New members of the Costa Rica forum, introduce yourself here

Hey all, I recently released my book, available in paperback or eBook - it's about living abroad with kids, though much of it would be useful for just about anyone. The examples are all from our experiences in Costa Rica and much of it is based around questions I receive through my blog, http://familyfreedomproject.com. Here's the link to the book - enjoy! and send me more questions. I love to help!

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so true cupofcoffee, the rich are like oil and the let say " not so rich" are like water .. they just do not mix...30 or 40 million dollars might be great but, 1 million dollors is more than enough for me...I could still share and be happy.. good luck cupofcoffee maybe one of us will experience that...

The beaches in Jaco are terrible. It's dark and sticky sand. They are a little better in Quepos. The sands on the Panama Pacific side have white sand and are much nicer.

Hello,
I'm a 50 year old American veteran coming down on Jan 5 because I've been researching it so long if I don't make the move now I may never get the nerve! I know it's the right thing to do considering my income and age. It's always a little nerve wracking going to a new location, a new country when I do not speak the language yet.

LenF, best to make your first trip a vacation first, before making the 'big move'.
Rules and Reg's for living here, legally.

hi len, i have lived here six years.  i know how you feel i was scared to death making the move. good to come and visit costa rica is not for every one heavy rains, bugs so so food. i see you mentioned your income.  do note costa rica is really not a whole lot less expensive than the usa. cars are more than double.   gas 5 dollars to the gallon.. i see rental prices on the rise.. a lot of food is more expensive. mostly imported goods.   vegetables fruits are cheap.   all in all one can live here if they watch what they do of income of 1600 to 2000 . labor to is inexpensive i wold also recommend looking at alternative counties. ecuador is nice and less expensive. and more cultural activities ..    but come and see for self.    and have fun. it is a diverse country.

crbooks wrote:

Hola Amigos,

My name is Christopher Howard and I have lived in Costa Rica for almost 35 years. I love the country so much that I became a citizen14 years ago.

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Hi Christopher, I read your book. Welcome to the forum. I hope you stick around and give your great advice to forum members in spite of the mods' phobia against links.

LenF wrote:

Hello,
I'm a 50 year old American veteran coming down on Jan 5 because I've been researching it so long if I don't make the move now I may never get the nerve! I know it's the right thing to do considering my income and age. It's always a little nerve wracking going to a new location, a new country when I do not speak the language yet.

Len, I only wish I COULD have moved down at age 50. I wanted to but couldn't afford it.
Without knowing more about you my only advice at this point is:
1) read as much as you can on various forums - do a google as the mods here surely don't want me to link you to other forums
2) start to learn Spanish now and plan to learn it well
3) I assume you have a steady income that will get you legal residence ($1000/month required from a guaranteed pension - something absolutely guaranteed) The ARCR has more info on residency requirements
4) this is the most important advice:
VISIT Costa Rica FIRST for at least a couple months before deciding to move to Costa Rica.
Rent, don't stay in a hotel, and get a real idea of what it's like to bank, pay bills, buy things, and just generally acclimatize yourself to what it's like to live there as opposed to vacationing there. If you can rent for several months before deciding to move, that's all the better.

Living at the beach is more expensive than mountainous areas.

Cars are expensive to buy, maintain and fuel. If you use the bus, they're mostly convenient but be prepared to stand in the rain. If you live very close to a town you can perhaps use taxis instead.

None of this is to discourage you but to open your eyes to realities. If you dream to come here, make it happen! But do be aware of the challenges. Better to wait if necessary than to come and not be truly prepared.

Sanramon, great advice. Len please follow the forum. these people are not lying..VISIT,VISIT FIRST...

Thank you Paul, that is the plan, still trying to figure out what I want to do when i grow up!

Len

Thank you for your advice. That is the plan to go down there and rent. You have me curious about motorcycle prices, I was going to ship mine there but decided to sell it here and buy one there.

Thank you, I will wait before shipping any belongings. I appreciate your advice.


