www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I may have the opportunity to fly one-way and sail back home with a couple of friends (who are making the round trip via water).

Do marinas stamp passports for exit? This is not a passenger voyage, so it's on me to make sure I get recorded as leaving the country.

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bypassin' kinky, and usin' the whole chicken!!!

Costa Rica customs at the airport won't let you in without a proven return flight, it happened to me, I purchased a one way Spirit ticket once because I had won a free flight on another airline in a sales contest, I hadn't set up the second flight as I was living there and leaving every 3 months as per CR rules. I had to contact Spirit from the waiting area by the jets, one of their clerks had to come to me and check my i.d. and credit card and then hand me the ticket for the return flight I purchased.

If you can get tickets that you can change the return date later and use the return flight another visit, that's your best bet.

I don't know anything about how they handle visa issues for boat transportation, but my recommendation will at least keep you out of trouble at the airport when you fly in. By the way, me and my crew are contemplating a late June visit, you considering going down about that time ?

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Don't try to understand 'em, just rope 'em down and brand 'em...

if I am not mistaken, the boat must clear CR customs etc just like air or ground departures.
Your passport should get stamped whenever that is done.
Shouldn't be a problem, but since you did not arrive by boat, not sure how immigration would handle your departure plans.
Safe bet is pay for a round trip and just not use the return portion and just leave by boat.
But i would check into this further if I was you.
Maybe a boating site would be a better source for the info you need.

I had fully planned on a return flight (in case the boat thing falls through), but I do not remember ever being asked about a return ticket when I've gone through Immigration at SJO.

Anyway, has anyone entered or left Costa Rica by non-commercial water travel?

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bypassin' kinky, and usin' the whole chicken!!!

That's because you had a round trip ticket and it's in their computers, they confronted me because I came in on a one way ticket with one airline (Spirit) and had a free flight available on another but did not make the arrangements yet.

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Don't try to understand 'em, just rope 'em down and brand 'em...

Bash,

You will clear out through the Port Authority. Procedures will vary depending on the port. Call a few days ahead to make arrangements. You will also need to make plans for the other ports you will enter on the way back. Here is a link to a good cruising forum with contact information and general requirements for most of the ports that you might enter, and the perils you may encounter on the cruise back to the USA. Good luck. You are in for quite an adventure.

http://www.noonsite.com/Countries/CostaRica/PuertoLimon

As far as entering CR, I have only been asked to show proof of a return ticket once in my thirty trips. The immigration agent appeared to be training a new agent and gave me a hard time and asked many questions while the new guy watched. Since then, I have been checked in by that same agent with no problems.

Your airline will probably not let you board without a ticket back. I occasionally buy two one-way tickets and they always ask about my return plans at check-in. Always bring proof of purchase of a ticket back out of CR. If you go to CR often then you could buy a one-way return ticket up to 90 days from your flight in and show that at check-in. At a later date you could couple it with another one-way ticket into CR.

LG -