Canadian Embassy in Costa Rica – Where to find the Canadian Embassy

Canadian citizens traveling to Costa Rica or living in it, should know where the Canadian embassy is located in Costa Rica. The Canadian embassy in Costa Rica is located in the capital city of San Jose. It is here that you will be able to get in touch with your local embassy for things dealing with passports and other country specific issues.

Street Address:
Located west of downtown San Jose, in Sabana Sur, behind the Contraloría in the Oficentro Executive complex.
Building 5
Map (IMG 26 KB)

Mailing Address
Embajada de Canadá
Apartado Postal: 351-1007, Centro Colón
San José, Costa Rica

Telephone
(506) 2242-4400

Fax:
(506) 2242-4410 – Administration, Assistance to Canadians (Consular), Public Affairs
(506) 2242-4411 – Political
(506) 2242-4415 – Commercial
(506) 2242-4416 – CIDA

Email
General: sjcra@international.gc.ca

Hours of Operation
Monday – Thurday: 7:30 – 16:00.
Friday: 7:30 – 13:00

After hours emergency contact information (for Canadian citizens only)
Call collect: (613) 996-8885 / (613) 944-1310 (TTY)

Official Canadian Embassy in Costa Rica Website

Services Offered By the Canadian Embassy

The Canadian government is happy to helps is citizens while traveling or living abroad in Costa Rica. The embassy can help you with a number of problems you may encounter while traveling abroad. Some of these problems and services include:

• Arrest or Detention
• Child Abductions
• Evacuations
• Natural Disasters and Civil Emergencies
• Financial Assistance
• Lost or Stolen Belongings
• Medical Matters
• Missing Persons
• Passport
• Transportation Accidents

Original article can be found here: Canadian Embassy in Costa Rica

One of the most common reasons for locating a Embassy in Costa Rica has to do with passport issues. If you have lost, or had your passport stolen, the local embassy is here to help. While the local embassies take care of many passport related issues, they can also help you with a wide range of things. From moving into the country, to helping you get out of jail; your local embassy is there for you.

All embassies are generally located in the capital city of San Jose.

Consulates and Embassies in Costa Rica

There are currently 47 countries that have embassies in Costa Rica. Some larger countries includes, the United States, Canada, China, and the United Kingdom; all of which will offer services to those holding passports of the said country.

More Detailed Information on the Embassies

British Embassy in Costa Rica

US Embassy in Costa Rica

Getting to San Jose
Many visitors to Costa Rica will have flown into the San Jose airport. Finding your way back to the capital should be no problem. For those of you who are unfamiliar with how to get to San Jose, don’t worry, it is very easy.

Every major bus terminal usually has several buses heading to San Jose daily. If you are unsure of the closest bus station with transportation to San Jose, simply ask anyone who lives in the area. Everyone will know how to get to San Jose.

Original article can be found here: Embassies and Consulates in Costa Rica

Getting your residency in Costa Rica is all about long lines, lots of stamps, and tons of red tape. Your best bet in getting your Costa Rica residency with as little headache as possible is to hire a lawyer to help you. They can streamline the process and take care of all the red tape for you.

If you feel like getting all your ducks in a row before you find a lawyer, here is a checklist of the required forms for Costa Rica Residency.

Birth Certificate – This will need to be an officially stamped or sealed version from the hospital.

Marriage License – Only needed if you are married.

Proof of Income – This is probably one of the most important parts of your application. The more money you can prove you will have while in Costa Rica the better. The proof of income and amounts depend on what type of residency you will be applying for.

Copies of Degrees – If you plan on working in your profession while in Costa Rica, you will want to have copies of any diplomas, certificates, degrees, and other certification forms.

Good Conduct Certificate – A police certificate stating you had good conduct in the last place you live for at least two years is required. You should get this certificate toward the end, as it is only good for six months.

Background Check – This part of the process is done in Costa Rica. All you need to do here is surrender you fingerprints to be run on the Interpool system. The background check process usually takes a month to complete.

Dependents Birth Certificates – Spouse who don’t make an income and children are both considered dependents. You will need to have official copies of their birth certificates from the hospital. If any of your children are over 18 years of age, you will also need a plice certificate of good conduct for them.

Photos – The Costa Rica residency process loves to have your photo on file. You will need photos of yourself almost every step of the way. Do yourself a favor and stock up on them. I would recommend having no less than 10 front facing photos and 5 side view photos. Your local post office or where ever you got your passport photos should be able to do this for you.

Medical Exam Certificate – Although rare, you may be asked for a certificate of good health from your doctor. It is worth mentioning that Costa Rica has the right to refuse entry to people with AIDS, but it is very uncommon.

Document Translation – Once you have all your documents ready to go, you will need to have them translated into Spanish. This can only be done by the Costa Rican Consulate.

Original article can be found here: Costa Rica Residency Checklist

Costa Rica is a popular destination for people looking who are looking to retire o rjust live somewhere a little more exotic. If this is something you are intrested in, you have no doubtably looked at a number of books and website regaurding the matter. Many of these reousces are filled with great information, but much of it tends to be the same. This list is geared toward exposing you to some of the little facts you might not know about living in Costa Rica.

