Archives for November 2019

Costa Rica Residency – Obtaining Your Police Record

November 16, 2019 by Costa Rica Guy Leave a Comment

After ten years of permanent Costa Rica residency (as well as marriage to a tica), this year I decided to become a citizen. I figured since I’ll be buried here, I might as well have the right to vote!

Granted, becoming a naturalized citizen is a bit different than getting a residency. Naturalization is a process that involves the TSE, or the Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones, as opposed to the Costa Rica immigration office.

Nevertheless, it is similar in the respect of needing to obtain a U.S. police record. The process of obtaining one of those that can be used for immigration or naturalization purposes in Costa Rica has long been a source of great frustration and confusion for expats.

These days, for purposes of Costa Rica residency or naturalization, they are asking for a national (or FBI) record, as opposed to one from your State of residence. I obtained mine earlier this year using the Outlier Legal Service in San Jose. I thought that was the best way, without having to actually make a trip to the U.S. Their service was good and I have no complaints, except for the fact that it’s damn expensive. To obtain the record, with the apostille affixed by the State Department, cost me $400. Then I had to pay another $100, or so, for the translation. So, all in all, I was out around $500 just to get this record.

I could have used Outlier for my birth certificate as well, but decided to use a cheaper channel. The problem for me came that by the time I submitted the documents, the police record was about 3 months and 10 days old. They told me at the TSE office that everything was fine. However, a few months later I received an email asking me to submit a new police record, since the one initially submitted had expired. And they only gave me a month to do it!

I immediately called Outlier to see what they could do for me. They offered me $100 off on doing the process all over again, to receive the exact same document, since not enough time has passed for me to get into the type of trouble that would add anything to it!

I decided to try another route and that is the real purpose for this post…

I need to tell you that I used to be a lawyer in another life. And I have a former law school classmate who’d served a stint as a U.S. Attorney. I thought to myself, surely he can help me. He’s now in private practice. I contacted him and he put me in touch with a private investigator he thought could help me. The P.I. simply sent me a link with instructions on how to get the record directly from the FBI.

I printed out the necessary forms from that link. I got an appointment with the police department here in Perez Zeledon for my fingerprints, using the official FBI form that I’d printed out. With that I sent the entire package by DHL to the FBI. They also had a form I could use to pay with a credit card. The charge was $18.

One thing I wasn’t sure about was getting the apostille affixed. That’s the only way the document would be legal for Costa Rica residency, or in my case, naturalization. The instructions from the link, which mind you are from the State Department, stated that if you are using the record for something like naturalization (i.e. for use by someone living out of country), and you made the request directly to the FBI, the State Department would affix the apostille, no extra charge. At least that was the way I read them. I asked the P.I. and he thought the same.

So, I included a cover letter stating the purposes of the request, along with a copy of my Costa Rica residency card. So far, I’m out a little less than $60 for the $18 FBI charge for the record, along with the $40 I paid to send it DHL.

I tracked the package and it did indeed make its way to the FBI headquarters in West Virginia. I waited patiently to see if they actually charged my card for the fee and they did! I sort of take it on faith that the charging of the card is a good sign.

I maintain a service here in Perez Zeledon with Aeropost. That gives me, for free, access to a P.O. Box in Miami. Once a letter or package reaches my Miami address, they immediately send it DHL to Costa Rica. So, I put that Miami address on the FBI form. I’m still waiting to get it back. The cost of the return trip will be another $40, more or less.

So, if all goes well I should shortly have my new record. I’ll have to get it translated again. I will certainly ask the girl in San Jose who did it the first time to cut me a break, since she can basically just use the former translation with a few edits.

I’ll be out around $100 total for obtaining the new record (not including translation cost). That’s a heck of a lot better than paying Outlier $300, or $400 less the $100 discount they offered. I just wish I’d known I could do it this way, relatively pain-free, the first go-round

I’ve seen numerous comments posted about obtaining a police record for Costa Rica residency on various Facebook groups. Some say you have to make the trip back to the States to get it done. Others highly recommend the Outlier service. Well, I thought I’d share my experience to let you know of a potentially much cheaper way.

Granted, I don’t have the record in hand just yet. I will update this post in the near future to let readers know the end result. However, as of now I am expecting it to be positive!

Oh, and by the way, the TSE did give me an extension to re-submit the document, since there was no way in hell that could ever happen within the month they originally gave me.

Oh, and another by the way, the expiration of documents submitted to the TSE is different than for those submitted to Immigration for Costa Rica residency. With the TSE it’s only 3 months, whereas it seems that it’s 6 months when dealing with immigration. That was a source of great confusion when I initially submitted and the reason everyone was saying that I was fine.

I wasn’t, but hopefully will be shortly!

