Flabuck wrote:
Another issue that I want to watch, will the 90 day stamp be issued like before or are they going to look at outbound reservation dates more closely and give you fewer days legally in the country?
I have not heard anything about changing the 90 period once this emergency ends, but here a a couple of things I do know about the current rules.
1. Extension of Visa. There have been two so far for anyone who entered the country after December 17 (90 days before the current emergency period was declared and the borders closed). Those in-country had their times automatically extended for immigration purposes. The newest date is July 17. Note this is 90 days after the current border closings are scheduled to lift. Speculation is widespread that this closing date will be extended.
2. Immigration vs Driving. As can happen in CR, relations between units of government are sometimes not in sync. While the visas were extended for immigration in early March, the ability to drive on a foreign license was not. This left a lot of people in limbo, legal to stay here, but not legal to drive. While I didn't hear of anyone getting fined by the Transit people, there could gave been insurance implications in the event of an accident since you were driving illegally. This was finally addressed by President Alvarado yesterday and the "ability to drive" was extended concurrent with the "ability to stay".
3. New rules went in place (but temporarily suspended) about overstaying your tourist visa. If you overstay you can a) pay $100 penalty for each month of your overstay (payable in exit) or b) be blocked for re-entry to CR for 3 times the length if your overstay. This rule had been suspended during the current emergency declaration.
I also expect airline prices to be high as restrictions lift.