1. Gringo is not a racial slur to white people. It is simply a term used to identify foreigners. Remember, the meaning of many words are very different in Costa Rica.
2. As a tourist, you can stay in Costa Rica for 90 days. If you wish to stay longer, all you need to do is leave the country for 48 -72 hours. Don’t forget, Panama and Nicaragua are bordering countries. This could give you an excuse to go on a vacation every 3 months!
3. A maid in Costa Rica can cost as little as $30 US a week. You can even hire live in maids for around $200 a month.
4. If you are worried about security you can hire a local security guard. They will patrol your house and property during the wee hours of the night with firearms.
5. Power outages happen often here, usually not for long. If you rely heavily on a computer, you may want to think about bringing a UPS.
6. In locations other than beachfront property, the real estate market is still very slow. This is great for you as a buyer. It means you are in control. Don’t hesitate to ask a seller if you could first rent the home for six months before you buy it. Work out a deal that if you decide to buy the home, a percentage of the rent you paid go towards your down payment.
7. Unless otherwise stated, homes come unfurnished. This means no fridge, dishwasher, stove, etc. If you buy a house furnished, you will be paying well more than you need to for the items in the house.
8. Everyone in Costa Rico has a friend who builds, cleans, does real estate, etc. Finding good local recommendations is you best bet for doing anything here.
9. Address barely exist in Costa Rica. Zip codes are non existent. Your best bet for mail is to rent out a mail box at the closest post office.
10. Besides some businesses, nobody uses checks. You pay utility bills at your local bank.

Original article can be found here: 10 Things You Probably Don’t Know About Living in Costa Rica

Important Papers

When it comes to any of your important papers such as identification, social security cards, passports and the like, you should have copies of them. Make multiple copies of each. If possible, give a family member a set of copies to hold onto. This way, should any thing happen to yours, you will have backups.

• Identification Cards
• Passports
• Birth Certificates
• Social Security Cards
• Banking Information
• Legal Papers – such as leases and property rights for purchased properties overseas

Clothing

This is one of those personal choices. I wouldn’t bring more than a weeks worth of clothes. After all, you can always buy more clothes their.

• 7 Shirts
• 7 Shorts
• 2 Pants
• 5 Pairs of Socks
• Bathing Suits
• 1 Long Sleeve Shirt
• 1 Jacket
• 1 Rain Coat
• 2 Dress Shirts or Blouses
• 3 Dress/Skirts/Sarongs
• 7 Pairs of Underwear
• Warm Hat
• Baseball Cap
• Bandana
• 1 Pair Shoes
• 1 Pair Sandals

House Hold Items

Toiletries

Optional “Must Haves”

• Books – Books in English are few and far between here.
• Rare Music – You can find burned copies of many popular cd’s around town. Local bands from home and other rare bands may be hard to come across.
• Quality Power Tools – These are hard to come by. If you plan on doing a lot of home restoration or building, you may want to think about bringing your own tools.
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Original article can be found here: Moving Packing List for Costa Rica

4 – 6 Months Prior

____ Create a List of Names
Start creating a list of people you need to contact about your move. At this point in your planning it is just a list. As time goes on you will think of more people to add to the list. I suggest creating a Word or Excel document. This way you can easily add people as you think of them.

Some of the obvious people to contact are:

• Creditors
• Banks
• Magazine Subscriptions (You’ll want to cancel these)
• Friends and Family
• Lawyers

_____ Banking
It is very possible to bank overseas by simply internet banking. Most major banks offer them. The combination of internet banking and a Visa debit card will take of most of your needs. In due time, you could look into opening a local bank account.

It’s always a good idea to keep a bank account in your home country. Odds are, even after you move, you’ll still have bills of some sort to pay there.

_____ Medical
Get a checkup before you leave and any vaccinations you may need. There aren’t any vaccinations required to enter Costa Rica, but a Tetanus shot is good to have. It’s also not a bad idea to get copies of your medical history.

Costa Rica has respectable doctors and dentists. The dentists are much cheaper in Costa Rica than in the states. You will want to look up “international health insurance” before you move, as public health insurance is only for legal residents.

_____ Moving Planner
While this list will give you a good timeline of what and when things need to be done, it’s not comprehensive. If you are using an international moving company, they may be able to offer you one. This Site offers a nice planner with weekly email reminders. It isn’t geared toward moving overseas, but its better than nothing.

_____ Legal Documents
Get any and all legal documents for yourself and your family. Some items to look into are:

• Passports
• Birth Certificates
• Drivers License
• Social Security Cards
• Marriage Licenses
• Identification Cards

In addition to acquiring all these forms and documents, make copies of them. In fact, make several copies. Give one copy of all your legal documents to a trusted friend or family member to hold onto. This way, should something tragic happen, you will have a copies safe somewhere else.

_____ Planning to Sell
Start thinking about what you will be selling and what you will be taking with you when you move. If you are going to be selling most of your things, start thinking about garage sales, eBay sellers, or other means of selling. There may be something you want to buy in Costa Rica. Start making a mental list of what’s staying and what’s going.