Stay tuned…

Is Costa Rica Dangerous? – An Honest Assessment

November 9, 2019 by Costa Rica Guy Leave a Comment

I was having a beer last night with a friend when an older gentleman, who used to be a neighbor of mine when I first moved to Perez Zeledon, happened by. He proceeded to tell a harrowing story about how he had recently been viciously attacked…

He’d been playing (and winning) in the local casino. By the end of his evening of fun he had a wad of cash to show. It just so happened that this tico (whom he knew) was watching his good luck unfold. While inside the casino, the older gentleman had his dog out in the car with the windows partially down. Well, this tico guy goes out there and gets the door opened and hides in the back seat.

On the way home, the older gentlemen was grabbed from behind by the guy hiding in the back seat who held a knife to his throat. “Give me all your money”, the assailant demanded. This older gentleman is a tough old retired police officer from a U.S. big city and he was not about to give up the dough without a fight. Anyway, he ended up pretty beaten up and stabbed in the stomach. The idiot that had hidden in the back seat was ultimately apprehended. He still has not spend a day in jail over it.

Now, all that sounds pretty bad, doesn’t it? Shit, it even scared the hell out of me…

My personal experience with crime in Costa Rica has been relegated to property crimes and only a few incidents over the last 24 years. But you always hear stories like the one above.

So, is Costa Rica dangerous, really?

Well, yes it is.

Is Costa Rica dangerous to a greater degree than, say, any big city in the States?

No, I’d say it isn’t. And probably even less so.

The best way to approach this issue is with your eyes open. Costa Rica is a poor county. A good portion of its citizens live in what even the poorest in the U.S. would consider abject poverty. There is a good deal of crime coming from illegal immigration. Costa Rica is a gateway country for drugs moving from the south to the consumption engine of the U.S. There is organized crime and gang activity related to the drug trade. Innocents do at times get caught up in it. A lot of the property crime, especially in expat enclaves and high tourist areas, stems from poor ticos being envious of “rich” gringos coming into their spaces and driving prices through the roof. And also, of course, from criminals taking advantage of the disoriented.

All these are just facts…

But, the predominant culture of the Costa Ricans, the ticos, is peaceful. In fact, it is a much more peaceful general outlook than the average joe from the U.S. harbors. There is very little political violence here. In fact, it is rare to even see two ticos getting into a political argument at all. Bar fights are relatively uncommon, at least in the bars that I go to (note that these days I have no idea what happens after around 8:30 pm!). Ticos don’t, in general, walk around jacked up, wearing a scowl, and looking to punch the first person that dares to invade their constitutionally-granted liberty. And unlike in certain states of the U.S., the vast majority of them aren’t packing!

I believe there are some simple ways to avoid being a victim of crime in Costa Rica.

Here are a few…

Don’t flash cash, or any symbol of wealth, especially in places like bars, on the street, or (as the older gentleman above) in casinos!

Treat people with dignity and respect. A lot of the crime that goes on at the beach along our gorgeous Costa Ballena, where home break-ins are relatively common, is due to “inside jobs.” Sometimes that stems from when a tico worker (derogatorily called a “peon”) is stiffed, or treated disrespectfully. Remember, as much as you might think yourself superior, you are a guest in their country. So, mind your manners and go double-time with the golden rule.

Related to the above, be a humble expat. We gringos have a problem with humility, generally. I guess for good reason we consider ourselves exceptional and sometimes it comes across. That’s not a good attitude to walk around with in Costa Rica. It tends to get the wrong kind of attention, if you know what I mean.

Enjoy yourself, but don’t be stupid. Going out at night and partying is a lot of fun in Costa Rica, especially if you’re younger and your body can still weather the pain and suffering that tends to come the next morning. However, also keep in mind that a lot of the crime you read about happens late at night, to people who might not have all their senses in order due to whatever substance they’ve been consuming. So, if you’re going to party, keep it under control and keep your wits about you.

It can pay to take prudent precautions, but don’t go overboard. For instance, I’ve always kinda lived by the expression I heard early on in my Costa Rica adventure. And that one goes like this, “never tempt a poor person.” Basically that means if you don’t want to lose your shit, then guard your shit. That can range from simply never losing eye contact with it, to installing elaborate home alarm systems. But don’t go making your home look like a drug dealer compound. That will also only attract the wrong type of attention.

And that brings me to this last one. To the extent possible, don’t attract too much attention. That’s another thing we gringos have a penchant for doing. We tend to be louder than the ticos. We tend to be ruder than the ticos. We tend to be flashier than the ticos. We already look and speak differently. All this will attract attention. That might be the result you’re after, but if you attract it from the wrong person, you could end up another victim of crime in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica is a paradise in many respects. I’ve been here going on two decades and it really hasn’t lost any of its luster for me. And yet, I’ve never been a victim of a crime any harsher than losing a laptop. I would imagine being a victim of a violent crime could be a strong motivation to pack up and get the hell out of here.

Truth is, you can get in trouble down here, if you’re not careful. That doesn’t mean you have to come with the expectation of becoming a victim. That type of attitude will also attract the wrong attention.

I hope by now you’re sort of catching my drift about trying to not attract attention…

When it comes to the often asked question, “is Costa Rica dangerous?”, please do understand the risks and act accordingly to avoid them.

