Vista Del Mar Area And Citizen Question

[Aimee]

Hi there

I am new here and have some questions.

If I wanted to relocate my family to Costa Rica- can I do that and remain an American citizen? Or, do I need to be a CITIZEN of CR to live there? How does that work for people that are from the USA?

I am not sure what the semantics are for a long term living situation and any advice is appreciated.

Additionally, I would like to know about job opportunities in CR. I have a small family so I need to continue working and though I do consulting which I can do anywhere- having an idea of the job market is also helpful.

Finally, I am looking at Vista Del Mar area... Does anyone have any insight or thoughts on this area of CR?

I greatly appreciate all responses.

Thanks most kindly,
Aimee

 

[Russ]

Hi Aimee, welcome to the forum and Costa Rica  

You don't have to become a Costa Rican citizen to live in Costa Rica, and you don't have to give up your US citizenship, even if you were to become Costa Rican one day.  We have a good article on residency requirements and classes here: Costa Rica retirement & residency

When you work in Costa Rica the easiest option is to get hired in your home country, the company will be able to obtain work permits for you and the pay will be better.

If you come here first, you can work "informally", or you can look for a company that needs your skills and can assist you in obtaining the permits.  Good possibilities are teaching English at companies or working in a customer service center (like sportsbooks or software companies).

There are a few different Vista del Mar towns, what part of the country are you considering? (Central Pacific, Guanacaste, Central Valley, etc. )  I know of one on the east side of San Jose.  This is a nice area, but you would need a car and would probably want to work downtown and not in any of the western suburbs.  

[Guest]

Russ-

Thanks so much for the helpful reply. Well, the area I was looking at was Vista DE Mar- but the particular property has already been sold - however, I am still open to the idea.

It seems like San Jose is where the more "city like" environment is- and though I am interested in having some rural type feel- it sound like it may be best to be closer to San Jose from what I have researched so far and your input as well.

I thank you for the info on jobs in CR. I understand it is better to have an employer here that locates you there than to go and if need be- find work while there. How hard is it to get a work permit if you are a US citizen- and how long is the allowable time?

Thanks for the article link- I have looked at many articles so far. Will check that one out now as well!

Thanks

[Guest]

PS! What about buying a car while there? Are there problems with that or any helpful tips - since you brought up the subject of a vehicle! Thankx!
 

[Russ]

Here is a site where you check prices on used vehicles UAutos Usados Costa Rica

Here are some general considerations:
A common misconception among foreigners coming to Costa Rica is that you will save money by bringing a car here from overseas. In most cases I would definetly buy the car here because you will still have to pay the import taxes which is the main reason cars are so much more expensive here. The used car importer also offers several advantages.  The principle one being that they are legally bound to offer a 30 day guarantee on the transmission and motor.  The 3 most popular brands in Costa Rica are Toyota, Nissan and Hyundai.  You can't go wrong by sticking with these brands, particularly because of parts and service.

Also you must consider economy vs. power. As of January 2005, super unleaded gasoline was at $3.00 a gallon in Costa Rica. That means DON'T buy a V6 or V8 engine if you can possibly avoid it.  For a gasoline engine, most automobiles here are between 1500 and 2000 cc.  These motors have enough power to get up and down the mountains, but they won't bankrupt you every time you go to the gas station.  If you are driving in rural areas often, or want a car that will withstand the potholes much better, then you will be considering a 4 wheel drive SUV or pickup.  In this case, a diesel engine will be advisable. Diesel fuel here runs about 2/3 of what gasoline costs.  The new minivans and SUVs with CRDI or turbo diesel intercooler engines that are 2800 to 3000 cc displacement are excellent choices.  You won't see a real difference in acceleration or power and the diesel engine is more efficient than gasoline.