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My temporary residence expires this month. What do I need to do to get my Permenent Residency?

Thanks

There are various types of residency with Pensionado & Rentista being the most common. They are not temporary but rather permanent residency with conditions. Residente Permanente Libra Condicions is another category of residency and can be applied for after a certain number of years in one of the other categories. The main difference in Residente Pernamente is that you can legally be employed and you do not have to show proof of converting dollars to colones. All types have various years of validity and then must be renewed.

Theoretically you have to apply for a change of category with Immigration. However, like most things here there are exceptions. I know of two people who were Pensionados and when they went to renew they were given Residente Permanente without requesting it.

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

I am currently a rentisita and my cedula expires at the end of this month. The cedula says "Residente Rentista LN Cond Restringida".

Thanks

Here is a link to the Immigration website page on renewals. Scroll to the bottom and get the PDF (in Spanish) of whichever type of residency you have. It will give you detailed instructions...not that they won't ask for something else/different when you go to actually do it

http://www.migracion.go.cr/extranjeros/ ... S_TABS_3_0

If the link won't work, go to http://www.migracion.go.cr/ and in the lower right corner, there is a link to the above page with the title of "Renovar mi cedula".

Mine expires in late May so making my appointment this week to do it at a local bank...I hope.

_________________
The only thing that matters is happiness in all it forms...

PVT. odds are you won't have any problems renewing your cedula at Banco de Costa Rica in San Ramon. Go to the big bank and they have a notice of what is required to have when you show up for the appointment. Should be no problem.

_________________
not as good as I once was, but as good once as I ever was

I have renewed my residency twice at BCR. It is a very easy process and took about 15 minutes from start to finish each time. They mail your new cedula to the post office of your choice. It takes about 4 weeks to receive it but they give you a photocopy of your renewal paperwork so you have proof that you are a legal resident since your old cedula will most likely expire before you get the new one.

When you call to make the appointment they tell you what you need to bring to the bank to renew. As I remember the last time I renewed I had to have my current cedula, my CAJA ID card, the CAJA patron ordenal for the current month, $123.00 renewal fee and 2650 colones for postage to mail me my new cedula.

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

Well, I tried to get an appointment last week and trying again this week. Number they give you to call for an appointment is a 900 number and for some reason, neither my land-line or cell is allowed to call 900 numbers... After being told by Migration that that was the only way to make an appointment, found a friend with a phone I could use to call 900 numbers...

First, the main number they give (900-1234567) is to make appointments in the main Migration office NOT at a bank location. That number, with no English option, costs 150 colones per minute. Called the other number (900-0034639) and it does have an English option. However, after 5 minutes of hold time at 300 colones per minute, hung up. Called back and did it in Spanish with no problems in about 3 minutes. Total time/cost was 8 minutes for 2400 colones. Cost to renew is $123.

The main Migracion office in La Urica didn't have any appointments until June while the bank location here in San Ramon had appointments available basically at any time you wanted...so got one for next week. Should be fun...

_________________
The only thing that matters is happiness in all it forms...