www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Not too long ago members were warning "us" to either get a lawyer and file for Residency, or run for the hills because they are coming to get us. So where are we at on this stupid "law" which doesn't seem to be enforced.

Many of us have been going to CR for a long enough time to know that things rarely change. The government likes to put on a nice show for the cameras, and then everytings is back to status quo.

I have been in and out of the country several times since all this started; most recently last week. All my trips have been by land to Panama or Nicaragua. On all of my last 5 trips there have been more questions asked when returning, especially "how long are you planning to be in Costa Rica"?. I was told one time that if I had responded that I was staying less than the 2-3 months, I would have been given a 30 or 60 day visa. But I have always been given a 90 day visa with no problem. As for having a return ticket out of Costa Rica when entering, There have been signs posted at both borders to this effect. Once I was asked for the ticket and had to return to the bus company office and buy one. Twice I handed them the ticket with my passport and they handed it back to me without even looking at it. Twice I did not even pull it out of my pocket and was not asked for it.

In summary, it appears to me that not much has changed from 4-5 years ago, thou the attidude does seem a little less "friendly" at times; and technically they can now demand that you have a ticket out of the country.

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

I have been leaving CR every 90 days (or close to) for the 7 years that I have been living here. I always travel by plane to the US or some other Countries in this part of the World. 6 months ago a bought a bus ticket to Nicaragua with an OPEN DATE. However I have NEVER been questioned at Immigration and I'm always given a 90 day stamp.

As for SRILM's comments about them never checking his entry stamp date at the airport, this may be the case; I really do not remember since I have not left the country by air in about 3 years. But every time (all 17 trips out of CR by land both Costa Rica and Panama or Nicaragua have looked back thru my passport to find and check the last entry date. Every office I have ever had check my passport has been very good at finding and noting the date on the last stamp as they are thumbing thru the passport to find the last stamped page(almost always the same page as your last entry stamp) to put the new (exit) stamp. They do this so fast that Srilm may not even be aware they are looking at his last entry stamp as they are stamping the passport with the new exit stamp. I have never had a problem with CR nor Nicaragua, but once the Panamain officer looked at an old stamp and was all upset and telling me I had a serious problem and needed to come into the office. He was looking at a 90 day stamp into Panama that was 6 months old and thought I had been in Panama for 6 months. I showed him the correct stamp and all was good, no problem and an appology from the officer.

I have actually had more problems with the "needing a ticket out of the country" with Panama than with CR. The first time I ever went to Panama they made me go back to the bus office and buy a return ticket before entering Panama. Two other times over the last 5 years they have asked to see the return ticket which I had. As I stated earlier, Costa Ricas has signs posted stating that everyone must have a return ticket but only once have they asked for and made me go buy a ticket. I now carry an open ticket (as VB mentioned) and they never ask for it!

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

Srilm, amigo I was not and certainly AM NOT saying you are wrong!! Just questioning in my own mind WHY???? I just went back thru my old passports (my new one has only been used on 3 trips, all by land) and for every time I came into and left Costa Rica and also Colombia, there are both an entry stamp and an exit stamp. And the 10 years before moving here, they were ALL by air. Guess they have changed their policy in the last 3 years or so--I have 3 exit stamps from 4 and 5 years ago when I left by air, and about 25 from the 3 years prior to that when leaving Colombia, and even more from the years before that when leaving Costa Rica. Again not saying you are wrong; just saying they must have changed at some point and I was not aware of it. I would also be courious as to their (Costa Rica) reasoning for not stamping at the airport but stamping at the land borders!! My other question would be: for perpetual tourists who are suppose to exit every 90 days and supposedly stay out of the country for 3 (72 hours) days; how, if they do not stamp the passport, do they know when you left and how long you have been out of the country?? guess it is another example of "Tico logic"!!

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

The airport is much less thorough in my experience than the land crossings. You probably are both correct.

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BKTUNA/Boyd
I am never going home

At land crossing there is an exit stamp put in your passport. At the airport when they used the system of paying your departure tax by buying a exit stamp which you pasted in your passport they would cancel that with an exit stamp. When they switched to the exit tax paper form they did away with the exit stamp.

As to the 72 hour out of country requirement that is currently an object of somewhat heated debate. Their are those that say the 72 hours is a customs requirement that is for the purpose of allowing you to bring in up to $500.00 worth of goods, for personal use, without paying duty and has no relevance to immigration. Much like the U.S. 48 hour requirement. People are reporting going to the either the Nicaraguan or Panama border leaving Costa Rica and having lunch and then returning without immigration raising any questions. Others say the 72 hours is an immigration requirement as well as a customs requirement. I do not know which position is correct but if I was a "perpetual tourist" I would play it safe and stay out the 72 hours until definitive word is handed down.

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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

...Making sure there is visual proof that you did--it may have been implied by Brother ID but given Brother Srilm's report, you may not get it automatically. As for air daytrips, how about trips to Bocas del Toro? Folks do that, don't they? And does anybody have experiences to report on entry/exit by sea?

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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 agree ID, and just what the hell is the hurry to get back to CR. I mean if you live here, a little border trip to Nicaragua is a nice cheap getaway. I'm am gonna hit Panama City one of these days. But I won't be pushing 72 hours. If anything, I extend my little vacations.

Last night at the airport, they flipped through my passport pages and saw the entry stamp from April, but they also saw other entry and exit stamps for a different country since then.

My fresh entry is on a facing page of the stamp from April, another 90 days although I don't stay down here more than a week at a time.

hi Bruno Who is they and what were they looking For?

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DO WHAT YOU LOVE AND LOVE WHAT YOU DO

Two of my friends here in CR have informed me that they got new 90 day immigration stamps at the immigration office in La Urucha for $100. They were also told that as of now they can come back in 90 days and do it again and again.

A win-win deal. Costa Rica gets the revenue that was being spent in Nicaragua or Panama and the 'tourist" save money and the pain in the butt of leaving the country.

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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

On a different note, I just got back from Nicaragua on Saturday. Had my open Tica Bus ticket to Nicaragua as my proof of return ticket. One thing that was different and haven't had in a few years. No questions, they stamped my passport, but the didn't write anything. Not 90, not 60, not 30.