I went to San Jose this morning to renew my residency with an attorney and 3 other American expats in Atenas. Since we were all three “Adultos mayores” or senior adults, we did not have to stand in that long line in my photo, but instead were escorted to the front of the line where we got the next available window to finish processing our paperwork (having paid in advance the fee amounting to a little over $100 USD, 66,000 colones). Then they photograph you and your new plastic card is ready in 30 to 40 minutes while you wait in an outside patio with coffee available. 🙂 Plus at the same time they email you the new (since my last renewal) electronic card that you keep on your phone and can use just like the plastic card. Getting too modern for me! 🙂 It is pictured below this Immigration Office line photo with my numbers scratched out. The actual blue plastic card is pictured in the center of the electronic one. Plus the plastic card is also electronic for card readers like on the public bus and government offices.
My first two ID Cards were good for two years each, then starting with the last one I got, “Residente Permanente,” they last 3 years, so this one is good until May 2026 and then 2029 another one before I have to renew my U.S. Passport in 2030. Always something! 🙂 But lots of people to help with things like this and us old people go to the front of almost all lines, though not at the U.S. Embassy! 🙂
¡Pura Vida!
Congratulations.
Thanks Steve! And your sister and brother-in-law became “official” at the same time! Just another one of those “hoops you have to jump through!” But worth it! 🙂