NEW RULES REGARDING THE VALIDITY OF DOCUMENTS

Despite the new extension of tourist visas, most of our clients have already started processing the paperwork for their residency applications. The latest resolution of the General Department of Immigration (DGME) – Resolution DJUR – 0031-03-2021-JM, published on March 3rd, 2021 – confirmed the new rules for the validity of documents issued abroad to be submitted with regards to a residency application:

• Criminal Records, Single Status Certificates and Marriage Licenses: If they were valid as of March 17, 2020 or have been/will be requested after said date: their validity will be extended until the day of the appointment that has been/will be granted to file for residency upon the condition that the appointment is requested before July 31, 2021.

• Birth certificates: The DGME has finally accepted that these can be held valid even if older than six (6) months, as long as they are duly apostilled or legalized. The document must be in perfect condition, and it must coincide with the information shown in the passport of the applicant. If the birth certificate is not consistent with the passport, the applicant shall file backup paperwork justifying this.

• Deadlines to comply with the request for submission of additional documents with regards to physical case files: After receiving the notification, the applicant will have 10 working days to schedule an appointment to complete its case file. Documents will be held valid until the day of the appointment. It the applicant fails to schedule the appointment in time, the case will be rejected as inadmissible.

For any doubt or additional information, please feel free to reach out to us: contact@cribo.cr.

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