www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I am going to lie My passport was stolen and I have no money
Just to see how long I get to be stuck in Costa Rica
Crackerass have you tried this scam yet

Just a heads up for the new $82.00 Fee...

http://travel.state.gov/passport/fees/fees_5079.html
5 days to avoid the fee.

For an explanation of the new fees after 13 July 2010 in non-bureaucratese English, check this:
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=34476&p=383864#p383864

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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

I was in the Embassy yesterday to pick up my new passport--yep i procrastinated and (actually) forgot about the fee increase and was the 1st poor gringo to have to pay the additional $35 here in CR.

A couple of notes: getting a new passport here versus in the US--4 working days and mine was ready for pickup--in the states I hear it takes 6-8 weeks? The new passports all have extra (more than in the past) pages so one is less likely to need additional pages. The people here (at the windows) are advising people who have less than 3 years left on their old passport to go ahead and get a new one for $110 (and good for 10 years) rather than paying $82 for a few extra pages that will be good for 3 years or less.
As mentioned, going to the embassy here is not that painful. I left the house at 7:10am, caught the bus to San Jose (c200), walked a 1/2 block to the Sabana bus stop (c115), got off at the coka cola stop, walked 2 blocks and caught the #1-route 14 bus to Pavas (c250). Walked into the embassy at 7:55 ahead of all the people in the very long line by showing my passport. Got my #, walked in to the room where the windows are, my # was already up so walked straight to the window. 8:05 - I had my new passport and was ready to go!! By the way the embassy is not suppose to be open till 8am but there were already 50-75 people in side when I entered--just no gringos waiting for passport pickup. It took my friend that went with me a little longer--he was #3 for the SS window and he had to fill out some change of address forms and get a proof of income statement. Still we left the embassy at 8:20-25 minutes and we were both through!!

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