Len

LEN HAVE YOU VISITED COSTA RICA DO YOU KNOW YOU REALLY WANT TO LIVE HERE.   IT HAS ITS DOWNS. LIKE EVERY WHERE. IT IS ALSO EXPENSIVE.   GOOD CHOICE NOT TO SHIP YOU MOTORCYCLE DOWN IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO SHIP THINGS HERE.   MOTORCYCLES CAN BE A GOOD BUY. ESPECIALLY SOME OF THE CHINESE ONES.     I SERIOUSLY WOULD LOOK AT OTHER COUNTRIES AS WELL.   THEN IF YOU STILL LIKE COSTA RICA MAKE THE MOVE. BUT DO NOTHING TILL YOU VISIT.

Hello Paul Baker

Thank you for your contribution to this thread, however could you please avoid writing with your caps lock on? As it is considered as shouting on the forum.

Regards
Kenjee
Expat.com Team

Hi,

I am an athletics coach and looking to move to Costa Rica, maybe take a language course and do some part time teaching as well.

Hello Sabena,

Well I go to the gym every day just about, if i can't find a way to stay fit "athletically"
my flight is Jan 5

Len

Sabena88 you can't work here unless a legal resident or have a work visa.

What does that mean Len??????????

My name is Eduard, I moved to Costa Rica almost four years ago.

Hi Eduard,

How has the experience been for you?

Sabena88 wrote:

What does that mean Len??????????

It means you cannot legally work in Costa Rica except under certain circumstances like if a company vouches for you, because a Tico cannot do the job.

Your chances of teaching in  Costa Rica are very slim unfortunately; or working in any capacity, as it is technically illegal for non-citizens to work in Costa Rica without the above special permissions.

Now: Some DO manage to work - I know people who are construction supervisors, who buy and run hotels and stores, and so on. But technically you are not supposed to WORK at a job you manage or own.

The problem with all this is that if you do manage to create a job for yourself and work at it, technically the Costa Rica government can deport you and not let you back in. It very rarely happens but it can happen.

What about all those English teachers. How do they manage to get away with it without being deported?

Sabena88 wrote:

What about all those English teachers. How do they manage to get away with it without being deported?

I'm no expert on this but I think:
a) they are hiring less foreign English teachers than before (I have heard that, anyway), and
b) some English schools might make a case for an American or Canadian having a skill of speaking "Native English" that Ticos don't/can't have, therefore in the case of teaching English they might be able to get you that permission.
Please note they don't pay much though, in any case.

As I said there are always exceptions and ways around the law if you're willing to risk deportation.
I know people who run tour businesses and work at that tour business themselves even though it's illegal. I know people who have run stores and hotels and work there. I know people who run and work at their own construction companies.

Just be aware that there is some risk involved in doing so.

Thanks for that advice.  I have heard of people working and every 3 months then they cross the border to Panama for 3 days and return to get their passport stamped for another 3 months.

Most 'teachers' only stay for a few months.
Recently high fines have been implemented and employers cannot afford or just will not willing to risk it.

God bless the Costa Rica government for protecting their own citizens, and the few jobs that are available to them.  Foreigners should not be taking that Tico's can fill.  Immigration has destroyed the quality of life in Canada, I'd hate to see the same thing happen to the people of Costa Rica.

hey Edward, I agree good for costa rica.  leave the JOBS FOR COSTA RICA.  I WISH THE UNITED STATES WOULD HAVE DONE THE SAME THING. Edward you can't stop progress. Edward if you don't like foriegners in your country " MOVE".

-- That is funny, that's exactly what I did.  I moved to Costa Rica four years ago, with no intentions of stealing a job from a Tico, I actually employed two.

I thought i was replying to one individual, been kinda busy getting ready to move and the holidays

Hola all !

I will be moving to Costa Rica on Jan 7,2015.  I am currently in Nevada, staying with my daughter and her husband following the sale of my house and car in California.  I have a 2 bed apartment reserved in San Ramon.  I will be renting throughout my stay in CR, moving from one area to another, if another catches my fancy.  I am working on my temporary residency, and will have to go to San Jose to the US embassy for proof of income and to get finger printed.

I am truly looking forward to the next step in my life.

gypsy

Be sure to investigate what your cost for CAJA will be before securing status, as there are now higher rates coming into affect.  A couple here under Rentista status received a new premium of over $700. per month, so they left and went to Ecuador, lucky there were renting here.  Perhaps they declared a high pension income to receive that rate, I'm not sure.  Good luck to you.

