Passport and Visa Requirements

The requirements to enter Costa Rica depend on your country of nationality.  Generally, citizens of the United States, Canada and the European Union countries do not require a visa to enter Costa Rica.  Those citizens can enter Costa Rica with their valid passport and remain in the country for up to a maximum of 90 days.

Visa renewal.  If you are under the 30 or 60 day category then the law allows you to apply for an extension of up to 90 days.   If you have a 90 day visa the law does not allow you to apply for an extension in Costa Rica you must leave the country and re-enter to obtain another tourist visa.

The amount of time that a Tourist can remain in Costa Rica is based upon their country of origin.  Costa Rica ranks countries for visa purposes into 4 categories set forth below:

GROUP ONE:   Those countries designated as Group One may enter Costa Rica without an entry Visa and may remain in Costa Rica for up to 90 days. Example: United States Canada, European Union, Australia, Brasil,

GROUP TWO : Citizens of Group Two countries may enter Costa Rica without an entry Visa and may remain in Costa Rica for up to 30 days.  Example: Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Venezuela

GROUP THREE:  If you are a citizen of a Group Three country you need to obtain an entry VISA from a Costa Rican Embassy or Consulate abroad before you enter Costa Rica.  If granted it is for a period of 30 days.  Example: Colombia, Ecuador, India, Nicaragua, Peru

GROUP FOUR :  This is the most restrictive category.  This means that citizens of Category Three Countries must have an entry visa BEFORE they are allowed to enter Costa Rica.  The visa must be reviewed by the Director of Immigration before it can be granted.   If granted the visa is for a period of 30 days.  Example:  Cuba, Jamaica, China, Iran, Iraq.
 

You can download the current visa list by clicking on the following link:   Circular DG-3312- Visa Entry Requirement List

Your Passport Entry Stamp:   While you are in Costa Rica your passport and the immigration stamp that was placed in it when you entered the country is your proof of legal status.  The Immigration Department allows you to carry a copy of your passport with the entry stamp so that you can keep your passport in a safe place.

Be sure and check these rules at the time you want to visit Costa Rica.  They can change at any time.

Pura Vida... 

Small World

Talk about a small world.  I have been emailing back and forth with my cousin.  I told him I was going to Costa Rica and would be on a retirement tour.  He emailed me back and said, "Not George Lundquist?  My wife and I have been thinking about going there and taking his tour."  I was so excited.  The word is every where about George's tour.  Also, as it turns out his brother, my cousin, had gone to Costa Rica and visited with George, but not actually taken the tour.  Maybe there will be a whole colony of us living in Costa Rica!

The Costa Rican Government is very careful to protect it's citizens ability to earn a living.  Anyone can move to Costa Rica, but no one that is not a citizen can work for a company there.  They do not want people moving in and taking jobs away for their citizens.  You can however open your own business.  George opened his retirement tour business there.  For this reason, I am taking the online English teaching course by TESOL Express, so I can tutor to make extra money.  If I can find a need when I get there that matches skills I have I'd love to start a business.  I have owned 2 of my own businesses in my life time, so it would not be something completely new for me. 

Cheers,
Claudia

English Course

I started my English teaching class.  It's wonderful and very different than what I thought it was going to be.  The first section deals with how to work with students that do not speak English, therefore not really understanding much of what you are saying.  So many things I never considered.

The course is teaching such things as hand gestures to signal what you are saying.  Using the board to put examples in pictures of what you are talking about.  Words not to use.   Shorten your sentences using as little words as possible.  Cutting down on your adverbs and adjectives.  It will be very different from teaching children that already speak the language.

I have learned one lesson...do not try to study a lesson and take the test at work.  I failed my first test!  Not a good start, plus I am a personality that hates to make mistakes.  Especially when I consider them stupid mistakes.

This process really is empowering.  We are all going to need or want to stop working one day and be able to enjoy the rest of our lives.  If we do not start planning and working our plan it will never happen.  I have my 2-3 year plan and feel great seeing it already starting.

Cheers,
Claudia

WORKING MY PLAN

Keeping my eye on the mark.  Make a plan and work it.

I sat down several nights ago and started my Costa Rica or bust success list.  I am on a 17-24 month plan to retire in Costa Rica.  Well, semi-retire.  I'll have to find something to do to supplement my pitiful social security.

First step...plan an information gathering trip to Costa Rica.  Done.  Will be there in late spring.

Second step...Take Spanish.  Almost done.  When I get back from my trip and know for sure Costa Rica is for me I will be bidding on Ebay for the full Rossetta Stone Spanish Course.  Ole'

Open a specific savings account.  Spend money on nothing except the life giving essentials (Going cold-turkey!).  Will be at the bank tomorrow.

Build my Ignite (Stream Energy) business!

It's a start!  Head down and engines revved!

Cheers,
Claudia

Retirement

It has become pretty obvious that I will not ever be able to retire in the United States. There was a little known fact to me that if you are a stay at home mom and work most of your life in that world you have no social security! There is evidently no monetary value to being a home keeper and mother. Thank God I did work outside the home a little, or I would have zero!

What to do? I have been looking for some place where I can make a little extra money plus my social security and still be able to keep a roof over my head and eat. I am very close to choosing Costa Rica.

I am going there in April or May to visit a friend of my father's who has lived there for 9 years. He loves it and would never consider leaving. He has sent me pictures that make the decision pretty easy! The picture of the birds at the top of my blog was taken from his window.

Have you ever considered something like this? Any ideas or suggestions?

Cheers,
Claudia