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 bookings will be accepted is yet to be determined. Possibly by phone (onerous) or more logically and reasonably – online.

The revised opening date may also not be a solid bet because that nebulous COVID curve needs to sufficiently flatten out first. Right now, the infection rate in Costa Rica is expected to peak late October to mid-November. Estimating such an event is not an exact science. So the Immigration re-opening date of December 1st may move back once again. However, the booking date of October 19th will likely stay in place. If the December1st physical opening date changes and gets pushed out into January, then the sequence with which the bookings came in starting October 19th will remain in place but move forward to the revised date beyond December 1st.

Suffice to say, we are getting much closer to a real opening date and the odds of December 1st holding true are good. So be patient and flexible. The government here is acutely aware of your frustrations and urgent needs. Remember, their operating budget comes from tax revenue, from businesses, tourism, and ex-pat residency. The pressure to open things up asap is enormous. Officials are doing all they can to intelligently and responsibly meet those needs of yours while maintaining safety for vulnerable Costa Ricans, ex-pats residents, and tourists. Those of you who are prepared will be the first to benefit from those openings when they happen.

To aid in the adjustment of your plans, here’s an update on:

1) Travel plans in or out of Costa Rica.

2) Set up a date to submit residency applications at the DGME (Department of Immigration).

3) Getting fingerprinted at the Dactiloscopia (Fingerprinting Center) here in San Jose (San Pedro).

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1) Travel:

For a comprehensive update on the current travel guides, the best link in English is here: https://www.visitcostarica.com/en/costa-rica/planning-your-trip/entry-requirements – OR for the U.S.: https://cr.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/

Reading this slowly, undistracted TWICE will steer you clear of confusion and mistakes and a really nasty episode with Costa Rica airport customs officers. Read my last article about my personal experience flying back and forth to the USA here:

2) First time application for Residency:
The new re-opening to the public date has been re-set from September 18th to December 1st by appointment only. I will begin booking on behalf of clients starting on October 19th.

So what about extensions on document expiry dates? Those have been automatically extended to June 1, 2021. (On all documents still valid or issued after March 17, 2020). Breath.

Once again, flexibility and resolve will be required. It stands to reason that there has been a tremendous buildup since March of new residency applicants. It will likely take at least three months or more to process that build-up of applicants. Not just due to the number of submissions, but because of traffic-restricting social distancing protocols factored in when the Department of Immigration takes those bookings that begin on October 19th. Simple math would therefore dictate that it will take many weeks or even months to get through the backlog, let alone all the new cases coming on stream as we enter into the Costa Rica summer months for the migrating flocks from the wintery north.

All U.S. states are still processing requests for required documentation. The same goes for Canada and most E.U. countries, and the U.K. The only thing that has been curtailed is the walk-in service. Even in walk-ins, some states and provinces are still allowing those, but by appointment only to control traffic flows.

DGME Staff is Still Processing Backlogged Applications:
Even though The Department of Immigration has been closed to the public since March 17, 2020, it has remained fully staffed and continues to process backlogged applications. I continue to receive approvals each week. They have ranged in times from seven months to twenty-four months from submission to approval. Overall, there appears to be progress in clearing the backlog, but approval times are still way longer than my former norms of 4 – 7 months. Those former norms are not likely to ever return. So plan accordingly around “the new normal.” (Likely to become curse words.)
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3) Fingerprinting Center:
The Dactiloscopia (Fingerprinting Center) in San Pedro will also remain closed to residency applicants and those attempting to obtain fingerprints for FBI or RCMP reports. The Dactiloscopia is currently only processing applicants for local security jobs. They will re-open to the public for Residency related fingerprinting – and – FBI or RCMP report prints likely by December 1st. But this needs to be confirmed. Whatever the date, it will be by appointment only as it has always been in the past year. Observe for updates in the next two weeks.

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If your residency card expired after December 18th, 2019, and you have not renewed it yet, it will be extended to January 11th, 2021.

If you hold a Permanent Residency card with an expiry date beyond December 2019, it stays valid up to January 11th, 2021. If you had an expiry date before December 2019, you will be fined $100/month for the months between the expiry date and December 2019. From December 2019 to January 2021, you get a pass.

If you entered Costa Rica between December 18th, 2019, and October 31st, 2020, your visa gets an automatic extension to March 2nd, 2021.

If you enter Costa Rica November 1st or later, your stay will be restricted to the number of days granted on your visa stamp. For countries such as the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and the E.U., that would usually be an automatic 90 days. But no extensions will be granted. Back to the regular visa stamp limits.

The north and south borders (Nicaragua and Panama) will stay closed indefinitely due to those countries’ conditions. So please forget about border-runs. They are a thing of the past. Pursue legal residency and get the most out of your lived experience in Costa Rica.

Drivers Licenses:
Usually, foreign driver’s licenses were only valid for the 90-day visa granted upon entry into Costa Rica. If you entered Costa Rica after December 17, 2019, your foreign driver’s license validity is extended to November 18, 2020. We are awaiting word from the traffic departments on extensions to possibly March 2021. Currently, the entire annoying policy is under review. Stay tuned.

In a subsequent article to follow shortly, I will cover the following.

First-Time Residency Cards (DIMEX) processing – (the last step in getting your residency card): By category and method.

Renewals of Pensionado, Rentista, Inversionista, and Vinculo residencies.

Applying for Permanent Residency.

It is crucial for all ex-pats and travelers to stay registered with your respective embassies here in Costa Rica and receive timely updates and relevant notifications. Things can change on a dime.

So hang in there, everyone. As with such great calamities in the past, the most resilient, persistent, and calm prevailed and achieved their goals despite similar obstacles. Join your fellow ex-pats who have already gotten all their required documents and stand at the ready for submissions of their residency applications.