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[quote=”colleen.1″]Can you renew at the bank and if so does one have to make an appointment?[/quote]
Yes, armed with your new physical exam, your blood typing result (if you haven’t had that recorded on your license previously), and prepared to pay the fee, you can renew your driver’s license at many (but not all) Banco de Costa Rica offices.
You must first call a “900” number (that I dont’ know) and make an appointment. What I’ve heard is that, if you “Press 2 for English”, the wait can be very long and you’re being billed for the connection time. So it’s best to make the appointment in Spanish or have someone do it for you. When you make the appointment, have your current driver’s license available and verify what the fee will be.
Not everyone’s phone has the “900” feature enabled, so you’ll need to verify that, too.
There is a Lazy Boy store in Escazu on the main drag that runs perpendicular to the autopista. What they stock and what they charge is anybody’s guess. It’s sure to be a smaller selection at higher prices than what you’re used to.
My guess is that the Lazy Boy website has a link that you could follow.
I was amused by the part where they said that they wanted this development of multimillion dollar homes to be part of the surrounding community. Yup, I’m sure it would have been difficult to tell where one ended and the other began.
I need to point out here that, for many folks, joining the Association of Residents of Costa Rica and then enrolling in the CAJA through their negotiated contract will be the least expensive approach.
For legal residents, ARCR’s dues are $50 per year plus $10 for additional family members — effectively $5 per month. The negotiated rate for CAJA for couples over 55 years of age is $47 per month (for the couple). So for $52 per month, you can meet the CAJA enrollment requirement without any consideration of your ability to pay.
[quote=”waggoner41″] Can my wife and I combine our alotted $1,000 each to purchase one item over $1,000?[/quote]
Les, what I’ve been told is that if the total cost of getting an item to Costa Rica (purchase price plus shipping, insurance, etc) exceeds $1,000.00US then it cannot be exempted from Customs duty. So the answer to your question would be “No”.
ARCR doesn’t sell insurance. Just as they have affiliated attorneys, they have an affiliated insurance agency that represents INS.
I wasn’t aware of any ARCR discount program, but I can tell you that INS does offer a policy that will cover you in the U.S. as well as in Costa Rica but it ain’t cheap. And INS will exclude coverage for any pre-existing conditions and they may surcharge you for “related” conditions. I, for example, am a well controlled diabetic. They wouldn’t cover anything related to my diabetes, and they surcharged me 60% to cover cardiac care because that’s what most diabetics die from.
INS’ policies are priced on the basis of each individual’s age and sex.
Colleen, in your own name, you can purchase a single item worth up to $1,000US every six months duty-free. Each family member (spouse, children, et al) has this privilege.
That is, if you buy (say) a range for $800, that uses your own duty-free privilege for the next six months. You cannot also buy (say) a microwave for $150 and receive the duty exemption on that even though the total is less than $1,000. What’s more, if you buy a single item for $1,000.01 including shipping and other taxes, that cannot be exempted. The entire “pre-duty” cost must be $1,000US or less.
Furthermore (somebody please correct me if I’m wrong), duty-free purchases are still subject to Costa Rica’s retail sales tax (13%). It’s only the Customs duty that’s exempted.
It may be possible to “buy” someone else’s duty-free privilege in Golfito. I don’t know about that.
Bill, Google “Fine Furniture of Sarchi”. See if they don’t offer futons or email them and see about having one made. Their work is first class.
The crime rate in Costa Rica, like the crime rate in Canada and everywhere else, varies greatly from one location to another. This has been discussed extensively here and elsewhere. You might try the “Search” feature here for links.
Things are different here culturally, economically, bureaucratically, and in other ways. None of them is necessarily bad, but they are definitely different from what you’re used to. One question is just how flexible you are and how willing to change your expectations.
If you expect this to be Canada without the snow, you’ll be in for a disappointment. If you look upon this as an adventure, you may be very pleasantly surprised.
You pose a very broad question to which there could be many answers. The first question is, would you even want to retire to Costa Rica? For that, you need to spend some time here. Have you?
[quote=”sprite”]. . .I understand that you must exchange at least $1000 per month or $12000 per year into colones with a CR bank. How can this be done without a CR bank account?[/quote]
When you become established here, and when you have jumped through the many bureaucratic hoops, you may be able to open an account in a Costa Rican bank. Failing that, you can withdraw U.S. Dollars from a Costa Rican ATM and take them inside the bank to exchange for colones. Just be sure that the teller puts your name, the date, the exchange rate, and your cedula number on your receipt.
If the foregoing is an inquiry about teaching English in Costa Rica, you should be aware that
– the opportunities are severely restricted,
– the pay is extremely low,
– the likelihood of finding full-time work is virtually nil, and
– the process of becoming a [u]legal[/u] worker here would test the patience of a saint.
If this is your objective, you really should consider something else unless you would be totally financially independent of any earnings from your teaching.
This idea has been addressed at great length in this and other venues. The answer is always the same.
Coverage from the CAJA is pretty broad but resources are scarce, so actually getting some services is problematic at least in some areas. For emergency care, it appears to be pretty good. For ongoing primary care and specialty care, it’s sometimes another matter. There have been reports, for example, of very long delays in having some diagnostic procedures, and it was reported some months ago that one of the hospitals was backed up a quarter of a million Pap smear interpretations.
If you want to be in charge of your own health care, you’ll probably want to plan on paying cash for some of it, at least.
Once you become a legal resident, you are [b]required[/b] to enroll in the CAJA. It’s not an option. But that doesn’t mean you have to actually use it. While reports are mixed, it appears that you cannot enroll in the CAJA until your application for residency is approved.
U.S. Medicare does not pay for any services rendered outside the U.S. Some BC/BS policies DO pay outside the States. That coverage may be limited to those traveling or to just emergency care. It’s important to get a [u]definitive[/u] answer from your plan administrator.
We’re covered by the State of Michigan’s BC/BS and have gotten an equal number (several) of “Yes” and “No” answers. You really need to go to the horse’s mouth on this one.
