Due to the COVID- 19, the Costa Rican Immigration Bureau has issued new special rules for the following months.
Tourists who entered the country after December 17th, 2019 and through October 31st, 2020, will have their tourist visa extended until March 2nd, 2021. Tourist who enters after December 1st, 2020 will have the tourist visa valid for the period of time indicated in the entry stamp.
Immigration offices will continue closed for public, and will not receive new residency applications until December 1st, 2020, for any residency types, and this will be done exclusively with an appointment requested, after October 19th, 2020, to the call center 1311 or through the official site www.migracion.go.cr.
The Immigration department will continue working on the files that are currently in process.
Any pending requirement on files in process, that was requested through a notification before March 17, 2020 will be extended until February 12th, 2021 and will only be accepted with an appointment requested after October 19th, 2020.
For requirements that were requested with a notification between March 17, 2020 and February 11th, 2021, will start on February 12, 2021, and will only be accepted with an appointment requested after October 19th, 2020.
The documents (birth certificates, police records, marriage certificates) issued that were valid or issued after March 17th, 2020 will be valid until June 1st. 2021.
Copies of files can be requested from October 19th, 2020 onwards, requesting an appointment at the call center 1311 or through the official site www.migracion.go.cr
The residency card (Dimex) for permanent residents, temporary residents and special categories that expired after December 18, 2019, will be extended automatically until January 11, 2021. After this date these persons will have up to 3 months, as established by law, to proceed with the renewal, if not the residency will be cancelled, unless if the person has duly proven reasons that demonstrate the impossibility of doing it within said period.
If the above mentioned categories want to proceed with the renewal of the residency card (Dimex), before the indicated dates, it can be done at Correos de Costa Rica or Banco de Costa Rica with an appointment.
The Dimex for the persons with authorized estancia permit that expired after March 17, 2020 will be extended until February 12, 2021. If it expired before March 17, 2020 and have not proceeded with the process for the renewal or change of category, the person must leave the country.
We will inform you of any changes related to the aforesaid information.
Note: The purpose of the present publication is to provide general information on the updates for Immigration regulations in Costa Rica and it is not intended to be legal advice as such. In case more specific information is required regarding these topics, please do not hesitate to contact any of our lawyers.
