Another 90 Days in Paradise
Although Elisha and I have lived in Nicaragua for more than a year now we have not yet applied for residency. Compared to many countries the process is relatively easy and inexpensive. That being said, there are still numerous hoops to jump through to obtain residency in Nicaragua.
Elisha and I are currently living in Nicaragua on a tourist visa that we are required to renew every 90 days. This 90-day visa can actually be extended for an additional 90 days at most immigration offices in the country. The cost is approximately $60 USD.
Just before our visas expire we leave the country and re-enter. This restarts our 90 day clock. Luckily for us we live less than an hour from the Costa Rican border, so renewal is only a small inconvenience.
We get a lot of questions regarding tourist visa renewal and border crossing so we decided to document the details of our most recent “border run” so that we could share it with you.
The time line below summarizes a typical border run for us. Well, kind of…
This particular time we took a little longer than usual because Elisha took approximately one hundred photos and jotted down about three pages of notes. I too held up the process a little trying to decide on my alcohol purchase from the Duty Free store.
9:02 am
We left home with our “itineraries” in hand.
- These United “itineraries” may or may not be authentic. Shhhhhhhh!
Costa Rican immigration now requires that you show proof of onward travel from their country.
9:10 am
Gas tank topped up. Check! Windshield washed. Check! Fluid levels checked. Check!
- UNO Gas Station – San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
9:54 am
Our Hyundai Galloper is safely parked just 50 meters outside the border entrance at Comoder Mayra. The dude shown in the picture below will hang around and watch your vehicle for you for a small fee. For a few extra cordobas, he’ll even wash it!
- A chicken bus leaving the border and heading to Rivas
It’s a short stroll to the first gate. If you’d like can get a meal or do a little shopping on the way.
- Shoe Shopping at the Nicaraguan Border
10:00 am
We pass through the first gate. A Nicaraguan immigration officer looks at our passports to check the date of our last entry into Nicaragua, then we are on our way to the Nicaraguan immigration office.
10:01 am
On the way to the immigration office we must stop and pay $1.00 USD for tax to the city of Penas Blancas.
- The town of Penas Blancas getting their tax money
- Penas Blancas tax receipt
10:09 am
With our tax paid we enter the immigration area and get in line and fill out our customs forms. An agent checks our passport and forms and then keys some information into the computer. At this gate we paid a $3 USD exit fee. The friendly agent stamps our passports and we’re off.
- Nicaraguan Customs form
10:13 am
We are officially stamped out of Nicaragua and approaching “No Man’s Land” as we like to call it. We are now walking between the two countries.
10:20 am
Yet another check point. This photo friendly agent was checking for the stamp that showed our exit out of Nicaragua.
- This Nica Immigration officer thinks taking pictures at the border is cool
10:20 am
We are now entering Costa Rica. It’s about a 200 meter walk from the Nicaraguan Immigration office to the Costa Rican equivalent.
- Bienvenido a Costa Rica
- Taxis to transport you from the immigration office to your Costa Rican destination
10:27 am
We enter a line up for the Costa Rica immigration office. Thankfully we arrived just before of a group of 60+ people who were traveling on a Tica bus.
- Lining up at the Costa Rican customs and immigration building
- Sometimes it’s all about timing!
10:44 am
After a short wait we enter the immigration office with our completed customs forms and “itineraries” in hand ready to show the immigration official.
- Costa Rican Customs & Immigration form
10:49 am
Not suprisingly the agent asks for our boleta (ticket) showing proof of onward travel out of Costa Rica. This is a fairly new practice and seen by many as a money grab.
To avoid hassle most expats simply purchase a $25 open-ended bus ticket – which is good for one year – but never actually use it.
Unlike Nicaragua, Costa Rica does not charge an entrance or exit fee. However, it seems to us that the government is trying to compensate for that revenue by requiring you to purchase the bus ticket.
- These signs went up recently when they started to require proof of onward travel from Costa Rica
10:54 am
We distract a police officer by asking him if we can take a photo. In exchange for a quick little chat we avoid having to walk further into Costa Rica. We walk back the way we just came from and get in line on the opposite side of the immigration building.
10:59 am
We enter the building that we just left and fill out another immigration form. This time it’s to leave Costa Rica.
11:05 am
Our passports now have three stamps and we are out of Costa Rica and on our way back into Nicaragua.
There is a misconception that you must leave Nicaragua for a period of three days before you can re-enter and renew your tourist visa. This is not the case at all. There is no law indicating how long you must be out of the country before you may re-enter.
In fact, on this particular border run we were only in Costa Rica for a period of 16 minutes.
On the other hand, if you are living in Costa Rica on a tourist visa you are required to leave the country for a minimum of three days prior to entry back in.
