03/26/2008

In response to a Fragomen inquiry, the General Directorate of Migration and Foreign Affairs (Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería) has issued a Private Letter Ruling (No. AJ-00519-2008-AC of March 4, 2008) outlining a new visa application procedure for foreign nationals entering Costa Rica for business activities. Although the Ruling has not been published, it is considered formal guidance establishing the government's latest interpretation of law related to requirements for business visitors. As such, Fragomen strongly urges business visitors to comply with the new procedure.

The Ruling
The General Directorate's Ruling represents the latest interpretation of Articles 83 and 84 of the Law of Immigration and Foreign Matters No. 8487, which define the foreign national classifications of "Non-Resident" and "Short-Stay" visitors. In accordance with Article 84, the Ruling establishes that foreign nationals entering Costa Rica to conduct business fall under the classification of Short-Stay visitors, and therefore must apply for a Short-Stay visa (visa de estancia) after arrival in Costa Rica.

By way of reminder, business visitors must limit their activities to attending "fact-finding" meetings, seminars or training sessions. Business visitors may not receive remuneration for their activities from a Costa Rican source while in the country.

New Visa Application Procedure for Business Visitors
Under the Ruling, the new visa application procedure for short-term business visitors has two steps. First, foreign nationals must seek admission to Costa Rica, as before. Nationals of certain states must obtain a tourist visa (visa de turista) prior to entry, while other nationals are exempt from the entry visa requirement. (For a listing of visa requirements and exemptions per country, please see http://www.migracion.go.cr/visas/DirectricesvisasEnero2008.pdf). After admission to Costa Rica, all foreign nationals who will engage in business activities for 90 days or less must now apply to the General Directorate for a Short-Stay visa.

Either the foreign national or his/her agent (e.g., a Fragomen representative) must file the Short-Stay visa application in-person at the office of the General Directorate. The processing time is approximately 10 business days. Applications must include a support letter from the host company in Costa Rica; a letter signed by the applicant stating the purpose and length of his/her stay and confirming that he/she has sufficient funds for the duration of the stay; copies of the applicant's passport and return ticket; and four passport-size photos.

The content herein is provided for informational purposes only.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen Global Immigration Services or send an email to the appropriate regional mailbox: canada@fragomen.com, lar@fragomen.com (for Latin America), costarica@fragomen.com, asiapac@fragomen.com, or emea@fragomen.com (for Europe, Middle East and Africa).

Source: http://pubweb.fdbl.com/news1.nsf/c8abb103352ef95a86256e3100809438/5c9da58ceb9552d785257412006e65e2?OpenDocument