www.CostaRicaTicas.com

i've been walking thru the park and the cops on motorcycle had stopped a few guys that looked like bums. so we can not ask for a police prescense then complain if we are asked to provide what we r supposed to be carrying anyways..??? it's really not that big of a deal most hotel will do for free...

Agreed, they are only doing us a favor if they clean that area up.

But GUYS! Don't ever pay a Latin America cop CIEN unless you are an out and out criminal!!! You will ruin far more doing that than you could ever ruin giving a girl cien. Gringos will become TARGETS for every cop.

Please stay home if you are that out of touch.

DITTO!!!! I have never heard of a cop asking for a payoff from a gringo when the gringo had either his passport or the appropriate copy. I'll take more cops in the area any day. If one gets caught without the necessary ID...... tough luck. You should have been paying attention. You're not in Kansas!

Berk...

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FRUITCAKE... and you thought it was something you eat! Not on CRT!

That's a really darn good idea. Thanks.

I like the idea of trying to get the guy in immigration to stamp my copy. I think I'll try that this time and get a copy if needed. Should I go ahead an get it laminated if 'm going to be there for a while? Only 8 days, but with the rain and sweat I can see a copy getting pretty messed up, if not laminated.

In about 60 trips to Mexico, I have been fortunate enough to have never been in a shakedown. I don't remember the cops ever even looking at me funny.

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I can't deny it, with that smile on her face. It's not the kill, it's the thrill of the chase!

Interestingly, my first trip down it seemed like the immigration officer purposely stamped my passport with a very light touch. so much so that it was nearly invisible and such that a copier couldn't even pick it up. I thought at the time that maybe that was part of the "plan", so that the visit might not stick out on your passport, as it looked to be a conscious effort to stamp lightly.

Bringing a copy to have stamped sounds like the way to go. Great idea.

Hmm..this happened to me once. The cop stopped me after he seen that i had taken money out of the ATM, and asked for my passport. I then said "sure no problem" in english. And promptly pulled out my Cedula, and asked "will this do?" He looked at me like i was crazy, got back on his bike and swiftly rode away!

The immigration official refused to stamp my color photocopy because it is *illegal* for him to do so. They are only permitted to affix their official seal to a government issued document, not a photocopy thereof.

The following statement should be the end of this thread, but of course it will not.

Read:

1. Visitors to Costa Rica from the United States must carry either their official passport or a photocopy showing the data/identification page and the entry stamp. The photocopy is sufficient legal identification IF the entry date stamp is clearly readable, which it usually is not.

2. As Irish said on Page One of this opus, having your original boarding pass USA --> SJO adds credibility to your photocopied documents.

3. It's up to you Berk and anyone else if you want to carry your original U.S. passport. However, kieep the following facts in mind:
1. U.S. passports have a black market value of something like U$D $1,000.00. They are the Holy Grail for most street thieves and pickpockets.

2. Replacing your lost passport, which must be done before you leave C.R. will cost you $70.00, several hours of time dealing with a Spanish-speaking bureaucracy and perhaps three round trips via taxi between your hotel and the U.S. Consular Affairs office in La Uruca. The embassy however is not the only government office you'll be visiting. You'll need to file a police report in Spanish regarding the loss/theft and then take a copy of that report with you to the Embassy. This little pain-in-the-cola process should take around two days out of your vacation time.

I believe the above points to be absolutely factual, although I'm not sure of the current cost of passport replacement.

I carry the laminated photocopy and now, thanks to Irish Drifter's suggestion, my boarding pass from my flight to C.R. I have never been stopped by a police officer, and I will not pay a bribe if I can avoid doing so if I do encounter a cop.

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Pura Vulva! Wandering through the dark, I am El Ciego.

i tried to have the officer at the airport stamp my color copy of my passport and was told that he could not. he said one has to make a color copy in costa rica of the stamped passport and that will fly with the cops

The rules are pretty clear -- carry the original or photocopies of the two required pages.
At least three SJO hotels where I have stayed have made color copies of my entry-stamp page for me, and I always have two or three scanned color copies of my main ID page with me when I travel. There are also copy shops on Avenida Central, not far from the Hotels Presidente and Balmoral, where you can get copies for less than a buck.
I've been asked twice to show my passport. Both times they looked at the copies and gave me them back and didn't hint around for a bribe.

When I meet tourist or transit cops in the Parques Morazan or Espana or elsewhere, if they look at me I always look 'em in the eye and nod and say good morning or afternoon or whatever.

The last three times that I've been at the US Embassy, there have been people reporting that their passports stolen. The last two times - the victims were younger backpacker types.

I heard that you can get $5,000 for them on the black market. Not sure if this is just a myth... however I'm certain many are stolen every day in CR.

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http://TipsCostaRica.com for pratical advice on living in Costa Rica.
In order to write about life, first you must live it! - E. Hemingway.

Well, not really. The only time I see immigration here is at the airport when I'm coming back and I've never been bothered by the police.

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Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly!

I heard $2k

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heredia porn king

WTF!? $2k, or $20K, or $5K. Point is, your original passport has real cash value in the black market.

I am not a veteran like some guys around here, many of whom travel worldwide for their jobs, but I will tell you this:

Replacing a passport in ANY country outside the U.S. is a royal pain in the ass, one which will wreck at least two days of your vacation.

This is kindergarten simple: Migra stamps your passport at Juan Santamaria, you go into town, have your hotel make photocopies of your passport and entry stamp. If you want a neater/fancier setup, you can pay a whole dollar at any of a dozen copy shops within eight blocks of the del Rey and get a credit-card size, laminated copy with the entry stamp. Carry the copy, not the passport, and also carry your boarding pass from your U.S.A./Canada flight to Costa Rica.

If the cops question the copy or demands to see the original, have them accompany you back to your hotel so you can produce the original.

Dealing with bribe-seeking cops should be a separate topic, so I won't comment further except to say that if you're not a criminal, have your legal documents in order and haven't overstayed your visa, *NEVER!!!* pay a bribe.

Guess what? The preceding post, as brilliant (ha!) and factual as it is will *STILL* not be the last word, even though it is absolutely correct. Go ahead guys, waste more space.

This is so fu*king simple that it really frustrates me. Why all the need for chatter? You don't argue *facts,* you check them out.

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Pura Vulva! Wandering through the dark, I am El Ciego.

El C, I am noting a large leche back-up. You need to get down here and get your pipes serviced before you blow a gasket, amigo!

Personally, after living here for the better part of two years, I have never had a bad encounter with the police. I used to walk to the HDR through the park during daylight nearly every day. I always walked like I had somewhere to go and never dressed like a tourist. When in this mode, the police don't even seem to notice me.

If I was concerned that the matter has gotten out of hand I would simply avoid walking through the park. Taxis are cheap.

If the thought of having to abide by simple rules and having to deal with foreign police officials makes someone squeamish maybe they should stay safely in their nice friendly police state.

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"Your love gives me such a thrill
but your love don't pay my bills,
I NEED THE MONEY!" - John Lee Hooker

Disclaimer: The above is merely the opinion of the author unless specific scientific data is included.
Your mileage may vary. https://costaricaticas.com/phpBB2/viewto ... 978#206978