hike was up to a waterfall on the Rio...

Thirty people fanned out on Friday October the 2nd searching for 67-year old Albert Lusk, who disappeared twelve days ago. The group included members of the Red Cross, firemen, members of the Fuerza Publica, and the Organismo de investigacion Judicial (OIJ). Sniffer dogs were brought in capable of finding both survivors, and forensic remains of those who have perished. Searchers combed the mountai...

The US Embassy in Costa Rica has the following message for US Citizens in Costa Rica that wish to submit their vote for the upcoming elections in the USA: If you plan to vote in the November 2020 election it is important to ACT NOW! Don’t wait, return your voted ballot right away! Remember U.S. embassies and consulates are not polling places; same-day in-person voting is not available outside t...

The Organismo de Investigacion Judicial (OIJ) is asking for the public’s help in finding an American citizen named Albert George Lusk (67), who disappeared on September 21 in San Isidro de Heredia Province, leaving his car on a remote road as he often did before hiking to his favorite waterfall. Sadly, on that day, Lusk seems to have never returned from his walk. Mel Rivera, a resident on that ...

The Ministry of Health confirmed 1,087 new cases of Covid-19 positive patients for a grand total of 66,689 confirmed cases, out of which 25,706 people are already recovered. 637 people are currently hospitalized, 260 of them in the intensive care unit. Costa Rica has registered 760 deaths related to this virus. The Government estimates that the hospitals will reach their absolute maximum cap...

The Government of Costa Rica presented this Thursday to the Legislative Assembly the proposal (Plan to overcome the fiscal impact of the pandemic) to negotiate with the International Monetary Fund for a new loan of $1.750 Billion. “We need to maintain economic stability and activate employment to improve the situation in the country generated by COVID-19. If we do not act, the risk is in the hi...

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 ...

Three Americans with legal residency status in Costa Rica were rejected entry on Thursday, after arriving on the first commercial flight from the US to Costa Rica since the borders reopened to Americans. They arrived on Thursday morning at 11:30AM at Juan Santamaria Airport, flying in from Newark International Airport in New Jersey. The flight was United UAL1080, and had 146 passengers onboard. Th...

Costa Rica’s Central Bank announced on Wednesday that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved $508 Million in emergency financing for Costa Rica to help alleviate the impact of the coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic. The five-year loan was granted through the IMF’s Rapid Financing Instrument, and carries a spread of 150 basis points over the IMF’s special drawing rights (SDRs), equal to an ...

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...

On Friday Costa Rica broke a new record for COVID-19 cases with a count of 1193 new cases, the highest since the pandemic began, and surpassing the August 13th total of 1072 new cases. The continual increase in cases is worrisome, especially given the country’s plan to enter a new phase of economic reopening on September 9, and the gradual return of tourists in recent weeks. Minister of Health Dan...

Saturday August 22nd Costa Rica entered the reopening phase even though over the the past couple of days it has registered the highest number of new daily confirmed Covid-19 cases since the start of the pandemic. On Friday the country registered 1,059 new cases while Saturday the Ministry of Health confirmed 950 new patients. Since the pandemic reached the country back in March, Costa Rica has ...

Location: Escazu, San Jose Events: Temporary Suspension of Municipal Police Services in Escazu (San Jose) Embassy contacts have confirmed the Policia Municipalidad Escazu (Escazu Municipal Police or PME, which is the largest police force in Escazu) has temporarily suspended public services after staff tested positive for COVID-19. PME officials have reported that all PME staff are observing ...

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,...

Beach restrictions had been relaxed in Quepos on Saturday, when American Amiri Aarash (79) and his Costa Rican companion Betzi Jimenez (39) decided to return to the ocean together to celebrate the weekend. Neither of them made it out alive. Once again, the notorious riptides at Playa Linda, Matapalo Quepos swept another pair of swimmers to their deaths. A passerby by the last name of Quiros rep...

Saturday August 8th Costa Rica has registered 721 new Covid-19 cases for a total 22,802 confirmed patients out of which 7,589 have already recovered. 360 people are hospitalized, 80 of them in the intensive care unit. 228 deaths are reported in relation to the pandemic in the country. The government announced adjustments on the restrictions and sanitary measures that had already been announc...

There are currently 551,373 Costa Ricans without work: 282,000 men and 269,000 women. These are the latest figures from the National Statistics and Census Bureau (INEC), and indicate that the country has reached a 24% unemployment rate, the highest in the most recent years of Costa Rica’s history. These figures represent an increase of 256,000 more unemployed people from the previous year, and ...

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/...