This information is for those planning on traveling to Costa Rica for over a three month period of time.  Many people do not know much about the Costa Rican policy on long term visitors, and for those assuming that you can just come and stay for as long as you desire with no penalty would be wrong.  The government of Costa Rica enforces a 90 day stay limit for its “gringo” inhabitants.  After a stay of three months one is required to leave the country for a period of seventy-two hours.  Violators of this law are required to get a exit visa in order to leave the country, which costs money and a long day at the immigration office.

In Costa Rica there are a lot of gringos, and many of them have to deal with the 90 day law.  It may seem like a pain in the neck to have to leave the country four times a year to continue living legally, however many gringos make the most of the situation.  The neighboring countries of Panama to the South and Nicaragua to the North  offer a change of scenery.  Why would anyone want to leave Costa Rica it’s the most ecologically diverse country in Central America, has great beaches, volcanoes and rain-forests? Since the tourist boom during the 1990’s Costa Rica has become more developed offering many amenities we take for granted in the United States, along with development prices have also risen; Panama, and especially Nicaragua, are much cheaper for living lavishly, they also have distinct features and cities which are unique to their regions (ex. Granada, the last well kept colonial city in Nicaragua & Panama City with the infamous Panama Canal). 

Some Costa Rican gringos use this mandatory departure to visit the good ol’ US of A, which thanks to Spirit Airlines is extremely affordable (round trip tickets from SJO to MIA for under $100). 

Remember your $26 exit fee before air departures! 

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Filed under: Travel on August 16th, 2007