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 stressed and confused clients and inquirers.

The flight out on September 3 was delayed an hour. We were only told why 20 minutes after wheels up.
Apparently, customs wanted to clear all the previous incoming passengers from that same UA plane before clearing our take-off flight. If any of those incoming passengers had not been cleared, they would have been ordered to return to Newark on the same plane.

I should mention that both awaiting passengers in the boarding gate and staff seemed a bit skittish. Kind of like it was everyone’s first flight ever. Yet all went smoothly, including the boarding of the six passengers of the canine variety.

Predictably, the 1.8m social distancing routine didn’t work out so well. Tough to maintain amongst over 200 passengers streaming into an aluminum tube. (fuselage.) Everyone wore masks but no face shields. The crew enforced strict compliance throughout the flight and de-planning in New Jersey. Checking through Newark Immigration consisted of answering one question: “Have you been to China, Italy, France, etc.?” (and a few other countries I cannot recall).
“No.”
“OK – Welcome to New Jersey.” All done.

It wasn’t much different boarding the return flight to Costa Rica. However, an irrational ticket holder in New Jersey tried to bully her way onto the Costa Rica bound plane after being refused entry for not having a return ticket. Upon discovering that there was no “I’m Special” line, she was quietly escorted away by security. Aside from that, the flight back to Costa Rica was very smooth with the same protocols.

Entry into Costa Rica was a whole different story. It took me three hours to check through Immigration. I was only midway in the returning citizens’ line. So I would assume that some people behind me took well over five hours to check through.

Two reasons. (Here is the part where those questions mentioned above get answered)

1) Costa Rica customs did not call in enough staff. There were only two customs agents checking through citizens and legal residents. There were only three agents for the tourist line, which was four times the length of ours.

2) I timed each passenger when they stepped in front of the agent booth. Most took 15 – 20 minutes each. A significant number seemed agitated and arguing with the agents. (futile) Just as in Newark, one obnoxious “hero” in the tourist line was also escorted away by security.

The most common problem seemed to be the lack of either a negative COVID test proof or a QR code to have scanned as proof of the health survey results. (More on that below.) Lack of the former resulted in the issuance of a 14-day quarantine. The latter’s absence resulted in filling it out online on the spot and obtaining the QR code for scanning. Some people did not have their CAJA up to date. Suffice to say, that lack of proper planning by airport staff plus lack of meeting the entrance requirements by many passengers – and then arguing about it – combined to produce this obscene delay.

This screening process was ostensibly put in place to provide protection from the spread of COVID. At 15 – 20 minutes per passenger, that glacial pace resulted in two planeloads of passengers all bunching up in one tight area for over five hours. (Spirit flew in just after our UA flight) Pretty much defeated the point of the entire exercise.

The next day I called the airport manager of security. (Customs and Immigration). Astoundingly, he picked up. To his credit, he was very conciliatory, polite, and professional. He explained that it had been his day off the day we all checked through and heard about the “fiasco.” He assured me that steps had already been taken to ensure no repeats.

Nevertheless, we should still be prepared for longer wait times coming into Costa Rica while these pandemic control measures remain in place. It will end at some point as this pandemic curve flattens out.

I would also remind everyone that the San Jose airport has received very significant expansion and upgrades to handle much higher volumes of traffic. So very positive change will soon be the norm.

Many sites list the requirements for entry. But for whatever reason, many still are not finding the sites or not reading them thoroughly. For a summary of these requirements in English, amongst many other sites, go to the U.S. Embassy (Costa Rica) site here: https://cr.usembassy.gov/200910-travel-alert/ – OR – the Tourism Board site here: https://www.visitcostarica.com/en/costa-rica/statement-costa-rica-tourism-board-covid-19

Those sites contain more details listed than printed here.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Quick review:

Requirements for Legal (Permanent or Temporary) Residents and Citizens of Costa Rica:

1) Current Passport.

2) Valid DIMEX (Cedula, Residency Card).

3) Proof of Caja payments up to date for each person. Residency holders who are not up to date with Caja will still be allowed to enter Costa Rica but will be required to become current with their payments within 22 days. Residency holders who are not up to date on Caja payments must also present proof of insurance to cover COVID-19 related hospital and lodging expenses for those 22 days.

4) A completed digital epidemiological health pass from here: https://salud.go.cr/step0
This produces a QR code. You have that code on your cell phone, hold it under the scanner on the counter in front of the immigration agent where it is scanned, and instantly confirms the health pass.

5) Costa Rican Permanent/Temporary Residents and Costa Rican citizens must also complete a 14-day quarantine. You will be filling out a form at the immigration officer’s counter, with all your vital info included.

The quarantine is waived if ALL of the following conditions are met:

1) Arriving from one of a list of authorized countries or approved U.S. States.

2) Have proof of stay for the past 14 days in that country or U.S. state or proof of residency in that state.

3) Carry a negative COVID-19 test (PCR-RT) taken no more than 72 hours before the flight to Costa Rica.

Requirements for Tourists and individuals awaiting approval on Residency/Citizenship applications.

1) Return ticket back to the approved country or state of origin.

2) Carry a negative COVID-19 test (PCR-RT) taken no more than 72 hours before the flight to Costa Rica.

3) A completed digital epidemiological health pass from here: https://salud.go.cr/step0
This produces a QR code. You have that code on your phone, hold it under the scanner on the counter in front of the immigration agent where it is scanned, and instantly confirms the health pass.

4) Traveler’s Medical Insurance – international or purchased in Costa Rica through the National Insurance Institute (INS – Instituto Nacional de Seguros) https://www.grupoins.com/seguroparaviajeros, or Sagicor https://www.sagicor.cr/seguro_para_turistas/. (Most accepted by doctors.)

For international insurance policies, tourists must request a certification from their insurance company, issued in English or Spanish, verifying at least the following three conditions:

1) Effectiveness of the policy during the visit to Costa Rica.

2) Guaranteed coverage of medical expenses in the event of becoming ill with the pandemic COVID-19 virus while in Costa Rica for at least $50,000.

3) Includes minimum coverage of $2,000 for lodging expenses issued as a result of the pandemic.

So please be thorough in preparing for your trip to Costa Rica. Your extra effort with a resilient, positive attitude will prove very rewarding. The beauty of Costa Rica still awaits just beyond those customs gates.

If your in need of immigration assistance in Costa Rica Laura Gutierrez  can be reached by clicking here, toll free at 1-833-733-6337 or by sending a email to [email protected].