www.CostaRicaTicas.com

http://www.costaricantimes.com/new-pana ... ions/21090

Story says they want proof of an airplane ticket out and proof, even if an ATM receipt, that you have $500 in cash.

At the Sixaola/Guabito border crossing, I was always asked for a return ticket when I was stamped in on the CR side.

I have a friend who was denied entry for the reasons cited here. I believe this is only a problem for non CR residents, as residents only need a return ticket to CR, their country of residence. Panama is showing that Costa Rica isn't the only country with idiotic legislatures. Oh, well I suppose the USA is also showing that. Never mind.

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"The only normal people are those you don't know very well." Joe Ancis

I am somewhat confused (old age senility)!

Is it Costa Rica or Panama requiring proof of having $500? If Panama, it is not new-2 out of the last 3 times I have been asked to show that amount when entering Panama. I have also seen the same thing happen when entering Costa Rica from Panama and from Nicaragua except that it was only $100.

Same question about the ticket and same answer. I have (not every time) had to show a ticket out of Panama and out of Costa Rica (Never out of Nicaragua). BUT my open ended Ticabus ticket from Costa Rica To Nicaragua has always worked for CR and my return Tricopa bus ticket has always worked for Panama. Is it saying that now we have to have an airline ticket back to the states? What difference should it make as to where you are going as long as you have a transportation ticket out of the country you are entering?? Many people enter Costa Rica on their way to another country or countries before returning to the USA. And they would not have a return ticket to the USA from CR.

I had planned to leave Monday for Panama, but looks like I may need to change and go to Nicaragua!!

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

Article was poorly written. I had the same confusion. Bilko posted it was Panama doing it which seemed like the thrust of the article after reading it five times. Not my thing so no clue.

Yes, it is Panama requiring a return ticket to your country of residence plus the money requirement, and some say that showing an atm card and printed balance on a receipt isn't enough. It isn't only perpetual tourists who are affected, but imagine the backpackers who are travelling through Central America, starting in say Guatamala and heading south. Panama will do without their visits as well as the unofficial gringo residents of Costa Rica. NW Panama is rather nice, but other than the canal, what is there to see? Gambling? bfd. Hookers? Coal to Newcastle (bad metaphor but you get the idea, I hope).

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"The only normal people are those you don't know very well." Joe Ancis

http://insidecostarica.com/2013/10/08/p ... an-border/


This article provides an actual first hand experience from a guy who was denied entry into Panama even though he had already exited CR. CR Immigration officer kindly gave him a 1 day visa to get back to SJ. I am not a perpetual so I don't understand all the nuances, but ain't he gonna have a problem with all that?

Anyway, article says you need a return flight ticket to the US or wherever you are from and $500, but not enforcing it if you arrive in Panama via air.

I can verify that Panama has crossed the line into stupidity. I just got back from there. I tried playing dumb like I did not know anything about this!! "No problem (for them) just buy a ticket on the internet or don't enter their country"!! On the bus I was on there were 5 gringos; actually 3 gringOs and 2 gringAs. Non of us had an airline ticket. Actually one guy did but it was for next May and they would not accept it. One lady had been traveling thru ALL the Central American countries for 3 months. She was now on her way to Panama to spend a couple of weeks before flying out of Panama City to Europe for a 2 YEAR stay in Europe. She had papers showing all this. NO importa!! She had to spend over $300 on an airline ticket back to the USA that was dated no more than 3 months ahead.

Panama has shown that they do not want our American $$$$ so I for one will not be going back. And while there I told about 20 different merchants (Hotels, Restaurants, Tourist stores, etc.) non of which knew about this. I pointed out to them that I was sure I was not the only Gringo that would no longer be coming there and that they just might want to have a talk with their idiot politicians. And, NO, I did not think it would do any good but it made me feel a little better.

Funny thing was the stupid immigration supervisor trying to tell us that this has been the law there since 2008 and that they had been enforcing it since then. All the while she is standing there holding my passport and seeing around 20 stamps where I had entered Panama since the 2008 date. When I pointed this out to her she called me a liar, that I had to have had an airline ticket or I would not have been allowed in all those times.

On the trip back today I met several other people who had had a problem entering at Canoas. A few had entered by air and had not had the problem. Three had entered by boat from Colombia and also had not had the problem. I have heard the law is not being enforced when crossing over going to Bocus del Toro. Seems that only at Canoas are they enforcing this 5 year old law!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GOOD BY panama; Hello Nicaragua!!!!

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

Good to see you post again BB57!!! Just make sure you don't bump into Ortega again

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The only thing that matters is happiness in all it forms...

Greengo, I am beginning to wonder if you own stock in TicaBus. Jejejeje! This is the second time recently you have posted that on Tica Bus you would not have a problem! NOT TRUE!!! There was a TicaBus at the border at the same time I was there going and coming!! I was on Tricopa which actually at Canoas is a much bigger name as for as bus companies are concerned. The people on Ticabus were having the same problems we on Tricopa were having. In fact coming into CR we had to wait for quite some time while customs went thru virtually every bag of the Ticabus passengers. There were 3 agents checking their bags while we only had one checking ours. It took us maybe 5 minutes since he only actually looked in 2 bags.

