The Costa Rica Star has recently published information about receiving your permanent residency in Costa Rica to avoid border runs, wasting time, and money.

A couple of months ago, a temporary permit was issued to foreigners who are illegally in the country to opt for permanent residency. These new conditions were discussed by Kattya Rodriguez, Director of Immigration to Iary Gomez and general manager of the Extra Group and directors of the newspaper DAILY EXTRA, Paola Hernandez and Marcela Villalobos.

How many foreigners live in the country?

The census data confirmed that migration has 375,000 regular foreigners, meaning that they meet all the requirements for living in Costa Rica.

What is the largest migrant population?

The Central American population is the largest, mainly Nicaraguan migrants; however, these migrations have diversified with people from all over the world.

What measures are taken to measure migration residing in the country?

We considered that the best way to control migration is to know who is with us and what they are doing; because well-managed migration is an important motor for development of the country and that we have a clear understanding of the contributions made by migrant community in areas such as agricultural, construction and services.

What happened after the Immigration Act went into effect 2 years ago?

We have seen different migrations that for whatever reason have found it difficult to achieve stable immigration, although conditions have been aimed to achieve normalcy with their immigration status. We have many mixed families where their circumstance allows them to regularize their parents.

What motivated them to implement the transition?

The condition of irregularity of a Costa Rican father that has a Costa Rican child causes social problems, as it complicates their enrollment in school or to opt for a scholarship.

How do you avoid the effect caused by these transients?

We too are concerned; we just want to attract good people for the country. We can deal with this through social services and discourage the migration that could affect us and that would in any way jeopardize public services. Thus, these transients are aimed specifically at people who are already here.

What are the four transients?

The first refers to people who already obtained their permanent residence in the country, but stopped paying the right, the second is aimed at families of Costa Rican children, the third are special cases and the fourth is to regularize employees.

How many foreigners are indebted to the state in payment of the duties of their residency card?

We identified a population of 65,000 people who have been granted immigration status and for some reason have let it expire.

How can it be updated and what cost?

If a person has their immigration status and let it expire it since 2003, they will have 6 months to catch up. The payment is $3 for each month of expiration and any previous fines, plus $123 for the cost of the renewal.

What about parents with an irregular status who have Costa Rican children?

It is intended to protect minors, regularizing the father or mother of that child in Costa Rica and it exempts the requirement for regular income, so that no matter how you entered, you only have to prove actual custody, even if you don’t live together, that person will have to take care of the minor financially, not just on paper.

What are the requirements to apply?

The child must be enrolled with the surnames of the parents before May 17th of this year. In addition, you must establish paternity by a conviviality test, pay pension, enroll the minor in school and pay for insurance.

How to determine paternity in the case of transient?

We cannot doubt what the Civil Registry says. Most children are born in hospitals, so we will work with those who were enrolled before the transient.

What does it cost?

The cost is $51. The idea is that this is a first payment is for the submission of documents, taking into account that migration takes about 6 months in reviewing them in that time money can be saved to pay for permanent residence which is $123.

What if the child’s immigration status is resident but the parents are not?

In this case it works the same, however they pay $ 15 to start the paperwork and when the visa is granted another $98, since this Visa’s are not permanent but temporary, but have the possibility to be naturalized.

What are the subjects of the third group?

Vulnerable groups, who are adults over 65, the disabled, people who entered the country illegally and underage who now are younger than 25 years old, and also to minors.

What is the main requirement?

The most important thing is to prove that you have been in the country at least 5 years.

What type of workers can apply for this transition?

Employees working in domestic or agricultural services

What are the requirements?

Doesn’t matter how they entered the country, the important thing is that they were working there six months prior to May 17th.

How much time is there to do this procedure?

This is a call to employers to regularize their employees; a new law will be enforced September 16th and will fine employers who hire people who are irregular.

Will there be retroactive social security charges?

No retroactive charges will be made; we want to stimulate the immigration status of employees.

What is the cost?

Again the cost is $ 15 to start the paperwork and when the visa is granted another $98. They do not obtain a permanent residence, but a temporary one.

What happens to these four groups while wait to receive their immigration status?

The people who’s paperwork is in process and underway are out of irregularity, that is they will not have problems with a policeman who asks for their documents and will not be exposed to deportation.

Let’s remind people again of paperwork deadlines what are they?

In transient groups 1, 2 and 3 time ranges from May 17th to November 17th, and group 4 until February 17th. It is important that people take the time to put their residency status in order now.