www.CostaRicaTicas.com

The US Department of State in their information concerning Costa Rica maintains that your passport must be valid for 30 days after your arrival.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_t ... _1093.html

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

Gents- If you have to renew, renew early! I waited 5 weeks for mine recently with the expedited service. My trip to CR (two weeks ago) was coming up fast, and I couldn't get any information on what the status of my passport was. I called the hotline over and over for 2 hours a day at different times, checked their website, e-mailed them, went in person to the post office, but got no results, no replies. I was starting to panic at the thought that I wasted $922 on a plane ticket to CR, for which I had no passport. Then, it finally came 2 days before my trip. whew. Renew early.

The other option is to make an appt to a Regional Passport Agency. They are scattered all over the country: http://travel.state.gov/passport/about/ ... s_913.html

I have an appt for 9am today. I am being told that my passport will be ready for ick-up on Monday, Tuesday at the latest. It better be since I'm travelling to CR on Thursday morning.

*You can only use the Regional Passport Agencies if you are travelling within 14 days. If you have more time, they will make you do it by mail.

I went in this morning 9am appt to the NY Passport Agency (Hudson St in Manhattan).

I got there about 8:30, you get a ticket with an number on it, then you go upstairs and take a seat until your number shows up on the board. Then you go to the windows, and submit the form for a renewal (DS-82) or a new passport (DS-11). I was outta there by 9:45am.

Total cost for replacement is $127 ($67 fee + 60 expedite fee), payable by cash, credit card, or money order.

I just picked up my new passport at 12:30 since I work downtown, so it's close by.

Phew! Ok, I'm ready to board my flight!