Costa Rica Travel Posts

Border Runs in Costa Rica

By Patrick Brunelle ⋅ February 4, 2011 ⋅  Email this post ⋅  Print this post ⋅ Post a comment

Ah, the good old border run. This term may mean little to you, the reader, but for us living in Costa Rica, this is something we must deal with if we wish to stay in Costa Rica. At present, Costa Rica law allows for 90 day Visas for Canadians and Americas who come to visit Costa Rica. But what if you are living in Costa Rica? A 90 day Visa is worthless. You could ask for a work Visa, but unlike North America, work Visas are only awarded when a spoecific company wants to hire you, and the work Visa would only be valid for that particular company.

Most companies that hire Gringos are Sprots books (online gambling casinos), and English Schools. Schools and online casinos rarely request work Visas from the Costa Rican government, which mean that you would be on your own. The only solution left for you is to do what we locals call a “border run”. Costa Rican immigration requires you to spend 72 hours outside of the country before your 90 day Visa can be given anew. You need not worry, as long as you stay out of the country for the necessary time, getting back in should not be an issue. So where should you go for your border run? There are many wonderful choices for you to choose from. Just click on any of the links to read more. New posts will be published each week.

My favorite option is Bocas del Toro, in Panama City.

My second choice is Granada in Nicaragua.

My third choice is Panama City in Panama.

My fourth option is Managua in Nicaragua.

My last suggestion is for you to do a Central American jourey by bus using Tica Bus. You will need much more than just a few days off to accomplish this option which is why it is last on my list.