Driver's licenses for recent immigrants

[MICHEAL LEVINE]

I just learned that recent developments in the CR bureaucracy put a hiccup in the lives of new residents. CR law makes your drivers’ license from your home country valid for the length of your tourist visa (no more than 90 days). But if you have applied for a resident visa, which currently takes more than 12 months to arrive, you have permission to remain in the country until your application is acted upon, but your drivers’ license is not valid during this period. This has been discussed on thisweekincostarica.com (internet radio for expats) and they have posted a petition to ask the CR government to remedy this idiotic Catch 22 situation.

The following is a link to the petition.

http://www.change.org/petitions/director-del-cosevi-allow-foreign-nationals-to-obtain-a-driver-s-license?recruiter=133914440&utm_campaign=signature_receipt&utm_medium=email&utm_source=share_petition

[JASON HOLLAND]

Hi Michael,

Yes, it is a problem loophole for those in the process of obtaining residency. Some people head to Nicaragua or Panama to renew their tourist visa/get a new stamp good for 90 days to continue driving. Others risk it and count on the traffic police understanding the situation. Hopefully, this situation will be resolved.

I’m also contacting a lawyer here to get more clarification and see if there any other solutions to this problem.

[Author]

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