When we go to renew our Temporary residency after 2 years of legal residency, I heard we can do it at BCR . But I have questions for those of you who have done this, at BCR or not at BCR ...
I read this on BCR 's web page: "Cost per minute ¢300.00 Colones (available even calling from public phones).
Minimum cost per procedure $48 (includes physical document and valid for one year).
The handing over of the Residency Cards will made in a maximum period of 25 natural days, by the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería.
This service can be found at the following 32 BCR branches::""
So maybe I'm losing some mental faculty as I get older but I don't fully understand this, to wit:
1) it says $48 cost per procedure. Does that mean $48 sercharge in addition to the government fees? (I assume yes.) And does "per procedure" mean $48 for me AND $48 for my wife or are both 1 procedure? Is this for the phone call mentioned above? If so can that be avoided by just going into the BCR office? I'm unclear as to what the 300 c per minute phone call is for and what the $48 (or $96 for a married couple?) fee is for.
2) I read somewhere the cost is $123 or there about for the renewal. Again, I assume that is $123 - or whatever - for each of us, my wife and me, right? So $246. Even the USA doesn't charge this much for temporary residency, as I recall!
3) Above from the BCR page it says " ...includes physical document and valid for one year" .
I thought the temp residency renewal was good for TWO years. Am I reading this wrong? Not sure what they mean...
Is there a cheaper way to do all this without BCR's fees? And does it require going to San Jose and sitting around all day, LOL? Please give your experience!
Anyone who's renewed their first temporary residency cedula, please tell me what you know about this! Thanks.
Renewing Temporary Residency
We just renewed our first temporary residency and I will tell you what I know from our perspective which is a bit different from yours as we are Inversionistas.
1) We could not use BCR as Inversionistas do not show in the system (on a side note we can only renew at Migracion and because we don't show in the system I cannot even make an appointment by phone, it has to be done in person). <sorry, my personal bitch>. We had to pay our fees at BCR before proceeding to Migracion so, no, you cannot avoid these fees.
2) Our total fees came to just under $300 for the two of us. Equal fees even though wifey is a dependent.
3) We applied 3 months in advance of our expiry date (as per the law) and we have been renewed for TWO years, not from the date we re-applied but from the anniversary of when we received our original.
4) The fee for the phone call is because it is a 900 number and you pay by the minute. We paid that fee, only to learn we had to make our appointment in person <sorry another personal bitch>.
5) We have to drive to San Jose from Puriscal so there is not much difference in whether we go to BCR or Migracion for our appointment so we pre-pay at BCR and drive to Migracion and come home with our renewed Cedulas in hand.
Hope this helps a bit.
You must make an appointment by phone at BCR...and pick the branch you wish to use. You can't make it at a counter at the bank.
TerrynViv said it as it is. We just had our second renewal valid for 3 years, first one was for 2 years. The call to get an appointment at BCR is 300 colones per minute. We paid for three: wife, child and I. Never hear of the $48 you mention. The "physical document " must be a proof of birth and/ or marriage no older than a year from issue.
Sorry, that was our third renewal.
Hey all, thanks for the info.
MauroN, so you are saying we have to order new birth certificates from the US because the ones we used for residency are now 2 years old? That seems odd. Why would they need ANOTHER one of the same documents? (I know this is Costa Rica and you aren't supposed to ask questions concerning the logic or reasons for things... but that seems really crazy if I'm understanding you correctly...)
Aren't you a resident by marriage, Mauro or am I mistaken on that? If so your document requirement might be different from ours?
Not sure the Inversionista process will be the same for us, TerrynViv, because we are pensionados. But thanks anyway.
Anyway at least I am getting some ideas here as to what might be involved. Luckily we have some time before its due to figure out exactly how a Pensionado renewal works. Sounds like maybe we'll ask inside the bank at BCR as a first step.
Weird that BCR is required...
When you contact BCR , ask them exactly what you are required to produce.
I'm sure you don't need new birth certificates ... 
Thanks kohlerias. I would hope you are right about not needing new birth certificates.
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