ABOUT THE LIVING LIFE IN COSTA RICA BLOG

I (Vicki Skinner - aka "THE Sarong Goddess") created this blog in 2007 to share DETAILED Finds•Lists•Info•Events•Experiences to help bring more EASE to people living in, visiting or thinking of moving to Costa Rica since DETAILS are NOT easy to find!
I’m NOT an expert (an "expert" 2 ME knows 101%-NOT me). I believe in sharin info•helping where I can! And with over 2,200 entries, so some things might be out of date, so if you find old info PLEASE help each other by getting the updated info & sharing it with me to revise. At least you have some basic info to get you started.
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Sunday, April 27, 2014

PROOF You're Leaving Costa Rica within 90 Days - What Choices do You Have??

To ENTER Costa Rica EVERYONE withOUT Residency•a Cedula MUST have
PROOF THEY ARE LEAVING Costa Rica within 90 days MAX of the date they are entering.

WHAT OPTIONS DO I HAVE TO DO THIS?


THE CHEAPEST WAY:

BUS TICKET
So far, most people I've heard from that have FLOWN into Costa Rica or that have entered Costa Rica via the Nicaragua LAND Border - a BUS TICKET worked just fine.

THE EASIEST:
TicaBus now allows people to reserve a ticket via email. 
Check out my entry on that at:
LivingLifeInCostaRica.blogspot.com/2014/05/BuyTicaBusTicketOnlineProceedure.html

OR
Go downtown San Jose to TransNica& by a 1-way SJO TO Managua ticket

Get the ticket for 90 days before (though I do mine for 89 days - JUST in case)

PRICE:
around $28ish (depending on value of US$ at the time) but that is NOT refundable - but it IS CHANGEABLE.

If you want to extend the ticket for beyond that you'll need to cancel it 24 hours in advance for TicaBus or 3 days before for TransNica to avoid a penalty.


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AIRLINE TICKET
IF you are doing your next Visa Run to Panama, Panama now DEMANDS that ALL ENTERING Panama (though I'm mainly hearing this JUST of people entering by LAND at the Costa Rica•Panama border.  People that have flown into Panama so far have not shared the same experience).

An easy way to deal with that - IF you have the $$ - you can just call the airlines & book•pay for a FULLY 100% REFUNDABLE ticket (use those words) THAT MORNING BEFORE you go to the airport & purchase a ticket for SJO•San Jose (or Liberia), Costa Rica (make sure you don't accidentally get a San Jose, CALIFORNIA reservation.  It wouldn't be the first time that happened [that week!!]) to Orlando, Florida on JetBlue to depart within in 90 days. 

Personally, to be safe, I do Day 89 - THEN - BEFORE midnight - call to cancel it and ask for a refund and you should be ok as they most likely have not processed their tickets.

PLEASE do NOT waste a travel agents time for this (personally I don't see why a small Processing Fee wouldn't be ok since YOU ARE literally wasting their time•resources - but hey - as one that works for myself, I see life differently!!) - unless you're willing to pay them a fee to do it.

Actually, as I say that, since most airlines charge you a higher price if you book on the phone with a live person, vs doing it automated online, I wonder if they reimburse that part of the ticket which is around $20-$25 on average I think.



Hey - it's a small price to pay to get to return to Costa Rica and stay "longer"!!


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Do NOT NOT NOT FAKE IT!!!

Lately quite a few people have reported (and I have PERSONALLY SEEN it happen to people on myself) Immigrations officials at Peñas Blancas CALL the airlines when they suspected
BecomingAnExpat.com/#!Panama---Costa-Rica-Border-Now-Checking-Validity-of-Outgoing-Plane-Tickets/c1o7p/F0DB0F51-BE3C-4D5A-ACA8-CA88177B42C6



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And do NOT NOT NOT - NOT do your Visa Run or Get it "Stamped" Illegally!
First off, Costa Rica is quite generous with us being able to come and go when we do things legally - especially compared to some countries - so do NOT BLOW IT!!  Leave every 90 days (or whatever your countries passport requires).

And do NOT find someone to "Stamp" it!!!!!!  A) it's HIGHLY ILLEGAL and you CAN get thrown in Immigration Jail (at least it's not as bad as the other jails in Costa Rica) AND DEPORTED for 5 years.  I have KNOWN / been in contact with a few people that that happened to.  Just DON'T do it!!!!!!!!!



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