March 23. 2018
Foreigners staying longer than allowed in Costa Rica and having their immigration document (DIMEX) expired at the time of departure must pay 100 dollars for every month expired.
Starting April 20, 2018, the new regulation applies to non-residents and foreigners arriving with a temporary (residencia temporal) or special residence permit (categoría especial).
The fine will be charged retroactively from March 1, 2010, when the Immigration Act came into force.
If the penalty is not paid, entry to Costa Rica will be prohibited for a period three times the length of the irregular stay in the country.
The fine can be paid at Banco de Costa Rica (BCR), post offices in Paso Canoas, La Cruz, Liberia and Alajuela, and on the Immigration website.
The Immigration Department advises foreigners to renew their residency permit as soon as possible, not just to avoid a fine on departure, but to have access to health, education, and banking services.
These and other institutions may only offer their services to foreigners who hold a valid DIMEX document.
Foreigners can schedule an appointment to renew their DIMEX document (cedula de residencia) at the immigration office (phone 1311) or at the call center of Banco de Costa Rica (phone 2221-1120).