Sabena88 wrote:

Thanks for that advice.  I have heard of people working and every 3 months then they cross the border to Panama for 3 days and return to get their passport stamped for another 3 months.

Yes, people do this. I have a friend who did it for YEARS while -illegally- running a hotel himself with no Tico employees. So yes it can be done. But that was then, this is now.
Can it still be done? Probably, but I'm not sure for how long or if they would deport you or just require you to apply for residency, or ?

In recent years there have been a few stories of people being denied entry at the border after their 3 day excursion, and I know one case on this forum where they were only granted one month, not 3 months.

I am editorializing now:
It seems there is a trend in  Costa Rica over the past few years to discourage gringos from immigrating to Costa Rica or at the very least require them to pay a lot more to do so, in terms of things like increased property taxes and now increased CAJA (medical insurance) payments, and - as mentioned previously - stricter enforcement at the border which seems to be done willy-nilly - it depends on which border agent you get and maybe what mood he's in that day and if he takes a disliking to you or not.

hello everyone,

  I am flying down jan 5th and noticed a post from Gypsie, do we need proof of income  for residency requirements?

It will depend on which Residency program that you apply through:
http://www.arcr.net/residency/compareco … ncies.html

Nothing in Costa Rica is set in stone, things are always based on who you are talking to.  If you go into a bank and their are four tellers, they would all have a different answer to your question.  There is a lot of "Willy Nilly" in Costa Rica.  I do not think there is any ill intent by the people in Costa Rica "toward foreigners", it's just a traditional situation that even the Tico's suffer with.  In regards to border crossings, it has been standard procedure to just give well known perpetual tourists another 90 days automatically.  Over the past couple of years border staff unions have been in a battle with government over wages etc., so some of the border staff have been known to get a bit weird at times.  A husband wife perpetual tourist team came back into Costa Rica through Panama after being away a couple of days.  The wife got her standard 90 days, but her husband only got 30 days.  It's just something I was told, I was not there when it happened.  When my wife and I arrived at San Jose airport the agent asked me to produce a flight ticket showing I was leaving within 90 days.  One other passenger was required to go over to the airline counter and buy his departure ticket, before he was allowed to enter the country.  I'd say 95% of the customs staff do  not do this, it's just a few who are hard line union people that feel they're getting even with government by acting in this manner.  As I said, I do not think there is any ill intent by government, they love tourist and retiree money coming into their country.

Thank you Terry-n-Viv, that link was most helpful

Edward1958 wrote:

Nothing in Costa Rica is set in stone, things are always based on who you are talking to.  If you go into a bank and their are four tellers, they would all have a different answer to your question.  There is a lot of "Willy Nilly" in Costa Rica.  I do not think there is any ill intent by the people in Costa Rica "toward foreigners", it's just a traditional situation that even the Tico's suffer with.  In regards to border crossings, it has been standard procedure to just give well known perpetual tourists another 90 days automatically.  Over the past couple of years border staff unions have been in a battle with government over wages etc., so some of the border staff have been known to get a bit weird at times.  A husband wife perpetual tourist team came back into Costa Rica through Panama after being away a couple of days.  The wife got her standard 90 days, but her husband only got 30 days.  It's just something I was told, I was not there when it happened.  When my wife and I arrived at San Jose airport the agent asked me to produce a flight ticket showing I was leaving within 90 days.  One other passenger was required to go over to the airline counter and buy his departure ticket, before he was allowed to enter the country.  I'd say 95% of the customs staff do  not do this, it's just a few who are hard line union people that feel they're getting even with government by acting in this manner.  As I said, I do not think there is any ill intent by government, they love tourist and retiree money coming into their country.

Thanks for your info on this.

I moved to Southern Costa Rica in October 2013.  I'm in the process of obtaining Rentista residency with the help of the Association of Residents of Costa Rica office in San isidro del General.  In the meantime I'm renting  a small one bedroom house in the San Rafael Barrio in the hills of San Isidro del General.  Before moving to Costa Rica I purchased a 1/2 acre lot in the newly forming  Permaculture  community - Serenity Gardens Eco Village(SGEV).  I thought I'd build a small house in SGEV, however, unable to negotiate a price to build a model home with the Developer's recommended Builder, I'm now considering selling my land and continuing to rent.

I know of others who have encountered problems with SGEV.
Renting seems to work out for the best here, for many people.