Legal problems/ any problem getting passport to Costa Rica?

Question

I am on probation in us and want to go to Costa Rica to live. Will there be any problems getting passport and can I stay more than 3 months if I want to live there?

Answer 1

I am sure one of the conditions of your probation is that you may not leave the state.  talk to your probation officer, but do not expect to get permission to leave the country.  Alos. a passport is a document that identifires you when you leave and re-enter your own country.  To reside in a foreign country, you need to apply for a visa from that country.

Answer 2

You have to determine the terms of your probation.  If you are on monitoring where you have to check in, then you cannot leave your state.  The conditions can even be more onerous like having to give urine samples or wearing an ankle bracelet.  However, if you are on summary probation, which in simple terms tells you to stay out of trouble, then you can travel as you please.

But definitely find out the conditions of your probation.  Talk to your probation officer and see what he or she says.  You can also wait until your probation period is over.  Once you complete it successfully, you can get your passport and travel.

Once you have your passport, you can come to Costa Rica with just that document.  You can stay for 90 days and then you must leave the country for 72 hours.  Most people head down to Panama for a shopping weekend.  Many tours are arranged from Costa Rica to Panama.  

If you need any further information about Costa Rica, check the Ticosland website.

Answer 3

As the other answers state, you need to resolve your probation question first. From Costa Rica's standpoint, all you need to *visit* is your passport. With this, you can stay 90 days (you get your passport stamped with a tourist visa at the port of entry). Then, if you leave for 3 days and return, you usually get another 90 days.  Some people do this for years.

But, this method carries some risk.  You have no "residency" rights with a tourist visa, and the immigration authority (guy at the gate) can turn you away - it is at his discretion.

This method also means you cannot work (legally) in Costa Rica.

So, you could visit for a while, make sure you really want to move to Costa Rica, then apply for residency. If you think you want to do this, your police record may or may not be a problem. A misdemeanor is often not a problem and a felony often is a problem. But you should check with an expert before you think it is not possible. I recommend contacting ARCR (Association of Residents of Costa Rica). You can read more about requirements, seminars, read forums, etc on their website - www.arcr.net.  You can then email/call/ "Ryan Piercy" directly. One member asked a similar question on the forum, so you could check that too.  I am a member, and have used their services for a number of residency-related issues.