To run or not to run that is the question:

Border Running is the practice of traveling to either the Panama or Nicaragua border for the sole purpose of obtaining a new 90 visa stamp on one’s passport as an economical alternative to returning to one’s home country for the same reason. In and out and back to Costa Rica within 60 – 90 minutes. (Those who specifically go to shop for cheap goods, must stay 72 hours if they wish to claim duty-free.)

Provided that Costa Rica border police grant the 90-day visa stamp upon re-entry, the holder is allowed to stay legally in Costa Rica another 90 days. It also validates one’s foreign driver’s license for those same 90 days. Visitors from Group 1 countries such as the U.S, Canada, EU, Australia & Brazil are automatically granted those 90-day visas when they enter or re-enter Costa Rica with a valid passport. Visitors from Group 2, 3 & 4 countries have tighter restrictions and time limitations. If uncertain about requirements applying to their country of origin, visitors should always check with the nearest Costa Rican Embassy or Consulate abroad.

Bad Idea
Having tourist visitors and ex-pats in Costa Rica is a substantial contributor to it’s economy. So no one is in a hurry to show any of you the door. But things have changed over the years with the uptick in human and drug trafficking. That has nothing to do with passport stamp updates. But perpetual tourism is considered gaming the system.

Pressures from the U.S. through its embassy here in Pavas has also been brought to bear on the situation.

While economic considerations are still not subordinated to security issues, there has been increasing emphasis on the latter. But overall, border police still have a lenient attitude with border-running, unless they don’t like the look, sound or smell of you. Hint: Be well-groomed, polite, and hygienic.

Conversely, the Costa Rica Immigration Department can take a very dim view of the practice of border running. They’re ok with it if they see you have applied for residency, depending on how many visa stamps they see. If they see you’ve been living as a perpetual tourist, it may negatively affect your residency application approval. They have the discretion to judge your application more harshly (nit-pic). That makes it all the more imperative never to choose the lifestyle, or discontinue the practice and apply for Costa Rica Residency as soon as possible.

Residency specialist Laura B. Gutierrez from Immigration Help Costa Rica says that some cynical ex-pats ascribe such warnings as self-serving for residency service providers as herself. “They will think otherwise when one day the border police only issue them a 30-day visa stamp with a warning to never return unless they apply for residency. Or worse: Refuse them re-entry into Costa Rica.” Laura has personally received calls for help from those languishing at the border in dire straits.

Why do it?
1) Some repeat visitors to Costa Rica like to stay past 90 days but for less than six months, which does not justify the cost of pursuing residency.
2) Others live in Costa Rica full time but erroneously think that the “cost of residency” is more than they can afford, or lack they initiative to make the effort required for residency. (Famous last words: “Oh… it’ll be ok. Everybody does it.”)
Reason #1 will likely never land anyone in trouble. But #2 will eventually lead to problems.
3) When someone has an application for residency pending, such approvals can now take from 9 to 15 months. Ms. Gutierrez explains that following : After an application submission to Immigration, the applicant receives an Expediente, which is proof of that submission. This Expediente overrides the 90-day visa restriction. The applicant is free to stay in Costa Rica indefinitely while they await the application approval.
Unfortunately, this override does not apply to foreign driver’s licenses. It seems the Costa Rica Legislature overlooked this aspect and created with an illogical inconvenience. Traffic Law and Immigration Law are separate areas of legislation. The left hand did not send the memo to the right hand. You can learn about getting your drivers licence in Costa Rica here.

The border runs to maintain the license validity are necessary even after submitting a residency application. If approval takes the full 15 months, that equates to 5 border runs if one wishes to drive legally during this waiting period. However, Ms. Gutierrez goes on to explain that when the Costa Rica border police see those Expedientes (proofs of residency application submissions), they are pleased and compliant. Pura Vida.

Penalty for driving without a 90-day visa:
If stopped by Costa Rica Transit Police (the guys with the dark blue pick-ups), you will endure the following:
A) A fine of 47,000 colones. (Approx. $75)
B) Removal on the spot of your license plate, without which you can no longer drive your vehicle.(Its a literal nightmare getting plates back from Cosevi)
C) If you still drive and get caught after that, you will lose the vehicle.
D) Any insurance on the vehicle is invalid past the 90 days.

Unfortunately, there are still a lot of “old school” ex-pats (and Ticos) with flippant attitudes. They choose to drive past the 90 days. As a contingency, they have bribe money in the vehicle at all times in case they are pulled over. It might still work. But newer transit police are far more likely to levy the first two penalties plus add a charge of attempted bribery.

There are also more frequent incidences of ex-pats and Ticos recording these roadside exchanges on cell phones. Most transit police are now aware of this trend. The last thing they want is to be recorded soliciting a bribe. The letter of the law is applied with far greater consistency.

Bottom line:
Residency in Costa Rica is no different than green cards or citizenship in other countries. Attempting to fly under the radar for budgetary reasons simply does not pay off, and with increasing frequency, lands participants in trouble.
Residency comes with significant benefits. Chief among them is NO MORE BORDER RUNS.