Job Discussion Forums

jwhyland · Joined: 30 Nov 2005 Posts: 2

So after reading what a lot of the people on this Job discussion form have been saying, I have made the move and bought the plane ticket to Costa Rica. I will be arriving at the start of February. The ticket that I bought is a three and a half month ticket. My passport will allow me to stay there for 90 days. I'll be there on one plane ticket for around 110. My questions are these:
If I get a job and everything goes as I am hoping it does, will most jobs offer you help in getting your VISA?

Is border hoping suggested if you have to stay past 90 days and don't have a Visa?

I read somewhere, if you stay past your length of stay the first time you arrive, then getting back in a second time is quite a bit more difficult?

If anyone out there knows answers to any of these questions, I would love to hear what you have to say.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Most people do the border run. Costa Rica makes it extremely difficult to get a work visa. That or pay a fine of something like $60 usd for the overstay.

jwhyland · Joined: 30 Nov 2005 Posts: 2

Once I cross the border to Panama or Nicaragua how long do I have to be in that country? Can I literally cross and come right back in if I wanted?

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

The advice I got from schools there is to plan a weekend holiday and make the most of it.

eli. · Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2005 12:40 am Post subject:

they say "72 hours," but they don't put a time on your visa stamp, you can return on the 3rd day regardless of the time.

pollitatica · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 82

when you leave the country, you pay $26 regardless. overstay your visa and pay $45. its very common. i studied in costa rica and a lot of the students didnt have the money to go to nicaragua/panama with us over semana santa.
dont stress. if you have the money, go to panama ... to bocas del toro, its on the caribbean side just south of the border. its gorgeous. if not, dont stress.

cartago · Joined: 19 Oct 2005 Posts: 283 Location: Iraq

Granada in Nicaragua is also very beautiful, and popular with travelers, as is San Juan del Sur although I haven't been there. Nicaragua is also very cheap.

You only pay $26 as aiport tax if you leave by the airport. Going across land borders you don't have to pay anything for Costa Rica, for Nicaragua I think you had to pay like $10 entrance fee and $2 exit fee.

For overstaying your visa in Costa Rica it really depends on luck and who's stamping you through. I didn't have to pay anything when I left to go home for the holidays in the airport, and I overstayed about 3 weeks.

I knew some Australians who unfortunately only get 30 day visas and they told me it was less of a hassle just to leave every 3 months like Americans, and one told me he was never charged for overstaying his visa, they just assumed the rule was the same for Australians I suppose.

gringa05 · Joined: 20 Jan 2006 Posts: 4

Work visas are nearly impossible to get in Costa Rica, and just not worth it if you are there a short time teaching English or whatever. I lived there for 3 years teaching without a visa and had no problems at all - I only left the country 6 times (approx every 5 or 6 months) and never had to pay for overstaying the 3 months. However, I have heard recently that they are becoming more strict on the border crossings, requiring an exit ticket upon entrance - the easiest is to buy a bus ticket back out of CR and then just never use it (you can get them pretty cheap).

doreenp · Joined: 13 Oct 2003 Posts: 147

I did this �visa run / holiday�in December to Granada Nicaragua. Here�s how it went.

Bus ticket round trip $22.00 u.s. Entrance fee into Nicaragua 8.00 u.s. Hostel in Granada 6.00 a night for dorm, typical breakfast about 1 - 2.00, beer -.70 decent dinners anywhere from 2 bucks up.

There must be at least 50 hostels in Granada, the lowest one i found was 3.00 a night for a dorm room and they go up depending on private rooms with or without bathrooms etc. There are some really nice guest houses and some friends actually rented a complete furnished house for the month for $200.00 u.s. it all depends on what quality you want and how much you want to spend.

Traveling around is dirt cheap, chicken busses are about .20 and taxi�s around Granada and outlying areas are cheap too. My taxi from the Tica bus to the Bearded Monkey in downtown Granada was 7 corbova�s which is about .50 ......

Returning to Costa Rica was 3.00 u.s. on the bus and they never asked me for proof of leaving CR. They were more concerned with the Nica�s entering CR than a Canadian. however, i do always carry proof such as a cheap bus ticket that i�ll never use just incase.

deciduous · Joined: 01 May 2006 Posts: 3 Location: Saudi Arabia

Not many South Africans in South/Central America, and I know that the North American accent thing is always a hassle when applying for jobs. I have done it in Mexico though ...any hints on how difficult it would be for me to land a good job in CR? Thanks!

Floyd_ · Joined: 18 Mar 2006 Posts: 18

They don't like north american accent? Is this generally true?
I would have thought that british english would be the lesser desired of the two

deciduous · Joined: 01 May 2006 Posts: 3 Location: Saudi Arabia

Vice versa...they prefer the North American accent...hence my question, as I speak with more of a British accent.

ThePeatMan · Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 4:07 pm Post subject:

I know several south africans who have worked at the instituto britanico in Lost Yoses. strangely, some ticos seem to WANT teachers with the british accent... they think they sound ... I don't know... more "cultured" ... Wink

doreenp · Joined: 13 Oct 2003 Posts: 147

A year or so ago I worked at Interamericana University in Heredia. We had a wonderful mix of British, Irish, Canadian and American and Australian. It was a little difficult for some of the students but i think they really appreciated the opportunity to hear each accent.

I don�t think we can lump North American into one accent category either. A Newfie certainly sounds different than someone from the prairies and a Texan and a New Yorker? are different too.

Good luck
cheers
d

deciduous · Joined: 01 May 2006 Posts: 3 Location: Saudi Arabia

Howzit all! Thanks for the replies! Yes I know that we can't lump an American accent, but knowing employers, most of them prefer the 'North American' accent. Everywhere non EU I've taught so far (from Mexico to Thailand to Saudi), with the exception of South Africa this has been the case. Though students really love the diversity of varied 'teacher cultures' and accents, employers (especially in the Americas) often post this accent preference on their recruitment ads. Nevertheless it is refreshing to hear that there is a mix of teachers in CR, I was under the (ignorant I admit...thou shalt not lend out thou ears!) impression that it would be total 'gringolandia' which would make things very difficult for someone from a non-American world. Thanks again for the friendly responses! Cheers, Arno.