stewart.tb

Nice! Fingers crossed that your new employer will be on it! That last process was a mess. If not, it's still not too bad of a situation: the comprobación will keep you from having to do border runs, and with 6 more months of wedded bliss a lo tico, you could put in for citizenship using the same papers submitted to Migración, and just be done with it forever. I renewed my expired driver's license with no problems, and that included having to change from residency # to cédula #. I was sure they'd make me take the dreaded test, but nope -- it was actually one of the easiest trámites I've done here. Went off without a hitch and was fast. I think mine had only expired by a month though, maybe less.

Lucybelle, I can't remember -- do you guys have 2 years (cumulative) married in CR? If so, it would be cheaper (free!) and less of a hassle than messing with residency again, and you'd never have to worry about it ever again, for life. Yeah, I remember your situation, that was frustrating for sure. Do not blame you at all for not wanting a repeat. Another curiosity thought: I wonder how the US handles US-citizen dual nationals who no longer have a US passport and who travel on their other passport? I know you're required to use your US passport to enter the US rather than your other pp, but I always that assumed that meant "those who have a US passport must use it on US soil." I wonder if there is an actual requirement to renew it if you live outside of the US? I do plan to renew my US passport when it expires, regardless. Still haven't decided if I'll ever get a CR passport in addition to the cédula. Not sure what benefit it would have, other than, as Lucybelle said, to "feel fancy". Which is a perfectly valid and compelling reason. Obviously.

Just a curiosity question for those of you who have or plan to get a Costa Rican passport: what are your reasons for getting one as opposed to continuing to use your US (or home country) passport? Do you maintain both passports, or do you (would you?) let your US passport expire? I've been a citizen since early 2015 and have not yet gotten a CR passport, though I've thought about it. I'd like to have one just because, but am not sure that "just because" is worth the price and tramites. I'm curious as to what you guys see as advantages/disadvantages. There's the issue of applying for (and paying for) visas on a CR passport that wouldn't be required under a US passport. I believe US citizens are still required to use their US passport when traveling to/from the US, regardless of whether they have a 2nd passport, but I can't cite a definitive source for that. I wonder if Tío Sam has anything to say about US-citizen dual nationals who let their US passport expire, only maintaining their second country's passport. My US passport expires in ... I think 2021, so just something I'm rolling around in my mind.

Weird ... I'd have thought residency would be automatically cancelled upon being granted citizenship, or at least upon not being renewed. Mine expired in early 2015 ... I can't imagine it would still be "valid" just because I haven't gone and specifically asked that it be cancelled. (I know, I know: why ask why?)

Count me in on the thank-you action -- I was all set to do that, and then completely forgot about it. I had even bookmarked Tibas' posts on how to go about it, but that was on my previous computer, which has since given up the ghost. Can't believe I never took care of that. Thanks for the much-needed reminder.

Wait, what? Are you guys moving back down?! No Brazil after all?

Congrats, Eleanor! Woo-hoo! You're a card-carrying tica! I would say now you'll be able to navigate sidewalks with cracks, holes, and obstructions while wearing stiletto heels, but I tried it, and it didn't work. On the other hand, I had zero problems changing my bank and driver's license over from residency # to cédula #. Two of the easiest tramites I've done here, actually.

Yes! That still surprises (and delights) me when I see it. We're so used to the extreme security measures in the States. My first year or two here, I was surprised to learn that one of the chess guys is former president Laura Chinchilla's brother. He's not one of the local guys that Jorge plays with weekly, but we see him all the time at national tournaments. I found out one day when he was sitting across from me at a San José soda during lunch break at one of the tourneys. (Someone made a funny comment, I thought they were joking at the time.) She was still president at the time. No security, no airs -- if you didn't know, you wouldn't know. Super nice guy, down to earth, casual, and has prettier, longer hair than I do.

I just wanted to say you've outdone yourself with this one, Marsrox. I guess one advantage of going the por amor route is that there's none of that financial-proof business when you apply via a tic@ spouse. We don't have to take the language/civics test either, which, to be honest, I don't think is fair. (Not that I volunteered to take it, but ... still.) Once you get your docs translated by the official translator, three words: fine-toothed comb. My translator added an extra letter to my middle name, which no one -- including me -- caught until after I'd received my first approval letter. Wrench in the works, but it was fairly easily resolved. I just had to go in and make a sworn statement, and it added a few months to the final approval, but pura vida, it got done.

Qué pena! Well, you know what they say: if the guaro or potholes don't kill you, the trámites will. Fingers crossed it all goes smoothly. The good thing about citizenship is once it's done, it's REALLY done. You never have to deal with that mess again, other than a once-a-decade replacement cédula. So there's that ...

Heavens, Tom, you've sent me to the fainting couch!

I'll have to check into banana flour -- my new thing learned today. Do not get me started on missionaries coming to tourist paradise to save "lost" souls in a country where more people know Jesús than back in the States. Urgh. Ha! Yep. So much this. Though I will say there were a couple of Peace Corps volunteers up in Guatuso, where my cuñado's family lives, and they actually did contribute in a meaningful way with English lessons/practice for the local kids. Teams from the local colegio and escuela ended up going to the national competition, which was a really big deal. (My niece and nephews were the top competitors -- yay! Have to brag on them.) It wasn't all due to the volunteers, but it was helpful for the young people to have real life practice with a native speaker.

Banana-flour tortillas! I bet that would also make good waffles ... Speaking of SSNs, that was another difference: Jorge thinks it's weird that we're so secretive and paranoid with our SSNs, and I thought it was insanity when I first learned that ticos' national ID #s are public info on the TSE site, along with marriage info, birth date/location, children's info, parents' info, voting info ... To quote the great Paul Simon: Paranoia strikes deep in the heartlandBut I think it's all overdoneExaggerating this exaggerating thatThey don't have no fun Welp, I'm off to feed the current clutter of coffee field cats and then have some more coffee myself.

Más tica que gallo pinto! Congratulations, Eleanor!

No worries! I've been called worse, jeje.