How about a twofer?

May 14, 2007
Not sure how accurate this information is, but I am beginning to believe that the process, from applying to approval, is going to take longer than what I have been preparing for......I had the impression that it takes 3-4 months to get the cedula, but I am hearing more and more that it is taking more like a year. I need to do more and better research, I think. If this is true, my schedule will need some serious adjusting, to say the least.

July 31, 2007
I have taken too long to get this started, but better late then never, I suppose. We were in Costa Rica from July 6 – July 25. We had hoped to accomplish at least three major goals during that time, but were only able to take care of two of them.

First, and easiest, we visited our local bank (BN), where they were already expecting us, and arranged for our account there to have its status changed from a simple savings, to a checking, with a debit card, and a credit card, good anywhere in the world.

Then, we visited an attorney who set up our power of attorney, naming a Tico friend. This did not take more than 20-30 minutes, and cost about $80.00. We do have to wait for an official copy of the document, as the procedure requires that the attorney send the original to San Jose, for the national archives. Once the document has been formally filed there, we will get a copy.

The most important thing that we wanted to accomplish on this trip was to see if we could find a little house or a piece of property upon which we could have a house built. Our friend, who has our power of attorney, is also a contractor, and he was to show us properties, but due to circumstances beyond his control, he just didn’t have the time to show us what he had in mind. So, we had to table that until our next visit.

The good news for us is that we already have a place to stay, so we do not need to delay our application for residency. We have a last detail to take care of here in Texas to assure my wife’s (that would be Blanca, whose name I did not mention before, but whose beautiful picture you have all had a chance to see recently) pension, and that is in the works as I write this.

Once we have confirmation that her pension is done/secure, we will begin to acquire those documents that are required, and put our home on the market.

As I send for various documents, I’ll try to post here, so that anybody interested can follow the timeline along with us. Also, since I never mentioned this before (I think), I should mention that it is our intention to do this strictly by the book: we will submit our application via the nearest consulate, and stay here in the states until we are notified that our application has worked its’ way through the system. Then, and only then, will we arrange to ship our household goods, and ourselves.

Once we are there and established, I’ll try to keep this post going by documenting our search for our own place, and our activities in getting adjusted to our little piece of paradise.