The Allure of the Costa Rica Southern Zone – Part 2

November 3, 2019 by Costa Rica Guy Leave a Comment

I recently published a post on the allure of the Costa Rica southern zone, which was tightly focused on the city of San Isidro in Perez Zeledon and the Costa Ballena beaches of Dominical, Uvita and Ojochal.

However, the southern zone is much bigger than that! So, how about the rest of it?

Well, the rest of it is pretty special too. Therefore, I decided to write another post – the allure of the Costa Rica southern zone – part 2.

Below are a few locales that are worth a look, in random order…

Golfito

This historic port town is located on the Golfo Dulce, not too far from the Panama border. It was until the mid 80’s headquarters of the infamous United Fruit Company. The banana plantations that once surrounded this area and kept the port humming have been replaced with African Palms. Nevertheless, Golfito retains an historic appeal with many of the homes and commercial buildings well-preserved from that bygone era. It is also a very beautiful and serene setting with sweeping views of the tranquil Golfo Dulce.

It is also the home of a major “free trade zone” that lures ticos and expats in to take advantage of “tariff-free” pricing. To do that you have to stay one night in the town, which can make for an adventurous and money-saving mini-vacation.

Puerto Jimenez

The two major tourist “gateways” to the famed Corcovado National Park are Puerto Jimenez and Drake Bay. Corcovado is one of the largest national parks in Costa Rica and the one that National Geographic once dubbed, the most biodiverse area on earth. Puerto Jimenez is the last outpost before reaching Carate Station, which is the southern-most ranger station in the park. It is also near famed jungle lodges, such as the Lapas Rios and La Leona Ecolodges. Puerto Jimenez is also situated on the Golfo Dulce and is a quaint little touristy town that can be a fun place to pass a night before trekking into the park.

Drake Bay

This is where you go to visit the northern end of Corcovado park. Drake Bay is a little harder to reach than its rival outpost, Puerto Jimenez. Most tourists will either fly in, or leave their car at the river town of Sierpe and then take a boat down the river, out into the Pacific, and then around the rocky coast to Drake Bay. Drake Bay is home to some really nice ecolodges, such as Aguila de Osa and Copa de Arbol.

It is also only a short boat ride to Caños Island, which with its coral reef, is one of Costa Rica’s top diving destinations. It is a fairly short boat ride from Drake to the very heart of the Corcovado park, the famed Sirena Ranger Station, which is an unforgettable experience as you will get up close and personal with some of Costa Rica’s most exotic wildlife.

San Vito

San Vito is a small inland pueblo in the canton of Coto Brus. It is very close to the Panama border. There is an official border crossing only about 30 minutes away at Rio Sereno. San Vito is a beautiful area of green rolling hills and is very unique in that it was founded by Italians. You can get great authentic Italian food there. My favorite is Pizzaria Liliana, which probably has the best pizza in Costa Rica.

The La Casona indigenous reserve of the Ngäbe-Buglé, or Guaymi, peoples is also close by. This is an indigenous group that is centered in northern Panama and southern Costa Rica and has a bright and colorful culture.

Boruca Indigenous Reserve

One of my favorite places to visit is the Boruca Indigenous reserve located in the fila brunqueña coastal mountain range, not far from Palmar Norte, where the Costanera and Pan American highways meet. The Boruca people are well-known for their arts and crafts, especially carved and painted masks. The masks are often of a devilish design stemming from their traditional festival called the Danza de los Diablitos, or dance of the little devils. The festival is in December of each year and is a surreal re-enactment of the struggle between the indigenous people and the Spanish conquistadors. The Borucans are also famous for their cloth items, all of which are made on traditional looms with naturally produced colors.

I used to operate a store in San Jose that sold indigenous arts and crafts. Here’s a short home-made video from that era on the Boruca reserve…

Mountain Pueblos of Perez Zeledon

These pueblos are too many to name in this short post, but the entire canton is dotted with them. They can be great places to visit and even live. In fact, I actually do live in one one of them, Quebradas. It is on a gorgeous mountain river, at an altitude that delivers a near-perfect climate, and is only minutes from the city of San Isidro. I believe it might be the best place on earth…I know, my bias is showing. In my real estate practice I get to discover new pueblos all the time and even though I’ve been at it quite a few years now, I know there are many as of yet undiscovered.

I must also give a shout-out to the in-between-area (IBA) pueblos of Tinamastes and Platanillo. These are in the area that’s between San Isidro and Playa Dominical in the coastal mountain range. They are drop-dead gorgeous little towns and you can live in them at high altitudes and if you’re lucky, even have an ocean view. This area is also home to three incredible waterfalls, Nauyaca, Diamante and Eco Chontales.

I know I’m leaving out some of the gems that help give rise to the allure of the Costa Rica southern zone. Please leave comments on anything I might have missed.

I hope my posts are painting a compelling picture for you of how special the Costa Rica southern zone is.