| Everyone planning to live, retire or do business in Costa
Rica should know that the U.S. Embassy (in the San José
suburb of Pavas) can help with Social Security and veterans
benefits, notarizing documents, obtaining new U. S. passports,
reporting lost or stolen passports, obtaining a marriage license,
registering births of your children, registering to vote,
complying with Selective Service registration requirements,
private mail service, reporting deaths of U.S. citizens abroad,
and getting a U.S. visa for your spouse (if you choose to
marry a Costa Rican). They also assist in obtaining absentee
ballots for U.S. elections and getting U.S. income tax forms
and information. However, if you get into any legal trouble
in Costa Rica, do not expect help from the U.S. Embassy.
Social Security - In the past there were two ways of receiving
your Social Security check if you lived abroad. First, you
could have it sent directly to your P.O. box in Costa Rica
through the U.S. Embassy. The only problem with this method
was that the checks did not arrive until almost the third
week of the month. The other way was to have your check directly
deposited into your U.S. account. Now, things are much simpler.
After August 2003, your Social Security payments may be deposited
electronically to your account in a Costa Rican bank by the
third of each month. Banco Nacional, Banco de Costa Rica,
Banco Interfín and Citibank offer direct deposit of
Social Security checks. All you have to do is complete a form
and make sure it gets sent to the Federal Benefits Unit of
the US Embassy. Call the embassy at 220-3050 if you have any
questions. Your bank will charge $6 for this convenient monthly
service.
Passports -Effective in 2002, U.S. citizens residing or traveling
abroad who need a U.S. passport are issued the latest, state-of-the-art
passport incorporating a digitalized photo image and other
innovative security features. U.S. embassies and consulates
will send the applications to domestic U.S. passport facilities.
This increases processing time at some embassies and consulates,
but it ensures that U.S. citizens receive secure documents
in a timely manner. Therefore,U.S.citizens are encouraged
to apply early for renewal of expiring passports.
- U.S.
embassies and consulates issue passports in emergency situations.
Such passports have limited validity and cannot be extended.
Bearers are required to exchange their limited validity passports
for full-validity digitalized photo passports upon completion
of their emergency travel, either through passport facilities
in the United States or U.S. embassies abroad.
First-time Passport Applicants - To apply for a U.S. passport,
a native-born, U.S. citizen must present a certified copy
of his or her birth certificate, two passport photos measuring
two inches by two inches (color or black and white with a
light background), photo ID and the applicable fee. You will
need to present the certificate of naturalization together
with the photos, a photo ID, and the fees.
Passport Renewal - You will need your current passport as
evidence of citizenship and two passport photos measuring
two inches by two inches (color or black and white with a
light background). To be eligible, you must have been issued
a U.S. passport in your name within the past 12 years. There
are different fees for adults and for those under 16.
Lost or Stolen Passport -You will need to report the loss
of your passport to the police and obtain a copy of the police
report. In addition to the two passport photos, you will need
to present proof of identity and proof of U.S. citizenship.
The proof of identity could be any photo ID such as U.S. driver's
license. Proof of citizenship could be a certified, sealed
copy of your U.S. birth certificate and/or an old cancelled
U.S. passport.
Report of a Birth Abroad -Children being registered as U.S.
citizens must be brought to the embassy or consulate by the
U.S. citizen parent along with the following documents:
- Child's Costa Rican birth certificate may be obtained from the Civil Registry,
or Registro Civil.
- Evidence of parent's U.S. citizenship. This may be in the form of an original
U.S. birth certificates, U.S. passports, Certificates of
Citizenship or Naturalization Certificates. Military IDs
are not proof of U.S. citizenship.
- Parents'marriage certificate.
- Evidence of dissolutions of previous marriages. If either parent has been previously
married, submit original divorce decrees or death certificates.
- If only one parent is a U.S. citizen, there are additional requirements. Please
check with the embassy.
The Social Security Administration's guide tells you how
to receive your Social Security checks while living abroad.
See http://www.ssa.gov/ international/your_ss.html
The U.S. State Department provides links and information
for U.S. citizens living abroad. See http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/fed_benefits.
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