www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Why do people gripe after they break the law?

El Estupido.

Leave before 90 days!

IF you use your head, ride the $11. Caribe bus to Sixeaola and walk across the bridge and then taxi into Chainganola Panama and stay that night, the next night and then return in the morning the next day at 6am to the border. Rooms are $27 per night- the whole trip would be less than $200. GIve me a break.

2 hours 43 minutes, I knew you couldn't resist.

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"You can only keep a secret between two people if the other one is dead." Ben Franklin

I am not sure what is worse, going thought he hassle of leaving the country every 90 days or being sentenced to Immigration in order to get your residency card renewed. My last renewal was an all day caper.

Not sure how long ago you renewed. I renewed in April and total time from scheduled appointment time to receiving my new cedula was 2 hours and ten minutes. I did not consider that to bad.

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

I don't know but strongly suspect that such bureaucratic delays in CR are somewhat variable. Which experience is closer to the norm I couldn't say. I also suspect that Diego may have been exaggerating the delay he experienced somewhat for humoristic effect. Maybe his experience was really closer to just half a day. Whatever it was, whether it was 2.5 hours or 8, waiting for several hours in some stuffy government office can't be a lot of fun. OTOH, how often does one need to go through those renewals anyway? Annually or every 5 years? Whatever it is, it can't be as frequently as the every 90 days that the perpetual tourists have to deal with. PLUS, I have to add, if you can't take such periodic bureaucratic red tape in stride (particularly after living there for so many years), then maybe a country like CR really isn't the place for you.

However, I don't really think that these sort of bureaucratic hassles are something Diego can't actually deal with as much as they're something he just likes to complain about as part of his way of dealing with it. Humor, particularly black humor, is an understandable way for people to deal with such sources of stress. He was obviously just kidding around here (and, like I said, exaggerating for better effect). After all, he can't REALLY think spending a DAY, even a full one, reading a book while he waits for some inept lazy clerk to stamp his paperwork once EVERY FEW YEARS is really any worse than riding on a bus for several hours (or paying for an airflight) and then having to spend THREE days outside the country EVERY 90 DAYS.

Initially yearly. After 5 years of residency you get a 2 year renewal and after 10 years you get a 5 year renewal.

Perhaps immigration offices worldwide are similar in the backup caused by backlogs, overwhelming demand or inadequate staffing levels. When the U.S. immigration service was located on Biscayne Blvd and 79th Street in Miami people use to get in line at 4 or 5 in the morning. The line would frequently wrap around the block. Whether they were in line for a renewal, extension, application I have no way of knowing. I know the line at CR immigration when I was there for renewals, which require an appointment, were relatively short but I saw other lines that I do not know what they were seeking were rather long.

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

Just a few thoughts on things that have been included in this thread:

I just returned today from my 3 day "run" to Panama. Just as a point of info--when the bus got to the border(actually almost a mile away) traffic was totally stopped. We were informed that there was a "strike" (protest) over the old Panamain government not paying a promised retribution to a large group of citizens (sorry I did not understand all the details as everyone was very upset and speaking very fast and excitedly); but the election was Sunday and the old government lost. The protesters were blocking the bridge with a couple of conviscated buses and alowing no vhiciles to cross. We had to leave the bus, walk across the bridge and up that steep hill to the border carrying out bags, then go thru immergration as usual, then wait for another Tricopa bus to pick us up. Needless to say it has been a long and tiring day, but I did learn one thing. DO NOT TRAVEL BETWEEN COUNTRIES DURING POLITICAL ELECTIONS

1: breaking the law is BREAKING THE LAW!!! I have to agree with others--if you are a perpetual tourist, you SHOULD KNOW THE LAW!! Why would ANYONE knowingly BREAK THE LAW and especially why would anyone be upset with Costa Rica inforcing THEIR laws. How many of us have gotten upset with our country NOT INFORCING OUR LAWS

2: Pac55 I have heard of several guys just crossing the border and coming back. The customs paperwork DOES specifically say 3 DAYS. I do not know the exact law, but I do know, and you should, that in Costa Rica the law is how Ticos want to interpert it at the moment. With the current crack down, I personally would not chance it. Also be aware that crossing the border in a personal car is usually a real hazzle. All that said, take you new daughter to meet her "family" in Nicaragua , spend a few days and get to know some where besides San Jose/San Pedro.

3; Chi_trekker: Just one question as per above; WHY ; Why would you break the law, and now wonder if you will be able to get away with it

4:As for whether Panama is a Central American country or not; If they are not, DO NOT tell the Panamain people they are not. They sure like to refer to themselves as AMERICANO Centro, especially on their campaign signs. All of my life, I have always been taught, and told, and read, that it is; and every map I have ever seen says it is a Central American country.

5:JazzboCR and Prolijo: I have to agree with your posts about Texas, California, and other SW states. In fact "white anglo saxtons' stole ALL of the USA from others, (Indians and Mexicans)
WHO IS THE PERPETUAL TOURISTS

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

when it comes to the 90 day rule it all seems pretty basic to me. You are playing in their game. You have to play by their rules. As they say at Taco Bell. "Take a run for the border". Schedule personal business, family occasions and responsibilties, and vacations around the rule. You kill two birds with one stone. It's just not that hard. Why push your luck. You have nothing to gain, and a lot to lose.

Vegas Bob, This close friend that started this tread and somewhat changed rules. Is he a member of CRT? Did he get deported for 5 years or more? Is he still in CR? Did he pay a fine? It has been almost 6 months, did it all go away?

BB57 Can you just tell us if you got laid in Panama and how wuz the quality and quanity?


MY BLOOD RUNS COLD
MY MEMORY HAS JUST BEEN SOLD
MY ANGEL IS A NO BESOS, CIEN PER UNA HOUR,CBJ COLOMBIANA

reading this entirely hijacked semantic ridden thread , GGGEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSHHHHHHH!

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Livin' & Lovin' in Key Largo....oh....And the one in The Keys, too!

My friend managed to have the entire affair go away with the help of a good immigration lawyer that "only" cost him $4300. He is a former member of CRT who admits that he made a mistake by overstaying his 90 days by about 2 weeks. Like everyone else,he got compacent about being out of Country within 90 days since he never had a problem for several years.

As a further problem...... I just returned from MY 90 day out and got a great fare to Boston for $262 all-in with American. At the ticket counter on my return,I was informed that I cound NOT get on the plane unless I had a return ticket TO THE U.S. I was told by friends that a bus ticket to Nicaragua would be sufficient. Well they were wrong. I specifically asked the supervisor who said that a return to the U.S. was required. So I told him to sell me a one way ticket to Miami that was FULLY REFUNDABLE and I would cancel it when I got to CR. That's what I did. The ticket was only $270. I think this is all bullshit so American Airlines can scam the public.

Vegas Bob, Thanks for the reply. That must have been one hell of a trial for only $4300.
How long did it last?

Panama is great if you want to bang premium Colombian pu*sy.

The best place is "The Golden Times".

You wait in a room full of old school barber shop chairs while a parade of Colombians in lingerie comes through. Each chica has a number and once its finished you pick the one you like.

The price is a fixed $85 unless you come by taxi, then they screw you for $25 in taxi commision.

The chicas are top notch and not like those fatties at the HDR who ask for cien and then disappoint.

The last Colombian I bagged let me stick my finger in her asshole the entire time I did her perito style.

I definitely recommend it.

PS:

Golden Times is in Panama City

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"Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the over-compensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn't nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand."
- Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, Ch. 16