Over the years I have ridden both buses and always use TicaBus to Nicaraga. I find very little difference in the two overall. Ticabus has air conditioning (they usually will freeze you to death, and refuse to change the temp setting) and it has a restroom. But it almost never makes a rest stop so you can get out and stretch; does not even stop for a meal. And it cost 25% more. Tricopa does not have air and it can get kind of hot especially now since they are going the coast route instead of thru the mountains (saves about an hour). But Tricopa makes 3 stops on the trip to David. One stop is for lunch at a restaurant where you can get a (overpriced) hot meal while Ticabus has a guy get on with sandwiches and cokes (even more over priced!!!!and almost uneatable) I rode their "executive" bus one time. Paid $20 extra and the only difference was they stopped at an American fastfood hambuger joint at 4am and we each got a cup of warm coke and no ice and a grill cheese sandwich. At least that is what I think it was!!! $20 for a grill cheese sandwich and a warm coke--no thanks, never again. Oh and it was suppose to be a bus with more room (less seats). Had the same 54 seats as all the TicaBuses have.

My opinion is ride which ever bus fits your schedule best. As for as one getting preferential treatment, I highly doubt it since at Canoas 9 out of 10 times immigration never even knows I am on bus. Yes customs knows, but I have never really had any problem going or coming with customs.

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

One solution for those love living in Costa Rica is to get you Residency. Now you don't have the worry of leaving and coming back every three months. Without residency you are a tourist and have no rights in Costa Rica. The trend looks like it will only get tighter and harder to cross boarders. Panama or other countries are not doing anything extreme. We just have to now the rules when traveling there. You can always buy a full refundable airline ticket and cancel it.

Yes you can buy a refundable ticket. One guy did and it cost him $1800 versus between 3 and 4 hundred for a regular ticket. And it often takes over a month to get your refund so they have your $1800 for a month. I and most of the others I talked to did not have $1800 to have tied up for a month!!

As for residency, yes that may be the smart way to go for many but residency also has its drawback-mandatory bank account here, mandatory caja insurance at 10% of your monthly income, just to name a couple. That 10% cost of insurance rubs me. If you have a $2000 a month income (pension, retirement, SS, what ever) you would have to pay $200 for coverage for just you while Ticos can get the same coverage for their entire family for about $50. As for rights, what rights do residents have? They can get a CR drivers licenses! in most cases, what for? most do not have a car and just the occasional renting of one, you can use your USA licenses. You can (have to) have a bank account here!! why do you really need it? You can get insurance!! at 4 times the Tico rate!! You don't have to leave the country every 90 days! This is true but when I first moved here it was not a hassle to cross the border into Panama nor Nicaragua. And I for one like to travel!! Now many years later things are a changing!! As for them not doing anything extreme, I personally call no flexability in requiring an airline ticket back to the country of residency EXTREME. A women has papers showing she is going from Panama to Europe for 2 years and she has to buy a ticket to return to the US within 90 days--THAT IS EXTREME!!! Why should Panama or any country care or even have the right to say where you go when you leave their country as long as you have the means to leave!!!!!!!!!! As for me personally getting residency, I have been told that after living here all these years with no permanent address in the States that I would have problems getting the required police record. Oh well if it gets much worse I will just move to Nicaragua or back to Colombia.

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

The easiest no hassle way is the fully refundable ticket. I just checked a random date in February on American to Miami from San Jose. A one way ticket is $740. Put it on your credit card and then cancel it. The Debit and Credit will equal out and you will not be out any money. Just know your billing cycle.

I have Residency here and pay the caja. The other day a tica friend was over and saw my receipt for the Caja. She said this is all you pay. You are paying less than I am, why. Its not true we pay more than the ticos. Yes some people are, but many others are not.

Many people living here have different situations and amounts of money, but do your research and see what works best for you.

The fully refundable ticket is a very easy solution. Buy a one way ticket to Miami. I just checked a random day in February and its $740. Put it one your credit card and cancel a few days later when you get to your destination. The Credit and Debit will cancel each other out by the time you get your bill. Worst case scenario it does not just pay your minimum due and by the next bill it is cancelled. If you know your billing cycle its very easy and works every time.

I am a resident and the Caja is very reasonable for me not even close to $200. The other day a Tica friend was over and saw my Caja receipt. She said why are you paying less than me. I am very happy with the Caja and what I am paying. Some people I know are paying much more, but I am happy with my payment.

With residency I come and go when I want. If I choose not to leave for the year I am saving money by being a resident of Costa Rica. I love being a resident of Costa Rica. I never have to worry about the next rule change for Perpetual tourist.

Its different for everyone, but for me residency is the only way to go. Do your homework and figure what plan works for you. There is no one plan for everyone.

Bat me down on this if you will but can this org be of help? http://www.arcr.net/

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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