- Nicaraguan and Costa Rican Exit and Entry Passport Stamps
11:16 am
Check point back into Nicaraguan frontera.
- Check point at the Nicaraguan Frontera
- Nicaraguan Immigration straight ahead
- Need your shoes shined? No problem – get it done before returning to Nicaragua!
11:24 am
We are back at the Nicaraguan immigration office and pay a $1 USD tax to the city for the second time that day.
11:25 am
Entrance forms are completed. We pay $12 USD for our 90-day tourist visa and entrance back into Nicaragua.
- Finally…our last passport stamp of the day!
– Sandals anyone?
11:29 am
Since we are here we might as well get some cheap duty free treats. We haven’t actually left long enough to qualify, but no one ever cares or even checks to see if you have duty free.
The shops are setup after you clear customs and are right next to where we park the truck. In truth you wouldn’t even need to leave the country to shop at the the duty free store. In fact, we have friends that own a bar and they used to shop there regularly.
- A border run wouldn’t be complete without a quick stop at the Nicaraguan Duty Free Shop
- Lots of goodies at Duty Free!
11:36 am
We are good to go for another 90 days and ready for a snack before making our way to a Rivas for some shopping.
- A couple of snacks for the drive to Rivas
11:40 am
We pay our parking attendant C$40 cordobas for his services. He’s happy and so are we!
- Our truck (and our parking attendant) are safe and sound exactly where we left them!
Posted on February 25, 2013, in Travel & Transportation and tagged 90 days, border, border run, Costa Rica, customs, duty free, entry stamp, exit stamp, extension, frontera, gas station, hyundai galloper, immigration, itinerary, Nicaragua, onward travel, passport, passport stamp, Penas Blancas, residency, run, San Juan del Sur, tica bus, tourist visa, trans nica, transportation, travel, uno, vacation. Bookmark the permalink. 13 Comments.
Thank you so very much for this info! I have to do this next month!!
This is great information to have—but what bus ticket – from who–open ended.
Thanks,
James
Great Post. Did you get the immigration forms at the window?
Yes, we did.
You can also get the immigration forms from one of many guys who will greet you as soon you step out of your vehicle or off the bus. They are there to walk you through the check points in return for a tip.
Elisha
Dear Gord and Elisha,
Thanks for the info. I’ve not yet arrived in Nicaragua. I’ll be there April 11th (flying from San Francisco). I plan on staying for at least a year; and, so anticipate having to make these “border runs” a few times.
Your “itinerary”, I presume, is a printed copy of a “flight reservation”? There is no concern by immigration officials, either exiting or entering Costa Rica or Nicaragua, that the travel dates shown are not substantiated by your actual return time/date?
Also, what is the penalty (if any) if you exceed the visitation time allowed by the tourist visa? By a day or two, for example. I wouldn’t plan on doing so, of course. I’ve enjoyed following you on your blog…and hope to meet you shortly after my arrival in Granada (provided you’re still there).
Steve
Hi Steve,
The only place you must show an itinerary is when entering Costa Rica. It just needs to show you will be leaving Costa Rica within 90 days. Your itinerary is not recorded by immigration, it just needs to be shown for proof of onward travel.
If you overstay your visa in Nicaragua there is a $5 or $10 fine, plus $2 per day for every day you are over.
We have been in San Juan del Sur since August, but we go to Granada once in awhile to visit friends.
Cheers,
Gordon
There seems to be one thing missing. The Nicaraguan police will charge you at the border on your return back into Nicaragua when you cross back on the same day. I have experienced this every single time I have crossed over the last 4 years. Typically 200-400 cordobas and completely illegal.
I paid a 200 cord bribe my first time, but we have not paid any bribes since.
Gordon
So what’s the trick to avoid the propina. They have scouts that pick out the returning tourists and then notify the border police just before you arrive. They are expecting you and your payment when you cross into Nicaragua.
Hi Steve
We have not had that happen. Even the coyotes that are there to help people across for a tip recognize us and don’t ask us if we need help anymore. There is no reason for the police to stop you on the Nica side. I would ask to speak to their boss to show me that a regulation exists.
Cheers,
Gordon
Enjoyed your visa run post, especially the photos. We did the visa run for several years (we have residency now) and it was different every time.
We actually enjoyed going into Liberia for the night and returning the next day. Instead of buying a $25 bus ticket, I saved an old airline reservation and each time we had to make a border run, I’d change the dates and print the old airline ticket. Haha..great minds ( or should I say cheap minds..think alike) Worked like a charm.
We live on Ometepe Island and several of our friends who have been doing a border run for over 5 years have been getting hassles lately at the border. I think it depends on the mood of the custom’s agent.
Loving your blog so far! Hoping to get to Nicaragua in May/June, on a scouting mission – with my good friend/future business partner
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