www.CostaRicaTicas.com

First they tell you for years you HAVE to obtain a CR driver's license if you stay here more than three months. Now with the new driving laws they say you can't get a CR license unless you are a resident. Do they have any rhyme or reason to any legislation they pass in this country or are they like Ch*ldren, like the putas, that just do stuff and have no idea while they are doing it? Seems like they are always focused on the silliest things yet can't seem to get one little thing done that actually affects change or solves an actual problem. Phuck em, I've got 5 years left on my license here and by then I will be long gone to much greener pasteurs.

PS. Article on page one of AMCostaRica this morning. http://www.amcostarica.com/

You got that right TW. Along with that, today's amcostarica highlighted fancy Escazu where they had a shooting and broke up a C*ck fighting ring over the weekend,

And why exactly should the government be concerned about you? A gringo who is, and has been, for many years working here illegally on a tourist visa.

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

Just making some sense would be nice. Really don't like me eh? haha

The making sense part is easy:

a legitimate tourist is not effected in any way by requiring a person to have a Costa Rica drivers license be a legal resident.

Not really any different then the law is those states that refuse to issue licenses to illegal immigrants.

I neither like or dislike you. i simply stated a fact.

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

In CR, your currently valid US license is good for the length of your valid CR visa, tourismo, employment, education, I forget the others. I think unde ther new law, for those long time perpetuals on tourist visas, you're going to have to go home every 4 years or so to renew your DL.

It does get complicated even in the US where states like mine have passed statutes in contradiction of internanional treaties. COSTA RICA IS ONE OF THE FEW THAT HAS NOT RATIFIED THE TREATY ON DRIVING.

With exceptions, pursuant to the Vienna Convention 1968 (Amended 2011), a son of the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, in almost all countries, if you have a valid DL from your country, it is good in the country you are in as long as you are legally there for up to three years or until you become one of their legal residents. A few also require an accompanying Int'l DL which really is only a translation of your home DL into various languages. The Vienna Convention has been ratified by 70 countries. Examples of countries that have not ratified the Convention include Chile, China, COSTA RICA, Ecuador, Ghana, the Holy See, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Portugal, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, and Venezuela. So, there's that.

My parochial home state judges and prosecutors don't have a clue or care about Int'l Conventions and will convict a guy from, let's say Poland, for invalid DL, even though he's legal via the Convention. My state statute says 3 months and then they need a state DL and that's all the judges want to hear, in direct conta of the convention we signed. Forces an appeal, alot of $$, but he'll win. All premised on the guy is here legally, whether it be a tourist visa (usually 6 months by US), work visa (indef-renewable here with proof), medical treatment visa (renewable, same), or student visa (renewable, same) and not here more than 3 years. Not so in CR--they ain't in on the pact.

I'd say as long as you were legal in CR and your US DL was valid, it wouldn't be an issue. I've never had a problem renting a car a hundred times, or the few times I've stopped by a transito. I recently got a CR license more so for ID and to cut the bullshit in certain situations as opposed to needing it to drive. I am back and forth to the states, 3 weeks apart in our winter, and rarely go during CR winter.

I think that under their new statute, it'll hurt those who are out of immigration status, or can't rectify their status, or can't get home to get a new DL and still be eligible to come back to CR.

It's complicated.

The funny part DGD is that it was a bribe inducing tool used by transito for years. You would get pulled over, they would see you basically live here and come and go alot. Then they would tell you that you HAD to get a CR license if you were here on a regular basis. Now I'm sure the guy on the highway didn't have the most accurate version of laws.

If they can't get it right here, no wonder. And where I live, the transitos were also "aggressive" though that is largely going by the wayside other then in the old neighborhoods where they can grab a new immigrant from Poland or Czeck or Pakistan or India and the guy is clueless that his native DL is probably legal, but he knows the game from back home.

Ironically, probably cheaper that way and alot less hassles. Boom boom, your done, see you later alligator. Big bucks for lawyers to get you out of a complicated situation and it ain't going to be quick a majority of the time in this kind of unnecessarily legal scenario in the US. Appeals in the US are costly and long.

- However, you made it personal, so i guess your fact is actually untrue.

oops Duplicate post.

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

Interesting logic. Just how does a factual statement suddenly became "untrue" if a person decides the original factual statement was personal.

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

So, this can be a good thing.

If a person does not get a CR license then can they not accumulate 'points' ?

They can show their USA license valid for 90 days from entry with passport proving in country less than 90 days.

_________________
* These are the "Good Ole Days". Enjoy Them.

* RENT but, "Don't Buy a Home in Costa Rica" until you have lived here for THREE years.

Yep, but fines assessed and supposedly now if it's in their computer they can block you at the exit border until paid or entry border until paid. I suppose too many gringos just saying screw it.

I've been stopped twice by the transitos, once between Jaco and Parrita and once between Parrrita and Quepos, and twice at a road block, both times in Guanacaste. Never had a problem with my US DL.

For those, not referring to Icantstayaway, who are doing the perpetual tourist thing, the last time I came through Immigration at the airport, he asked me the purpose of my visit and how long. Told him 10 days. He gave me 15. 1st time that's happened.

Never have gotten a ticket down here. Been pulled over a few times but they were always just checking papers and such. I'm a slow ass driver, no way they were going to be able to claim speeding. I guess it is just the luck of the draw. I every once in a while get asked how long I'm staying and when I say 90 days they stamp me and send me on my way. When I came back last month they didn't even do that.