www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Amazing how you can't get a simple answer to a simple question here

My friend, his question about paying $100 instead of leaving HAS been answered!!!

His question about overstaying and wanting personal experience is not likely to happen--anyone who has overstayed has probably (if caught) been barred from reentry and if not, they are certainly not going to be discussing it on a public board that many at least think is frequently read by the CR authorities. Yes people have been banned for certain periods of time for overstaying their visa; for over staying and not paying a fine, it appears that maybe no one has been given a choice. Most of us just make sure we do not put ourselves in a position to find out (the hard way); we just make sure we leave within the allotted time and avoid any possible unwanted headaches!!

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Old and retired but still bang, and bang, and bang!!!

looks like i can help dispell some of the myths and rumors. I am leaving for panama but my visa was only good for 12 hours. So by the time I reach the border, I will be about 40 hours or so expired. Also, I will inquire about the exit fee. I only paid for the ticket thus far, but when I check in tomorrow, I will see if I have to pay it. Wish me luck fellas, the rumors and myths have gotten me frightened!

I also have to cross back into nicaragua to get to honduras.

You did not say where your country of residency is! Panama now requires you to have a ticket back to that country before they will let you enter. If your residency is the USA that means an airline ticket back to the States. If it is Honduras you will need a bus ticket from Panama to Honduras.

Good luck with the 12 hour visa. Hope they will be understanding and not hazzle you too much!!

You will also not need to require about the ground exit fee. As I posted earlier in this thread you can pay the $7 exit tax at Ticabus. Ticabus will not let you on the bus without it and they will for sure want it at the border. I just crossed over into Nicaragua last week and this was my experience.

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Old and retired but still bang, and bang, and bang!!!

oh man, you are a live saver man. I'm already starting to dislike panama for how ridiculous it is getting just to go visit and how expensive the chicas are. ditto for costa rica, but at leasts cr the price is moderate and the chicas plentiful

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVV Does anybody have experience with this VVVVVVVVVVVV

If a U.S. citizen has a round trip plane ticket for a trip to CR, and wants to take a quick "side trip" to Panama while in CR, will the return ticket from CR to the States satisfy the border authorities in Panama Or - - - will he ALSO have to have a return ticket out of Panama directly to the States

I did it for 2 years between 2007 and 2009 and never had any problems, always be submissive and polite to the clerks, they have tremendous power to make any decision they feel like and you can't go over their heads. I always traveled (Spirit Air, S. Fla) about every 85 days to show respect and never went over. Definitely don't do that, even for short periods, they feel this is an insult or that you are rude and cavalier with their laws.

People who go way overboard can be banned for years or for good if you are really ignoring their laws. I actually never had any clerk ever even ask me a question, they seemed to just "know". It was the American side that was a little chancy, one immigration officer blurted out and surprised me once, he barked "Are you working down there???" after seeing I had been coming and going for about a year and a 1/2. It appeared to me he was probing. I suddenly found myself in a chess match. I simply smiled and said "no" (I actually was) and offered no further information, calling his bluff. Poker face, silence. If he were to continue, I could prove my bank account had enough for 2 years of Costa Rica living based on the pleasant but not elaborate lifestyle I was living (if you subtract the ho expense it might be 1 year...)

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Don't try to understand 'em, just rope 'em down and brand 'em...

The last time I went to panama I had a bus ticket back to CR but they kept telling me I had to have a plane ticket from Panama to the States. I finally went and got one, but by that time the bus had left me. Had to get a local bus on to David. There was a woman from the states who had been in every Central American country but Panama during the preceding 5 and 1/2 months. She was to spend 2 weeks in Panama then fly to Europe for 2 years before returning to the States. She had all her tickets, documentation, and papers but they still made her buy a plane ticket from Panama to the US with a flight date not exceeding 90 days. I was told by people there (in Panama) and have since read that this is not a Panamanian law but just something the head of immigration started on his own. A friend in Panama has told me that a lot of tourist related business owners there are really upset because it has hurt their business!!!

For me this all occurred 6 months ago; less than a week after this regulation went into affect.

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Old and retired but still bang, and bang, and bang!!!

Greengo,

Once again the question is asked, and once again I am sure you will ignore answering!! WHY WHY would you continue to live in anyplace where you have such a low opinion if the country, the government, the people. If CR was really as bad as you "paint" it, I would be too afraid to ever walk out my door!! But then if it were really as bad as you "paint" it, I would not be living here!!!!!

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Old and retired but still bang, and bang, and bang!!!

Gotta agree with BB on the Greengo issue!!!

Alright, so here's the scoop on my situation. although I don't think it would really help anyone else. My visa was only for 12 hours, stamped as a transit visa. But it was expired by 40 hours by the time I got to the border. I wanted to be able to leave without hassle, so I decided to be at the near back of the line and choose the guy who looked like he hated his job and wanted to get the heck out of there. I watch carefully as the others inspect and search for valid visas, which means I would eliminate going into that line. Then I watch all three lines and see which moved the fastest, ah ha! The second line. I move near the back of the long line into the second window. The guy takes my forms, scans my passport and stamps it without even looking at the expired visa! What luck!

Now on to panama. I was told by bangbang that I needed a ticket back to my home of residency. Now, from what I have observed and talking to other fellow passengers, that might be an extreme case. The immigration person at the window asked for a return flight, not necessarily from panama, but just one in general. I told him I don't have one, but I do have bus tickets back to honduras, where it is my home of residence, proving it with my CA-4 card. He accepted it, now he wanted to see that I have $500 dollars in a certified bank statement, I show him my bank accounts on my phone, but he wouldn't accept it, but he did ask me to show him credit cards, which I have. Couple of stamps and I am done.

There is a $7 exit fee, but ticabus people don't inform you of this, because there is a bank that you can pay at the border, we arrived at 5:30pm and it was still open by the time that we left. I asked about it at the ticabus, they don't inform their passengers of this. They also charge a $2 convenience fee, so it was $9 total.

Some of the other passengers also book their flights out of panama, and before paying, just copied it and printed it out and showed the guy at the window, which they accepted, because I doubt they can read or understand english. Some other people just took old flight confirmations and photoshopped them with up to date and real information. I dont think many people had actual flights back to their home of residence. The immigration people just want to see it without having to analyze it. He didn't even look at my bus tickets nor my credit cards, just that I was in possesion of them.

Not really sure if this helps dispels rumors and myths. This is just my story.

As does a blind hog (to go back to the original saying). BUT hell yes we do and don't you hongkongkingkongpingpongnetgongwallawallachittychittybangbangtopsyturvy forget it either, Babalu.
I personally enjoy every bit of the hog but the squeal...and you?

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"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

please, tell me more about your philosophy/political science degree from a tiny liberal arts college.

Is this an example of "....the truth hurts..."?

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"Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the over-compensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn't nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand."
- Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, Ch. 16