Costa Rica – Fines Subjected to Overstay
Effective April 20, 2018, foreign nationals in Costa Rica, as tourists or temporary residents, will be fined 100 USD per month for their unauthorized stay after their visa has expired at the time they exit the country. The fine will also apply to foreign nationals whose DIMEX (Migratory Identification Document for Foreigners) card is expired while exiting Costa Rica. The fine will not applied to minors, permanent residents, and refugees.
If the fine is not paid, the foreign national will be forbidden to enter the country again for three times the duration of their unauthorized stay. The fine can be paid through bank agencies in Costa Rica, as well as Points Tucán of the Bank of Costa Rica, the Directorate General of Immigration website, and Branches of Correos de Costa Rica.
In order to avoid paying the fine, foreign nationals should ensure they exit within the period of time that was granted, extend the say, or renew their DIMEX as soon as possible if it has expired.
Article 33 of the Migration Law will be retroactive to March 1, 2010, the date in which the General Law of Migration and Immigration No. 8764 came into force.