Getting Your Paperwork Together For Your Move To Costa Rica

It has been a very busy couple of weeks for me. There is a lot of paper work that must be order, put together then sent off to the proper place to be authenticated.

I posted the different classifications that a person can move to Costa Rica under. I am moving there under Pensioner Resident. "The Pensioner Resident is required to show a verifiable minimum monthly pension of $1,000 US. The pension must be guaranteed for life. Only Social Security pensions, or similar, are permitted. No other kind of income will satisfy this requirement as it has to be a life time beneficiary to secure not less than $1,000, and petitioner should have to demonstrate that the issuance company has the ability to secure this monthly income for life. You can do this by certified copies of the financial status of the company. Expires every 2 years."

After meeting with my attorney in CR, Roberto Umana, I was told I must present my birth certificate with my mother's maiden name with the States Seal, my paper work from the Social Security Administration, and a background check from the State. All of these must be accompanied with a cover letter of authentication called an "Apostille." After pricing different companies I found on Google to get the Apostille I found that I can send it directly to the Texas Secretary of State office. The companies offering to do this cost anywhere from $55. an Apostille to over $125 per Apostille. The Secretary of States charges $15.00 per. What a difference! Just another example of DO YOU HOMEWORK! I had no one to instruct me where to look or the best way to do this. I just kept looking until I found the answer.

Another hint! For the background check...don't bother going to your local police department. I did that first and found they cannot do it. I went to a company called, Identogo, that the police dept. recommended, and for $25.63 they took my finger prints, took my picture and sent off to Crime Records Dept. at the Texas Department of Public Safety. They ran the background check and mailed me the official paperwork with the results.

I have sent all my paperwork to the Texas Secretary of State's office with a self-addressed pre-paid envelope, and am waiting on them to come back with their Apostilles attached.

Pura Vida!