Categories

Still In Shock

You will be, too, when you read this, especially if you’ve ever had first-hand experience with migración. If you are moving to Costa Rica, a visit to migración will be required sooner or later. By the way, be sure to take your own papel higenico [pa-PELL ee-HEN-ick-oh, t.p.] Trust me, you will be there so long, you will have to use the facilities and no t.p. on hand. So to speak. But, on to better news:

Since Ryan is under 18, he has to have permission from Costa Rica’s migración to fly out of the country. Yes, even though . . . → Read More About Still In Shock

2 June 2010
20 comments - (Comments are closed)   CR: Bureaucracy, Immigration, Legal Arrangements, Teenagers, Travel Tips

Not Feeling The Love

. . . → Read More About Not Feeling The Love

12 November 2008
43 comments - (Comments are closed)   Immigration, Legal Arrangements, Living-In

Possession (Squatters) vs. Ownership (You)

Garland Baker has a wealth of knowledge, that's for sure. Like on the topic of squatters. In 2004, he wrote this article explaining how…

Possession is more important than ownership

By Garland M. Baker Special to A.M. Costa Rica

Owning property in Costa Rica is much more than just having a deed. Possession is nine-tenths of the law in this country.

Most people believe it is a simple procedure to buy a . . . → Read More About Possession (Squatters) vs. Ownership (You)

26 May 2008
2 comments - (Comments are closed)   Legal Arrangements, Living-In, Real Estate, Squatters

Himno Nacional de Costa Rica

We have one and a half years to learn the National Hymn of Costa Rica. If I listen to this everyday, I’m sure I can master it. I will also know how to spell National Hymn of Costa Rica in several languages:

Lyrics so you can sing along:

Noble patria, tu hermosa banderaexpresión de tu vida nos da;bajo el límpido azul de tu cieloblanca y pura descansa la paz.

En la lucha tenaz,de fecunda laborque enrojece del hombre la faz,conquistaron tus hijoslabriegos sencilloseterno prestigio, estima y honor,eterno prestigio, estima y honor.

¡Salve, o tierra gentil!¡Salve, o . . . → Read More About Himno Nacional de Costa Rica

8 May 2008
6 comments - (Comments are closed)   Citizenship, Legal Arrangements

Filas, Firmas y Fechas

Translation: Lines, Signatures and Dates. Or Things a Costa Rican Bureaucracy Can’t Do Without. I left out estampilla [s-tom-PEE-jah, stamp] because it doesn’t start with an f. But this is actually the critical item. If at least one (and usually all) of your Important Documents don’t get pounded by a rubber stamp, you aren’t done. Wait for further instructions. The Stamp of the Final Bureaucrat is Costa Rica’s Holy Grail.

Last month we got a double dose of CRB (Costa Rican Bureaucracy). First, we renewed our passports at the American Embassy, as entrenched in CRB as any CRB. Then . . . → Read More About Filas, Firmas y Fechas

7 May 2008
10 comments - (Comments are closed)   Citizenship, CR: Bureaucracy, Legal Arrangements, Living-In

Squatters

A woman wrote to me recently about buying a house in Key West. Once she found out I live in Costa Rica, she wrote this:

I have a question since you are living in Costa Rica. This is where my husband originally wanted to get a home. We had even started to look when we were told there is a really bad problem with people stealing and/or homesteading your property if you left it to go anywhere. Have you found this to be true? Linda

Hi Linda,

That is all true. When we leave to . . . → Read More About Squatters

29 April 2008
16 comments - (Comments are closed)   Crime, Culture Shock, Legal Arrangements, Living-In, Squatters

Gotcha Day Glitch

In the adoption world, Gotcha Day is the day we gotcha, the day we brought our new baby home. I get all teary remembering our two Gotcha Days. Yesterday, December 10th was Mo’s 16th Gotcha Day. To celebrate, Jen made cookies and brought them over. Hey, Jen, we ate every single one immediately, every delicious morsel!!!!

Serendipitously, yesterday was also Gotcha Day to pick up our cedulas [SAY-do-lahce, Costa Rica's ID cards]. The cedulas that confirm our legal status as rentistas. We’ve had the appointment for weeks now: 9am at the Immigration Assistant Service’s (IAS and not . . . → Read More About Gotcha Day Glitch

11 December 2007
14 comments - (Comments are closed)   Adoption, CR: Bureaucracy, Expat, Legal Arrangements, Living-In, MORGAN, Residency & Visas, Serendipity

Foolish

So a certain maid called me this morning. She is suing me for slander. How about them apples? There should be plenty to blog about on this topic.

15 September 2007
22 comments - (Comments are closed)   Culture Shock, Legal Arrangements, Slander

Dying In Costa Rica

If you die here, they put you right in the ground so you better make sure you’re dead.

If you are particular about WHERE they put you in the ground or IF they put you in the ground (instead of in, say, an urn), you want to make those arrangements beforehand.

For almost everything you do here, you have to use a lawyer. Finding a good trustworthy reasonably-priced attorney is a critical item. Talk to plenty. Take everyone’s suggestion and meet with that person. It’s critical.

And, if your Spanish is fledgling, work with an attorney that speaks very . . . → Read More About Dying In Costa Rica

22 January 2007
3 comments - (Comments are closed)   Death & Taxes, Expat, Legal Arrangements, Living-In