www.CostaRicaTicas.com

This is a thread that I picked up on another (nonmonger) forum. Can anyone vouch for the accuracy?
[I'm heading back to CR in late Sept or early Oct and will be staying for (hopefully) 4- 5 months. Since I don't know exactly when I'm returning, it's hard to book a roundtrip ticket. Does anyone know if you can buy a roundtrip ticket with an open-ended return? Or would it be better to pick a specific date for the return flight, then pay whatever penalty there is for changing the date later on? Or is it best just to buy a one-way ticket now and another when I know when I'll be returning? Obviously, I'm trying to figure out the most economincal way to do this.]
[TikiMini,
On a tourist visa one must leave the counrty after 90 days for a minimum of 72 hours. Nicaragua and Panama are popular destinations for this and can be reached relatively inexpensively by bus.

You are legally allowed one three-month extension of your tourist visa. Some people will try for additional extensions by leaving again for another 72 hour period after the next 90 days is up. This is becoming less and less advisable as more and more computers continue to come on line for CR Immigration.

By overstaying, which makes you what is known as a 'perpetual tourist', if caught you could be deported and not allowed back into the country for ten years.
]

Where did you get this? I've been a perpetual tourist for 7 years. As long as you get the passport taken care of in the 90 day period you are alright. And the new immigration law has been put on hold so nothing should change in the next year.

I lived there for 2 years, I had to pay a big a$$ fine at the airport when I left. It was a few bucks for every month.

The site is <http://forums.arcr.net/> (ARCR=Association of Residents of Costa Rica). Glad to hear from someone who has actually lived it and can attest to at least the relative possiblily. I don' mind the 72hrs every 90 days--it will be a nice vacation from my vacation.
Thanks

ARCR uses scare tactics to increase its business. After all they are a private company trying to maximize profits.

They always claim that being a perpetual tourist is illegal and you could be deported and denied entry for 10 yrs.

But they could provide no proof that ANYONE had ever been deported simply for being a perpetual tourist.

Who knows what the future holds under the new immigration law??

The current rumor is that you don't have to worry about leaving the country every day 90 days. But that is truly illegal and with the computers keeping track of everything you could easily be banned from re entry for 10 years. Or caught in a spot check.

For now leave the country every 90 days and no worries.

If either of care to continue this string, I have a more detailed question. Also from the ARCR thread:


Maybe this is a common sense thing (although inconvenient), but if at the end of the second (or even first) visa expiration while returning to CR, would I have to bring my original return ticket with me (from my initial flight to CR from the US) in order to be readmitted? The scenario here is that I'm returning on a RT ticket to Panama, but if I don't have proof of return passage to anywhere but CR, will or could I be denied entry. I understand of course that neither of you are lawyers, but I would like your opinion. What worries me is that I would lose my apartment plus all of my possessions remaining in CR.
Thanks,

If youre not a resident of CR, You must always be ready to prove your exit transportation back out of the country. American Airlines seems to be the biggest stickler on this, but I have more than once had to buy a return ticket at the counter before they would let me fly into San Jose when I lived there.

The program is simple enough. Just leave every 90 days for 72 hours and they will be happy to let you back to your apt and belongings ... playing games with extentions or "bending the rules" is just not worth the headaches in these bureacracy driven countries...

FYI...they now are offering round trip planes from San Jose to Bocas Del Toro Panama (SANSA air). Not sure the rate, but lots cheaper than flying to Panama City I'm sure. Bocas is a nice islande to do your 72 hour penance at...

This is another matter of concern for the perpetual tourist. CR immigration has every right to demand a ticket out of the country before they admit you but it seems they almost never do.

The airlines are another story however. They sign agreements and can get fined if the person they transport is denied entry. I have heard of some people especially those flying with american airlines having to buy a return ticket to be allowed to board. The guy from ARCR having to buy the return ticket 3 out of a hundred times defines the odds pretty well I think. Although which airline you fly means alot also.

Don't worry about your possesions and stuff though , you just have to buy the return ticket.

You always could buy a one way bus ticket out of the country before you leave and present that if asked.

The important thing is to leave the country every 90 days because if caught violating that you could be banned.

Thanks a lot, this does a lot for my piece of mind.