_____ Permanent or Temporary?
Will you be moving to Costa Rica permanently or just for a few years? This needs to be thought about because it can affect your buying decisions, legal papers, and more.

_____ Research
Go get some maps and books about Costa Rica if you haven’t already. Learn about the culture, landscape, and different areas of the country.

_____ Finding People and Hobbies
Moving to another state can be scary, but moving out of the country can be even scarier. Spend some time looking websites and groups of other expats in Costa Rica. Some sites I recommend are:

• CouchSurfing.com

3 – 4 Months Prior

_____ Contact Banks
You need to alert your banks about your move. Open a PO box or have your monthly statements shipped to a family members house for safe keeping. Better yet, get rid of statements altogether. Opt out of them or sign up for electronic statements. Let the bank know you will be moving out of the country. If not, using your credit and debit cards abroad will surely set off security precautions

_____ Pick a Mover
If you will be using an international moving company, pick one now. Make sure to do your research though. A good mover can save you loads of money on import tax. Be sure to ask about this when talking to potential moving companies

_____ Start Selling
Start selling, giving away, or throwing away things you won’t be bringing with you. If you aren’t sure of what to bring or leave behind, spend some time on Costa Rican message boards. Find out what people wish they had brought and what they regret bringing.

_____ Talk to Lawyer
Do you have a will? Is it up to date? If you are selling your house and other items that were previously included in the will, make the appropriate changes. Have you added your new house or land in Costa Rica to your will? Which country will be in charge of probating your assets?

_____ Get Police Report
Getting a copy of your police report can’t hurt. (Unless you’re hardened criminal trying to escape the law) You may need this if you are trying to get permanent citizenship. Call your local police department and see what they need from you to get this started.

_____ Pick a Move Date
Pick the exact day you want to move. Start looking into plane ticket reservations, car rentals, and anything else you may need when yo arrive in Costa Rica. Create an itinerary of your first week in Costa Rica, starting with the minute you walk off the plane.

1 Month Prior

_____ School Records
If moving with children, get certified copies of their school records. Contact the schools your children will be attending and see if there is any additional paperwork needed.

_____ Medical Records
If you don’t have them yet, get copies of everything. Let your doctors office know that you are moving out of the country and to provide everything they can. If you have x-rays taken from past injuries, make sure to get copies of those as well.

_____ Cancel Utilities
Start working on getting your bills paid in full. If possible, setup the shut off date for utilities. See if you can have the companies email you your final bill. If not, make sure to note the day the bill will be due.

_____ Cancel Contracts
Cell phones, satellites, internet and other utilities are one a long term contract basis. Many of these have an early cancellation fee, start thinking about this now. See if there are ways to transfer accounts into someone else name. See if you can find someone who wants to take over you cell phone number or satellite service.

_____ Look Over Moving List
By now you should have sold or got rid of many of the tings you aren’t taking with you. Double check everything on your moving list, do you really need it?

_____ Cancel Magazines
Go ahead and cancel your magazine subscriptions. If you really want them, see if they offer an online version? You can also forward them to your PO box.

2 Weeks Prior

_____ Finalize all Travel Plans
Double check your plane tickets, car rental, shipping, and hotel information. Go over your itinerary for your first month in Costa Rica. If you need to, talk to builders, developers, etc.

_____ Clean House
Have your home cleaned out completely except for immediate necessities. If you rent, find out when you can schedule a walk through and where your deposit check will go.

_____ Bank Letters
If you will be banking in Costa Rica, get reference letters from your home bank. These letters should be addressed directly to the bank you will be using in Costa Rica.

_____ Get Ride to Airport
Make definite plans on how you will be getting to the airport and who will be taking you.

_____ Mail Service
If you are going to be using a private mail service, make sure it is setup. Call back to double check that everything is correct.

1 Week Prior

_____ Look for Hidden Items
Double check all of your drawers, cabinets, and secret hiding spots. Make sure you don’t forget anything. Now that the house should be virtually empty, this is a good time to look.

_____ Get a Babysitter
If you have kids, get a babysitter for moving day. It will make things move a lot faster and it will be less for you to worry about.

_____ Pack for Travel
Pack your suit case for moving day. Make sure to include everything you will need while your things are in transit.

______ Plan Meals
Plan meals that will use up the food you have left in your refrigerator and pantry.

2 – 3 Days Prior

_____ Clean Kitchen Items
Clean any kitchen appliances you will be taking with you. Let them dry out before you pack them. This will help prevent mildew.

_____ Pack Valuables
Make sure you pack all your valuable and paperwork that you don’t wish to ship. Things of value or importance like your passports and paper work should be carried on the plane with you. Make sure these get in your suit case and not packed into a box.

THE BIG DAY

What happens today depends on how you will be moving. If you are selling everything and leaving, there won’t be much to do today.

If you are using a moving company, you will have a lot to think about. The moving company will walk you through almost everything. They should advice you of what you can prepare to make moving day go smoothly.

Original article can be found here: Moving Checklist for Costa Rica