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Friend of mine said since they went to the paperless/computer immigration system the lines when arriving at SJO are longer than ever! Instead of 15-60 mins, now 2 hours!??? Last fall, I came in the week before they implemented this. Anyone have similar problems since September???

NJ

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If you see me at the bottom, please bring me my running shoes!

The lines at immigration are a factor of how many planes land at that time. For example, about 5 airlines have noonish arrivals.

Last Tuesday (9 January) about 2,000 people hit right around noon. Two hours.

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Any opinion or observation in the post above is purely presented for entertainment purposes and does not promote "sexual tourism" or "human trafficking". The laws of Costa Rica apply to all activities in Costa Rica. No warranty is expressed or implied. Void where prohibited by law. Your experience, observations or perspective may be different.

In exile in pu*sy prison

I always try to fly in after 8pm. Usually 30 mins or less. But then again, it's Central America.
https://news.co.cr/international-air-tr ... rts/69796/

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If you see me at the bottom, please bring me my running shoes!

Mid day has generally been 30 min to 1.5 hours for me. Arrived one night at 10 pm, was through immigration in 5 min and on my way.

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Entertainment purposes only, nothing posted above is true nor reflects reality nor my experience.

I get in at 11:30 AM on a Friday. I guess I’ve got a chance. “Run Forest Run”!

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Everything written here by me is purely fiction; and Any opinion, or observation, in the post above is purely presented for entertainment purposes and does not promote, nor is it intended to promote, "sexual tourism" or "human trafficking". The laws of Costa Rica apply to all activities in Costa Rica. No warranty is expressed or implied. Void where prohibited by law. Your experience, observations or perspective may be different.

I found now that it is paperless the immigration officer talks to you for a few minutes, asking where you are staying what you intend to be doing and maybe other general questions. Also when you are leaving, at check in to your airline there are people asking what you did and where you went.
So have your eco-tourist spiel ready.

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Softbob

There is nothing either good or bad
but thinking makes it so.
HAMLET

This is why we recommend people to use airport taxis. We use to pickups the airport but immigration and plane delays make it almost impossible for all parties

Also as you approach the front of the line, you will notice people not paying attention to the available immigration officers waving them up. There is usually an officer there that helps to keep the line moving but when that person steps away, I notice the line slows down.
Last time as I approached the front, I had to tell the next person to go to the available queue as they simply were not paying attention.

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Entertainment purposes only, nothing posted above is true nor reflects reality nor my experience.

Arrived today at 2:30pm and walked right through. Not sure about the paperless part, was given the same forms to fill out on the plane that I always get. The immigration guy did not take the form I filled out just asked where I was staying. The customs guy did want the second form as your bags were going through X-ray on the way out. So who really knows?

Interesting...United out of Houston only gives 1 form now as of some point late last year, based on Nov and Dec trips

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Entertainment purposes only, nothing posted above is true nor reflects reality nor my experience.

Spirit Air offers a midnight flight from Ft. Lauderdale, man I love it!

First of all, you got all day and part of the evening to pack and prepare, when you get to the airport it's slowed down a lot, so if you're bringing a full size luggage bag, the lines have slowed down considerably at check in.

Then because it's midnight, it's easier to nap on the flight and not be so bored.

The real joy is when you arrive in San Jose, there's almost no one there, you blow through customs fast!

Then there's no traffic, you blow from the airport to the gulch in record time, literally almost no traffic, it's close to 2 am!

When you get to your hotel, at least for me, I've been through hell and high water to get there and I'm tired, I like to check in and hit the hay, visions of pu*sy plums dancing in my head. Then you wake up refreshed and raring to go the next day.

If you do this, make sure your hotel of choice understands, they normally want check in around noon.

If you stay at HDR and insist on an encounter within your first moments on premises, there's usually a good smorgasbord to choose from if it's not Sun, Mon or Tue, even then there usually something and she's happy, it's getting late, baby or momma in the hospital, cell phone or rent due, you call the shots....

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Don't try to understand 'em, just rope 'em down and brand 'em...

At Thanksgiving, American gave just one form. It was the one you give after clearing immigration, picking up your luggage and having it x-rayed. There was no form to present the immigration officer.

Paperless immigration refers to when you are LEAVING CR. You know when before you had to fill out that exit form.
Now you are processed thru immigration when leaving. No paper form required.

The two forms you used to have to fill out ...one for immigration and the other for customs... now appear to be consolidated into one. They asked almost all the same questions anyway so good change.

So when you arrive they scan your passport...so basically have all the info they need...and they can add the part where you are staying or whatever other questions the officer has.

And exiting is similar...they scan your passport and it brings up anything they need to know I suspect.

Arrived 1/18, Delta gave me one form. Filled it out and waited for flight to land.

Arrived 2 PM, it took about 10 minutes before I got off of the plane. Went to immigration, line was long but kept moving mostly, took about 30 minutes. Immigration agent did not want the paper, just wanted my passport, to know reason for trip (fishing, tourism), and where I was staying. Maybe 45 seconds total with agent.

Went to baggage claim, all bags were off the carousel and waiting to be picked up. Got my bag, and into the Customs luggage xray line. This is where they took the paperwork, but they didn't even look at it.

Went outside, and got my ride, no problems. It was just under an hour from landing to leaving the airport for me. YMMV.