New electronic Immigration Processing system available in Costa Rica

This past September 1st an innovative online registration system started operating mainly for transnational companies that require foreign executives or technicians here in Costa Rica.

This idea was promoted by the Ministry of Competitiveness and Immigration Authorities, and the first companies interested were Intel, Temenos Costa Rica, Ericsson and Surf Factory, however a long list of approximately fifty other companies are awaiting for this chance.

Basically, this mechanism intends to facilitate the procedure when applying for a work permit, this way companies have to be registered online (www.competitividad.go.cr/migracion/web/index.html). Later they file the information of each employee required in Costa Rica. Applications will be solved in ten days. If they are approved, the identity documents will be delivered through a mail system.

In the same web site other company formalization procedures can be done, they consist on basic previous paperwork such as:

• Operating Health Permit from the Health Ministry
• Work Risk Insurance
• Comercial License
• Registration as taxpayer
• Real Estate registry
• Construction procedures
• Environmental Impact Assessment
• Operation Veterinarian Certificates

GLC can assist you before, during and after the process, including all the requirements necessary for your company to be registered or recognized, as well as preparing the corresponding applications for the desired workers. We suggest you to contact our specialized Immigration Attorneys in order to obtain the proper guidance according to your specific case.

Recently approved plan to eliminate convenience marriages

Yesterday, a Bill to eliminate convenience marriages in Costa Rica was approved unanimously by the Congressmen on the first debate.Leaded by the representatives Evita Arguedas and Francisco Antonio Pacheco, this initiative is supported by Migration Authorities.

If the Bill is ratified on the second discussion in the Congress next week, witnesses, contracting parties and the public notaries involved shall be penalized from two to five years when it’s not for migratory effects. In the case of a migratory aim, convictions will range from three to six years. As well, notaries participating in such circumstances, next to the criminal sanction shall be unfitted to practice his/her profession from months to years.

This potential regulation is intended to control migratory processes, as well as the rights obtained when the union of a Costa Rican citizen and foreigner is declared. To avoid convenience couples from obtaining a migratory status, migration authorities should determine whether there’s a real relationship or not, allowing both Migratory Authorities and the Civil Registry to declare void marriages.

Members of the Congress consider necessary actions such as these have to be taken to control migratory status, since statistics show that in the past year approximately ten thousand unions of this kind were celebrated.