| Just as in the rest of Latin America, Costa Rica is plagued
by a more inefficient bureaucratic system than the United
States. This situation is exaggerated by the Latin American
temperament, the seemingly lackadaisical attitude of most
bureaucrats, and the slower pace of life. The concept of time
is much different from that in the North America. When someone
says they'll do something ahorita (which literally
means right now), it will take from a few minutes to a week,
or maybe forever. It is not unusual to wait in lines for hours
in banks and government offices and experience unnecessary
delays.
This situation is very frustrating for foreigners who are
used to fast, efficient service. It can be especially irritating
if you don't speak Spanish well. Since very few people working
in offices speak English, and most North Americans speak little
else, it is advisable to study basic Spanish. However, if
language is an insurmountable obstacle at first, use a competent
bilingual lawyer or ask the Association of Residents of Costa
Rica (ARCR) to help you deal with Costa Rica's bureaucracy
or red tape jungle, as it is known. Above all, learn to be
patient and remember that you can get the best results if
you do not push or pressure people. Try having a good sense
of humor and using a smile. You will be surprised at the results.
You shouldn't despair if Costa Rica's bureaucrazy gets you
down. For a small fee, you can get a person (gavilán)
to wait in line for you while you run errands or make better
use of your time.
A few words of caution: there are some individuals, (choriceros
in popular jargon), who pass themselves off as lawyers
or who befriend you and offer to help you with red tape, claiming
they can shortcut the bureaucratic system because of their
contacts. As a general rule, avoid such individuals or you
will lose valuable time, run the risk of acquiring forged
documents, most certainly lose money, and experience indescribable
grief.
Since bribery and pay offs are common in most Latin American
countries and government employees are underpaid, some people
advise paying them extra money to speed up paperwork or circumvent
normal channels. This bribery is illegal and not recommended
for foreigners, who can be deported for breaking the law.
However, in some instances it may be necessary to pay extra
money to get things done. Use your own discretion in such
matters. A tip here and there for a small favor can accelerate
bureaucratic delays. We have a friend who was in the process
of getting all of the required paper work to marry a Costa
Rican. He was in a hurry and did not have time to waste. He
went to the National Registry to get his future wife's birth
certificate and was told he would have to wait a week. So,
he passed out a little extra money and had it the next morning.
United States Embassy Services
- Purchasing an Automobile
- Calculating Taxes on a Vehicle
- Driving an Automobile to Costa
Rica - Bringing your Boat
or Plane to Costa Rica - Shipping
your Household Goods - Ways to
Bring your Belongings - How to Find
a Lawyer - How the Justice
System Works - Legal Terms
- Costa Rican Consulates
and Embassies Abroad - Embassies
and Consulates in Costa Rica
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