Residency Requirement

There are options you should consider when it comes to residency and many people will tell you differing things. I sugguest contacting www.outlierlegal.com
The lawyers speak English and are very responsive to inquiries. I used them for my paperwork and I found them to be very professional and actually offered options when it came to my residency (as opposed to just rentista and pensionado). Never hurts to inquire.
Good luck!

Thanks - Do you have any advice on hotels in the Atenas, Grecia or San Mamon areas? Also - the Escazu / Santa Ana areas?

I would like to sample contrasts and am looking for something close to town centers where we could walk around and get the feel of the places.

San Jose is not really a "walking" city. Town centers like Escazu and Santa Anna do have a small central areas, but nothing like we are use to in the US. I have been through the other towns, but I don't know them well enough to give you a fair opinon. Friends of mine like to stay at the Beacon in Escazu.
Good luck!

Thanks - I had been looking at the Beacon in Escazu.  It looks like it is down town, within walking distance of lots of places.

If you get your fingerprint done it actually expires after 1 month. So make sure you do it 1 month or less before you go and present all your papers at migración.

Good luck

Expires in a Month, wow...    I had seen 6 months for Police Report and Birth Certificate but no limit on getting fingerprinted.   I appreciate the info.  It will save me the trouble of doing it this first trip.   Can't imagine how my fingerprints should have a limit, since they don't change....

fingerprinting should be the last thing you do, after you collect all your other documents.  CR takes your fingerprints, then submits them to interpol for a report. they use the report in your residency application.