Retire in Costa Rica on Social Security!

George Lundquist’s tour, “Retire in Costa Rica on Social Security” was terrific! My wife and I often say, “It’s the best money we ever spent!” Before making the decision to take his tour in January, we saw a video of George describing the reaction of previous tour guests. He said that once they visit Costa Rica, they can't wait to live and retire there, and we were no exception. George knew how we would react to the tour even before we took it!

First of all, the tour, in his comfortable 10-passenger bus, with his trusty driver Oscar, is a bargain. The cost ($1,190 per couple and $990 for per single) includes hotels, transportation, meals, drinks, snacks, as well as his six years of accumulated knowledge about Costa Rica and the real estate scene there. One of the highlights of the tour was the “gringo party” where you meet people like yourself, who are in different stages of moving to and retiring in Costa Rica.

Unraveling the Mysteries of Shipping

by Arden Rembert Brink
Magallanes (San Ramon), Costa Rica

The whole question of whether or not to bring your belongings or your car is probably one of the most hotly debated among to-be-expats. And there certainly is no single right answer.

For some folks, the idea of starting fresh is attractive. People suggest that you move to Costa Rica with just a couple of suitcases and you think it sounds like a good idea. Itʼs the chance to buy new all new things, maybe simplify your life and have fewer things. And for the cost of shipping -- which will typically be somewhere between $7- and $12,000 – you might think "I could buy all new furniture for that amount of money."

That's conceivably true, although you could also easily spend many times that amount.

My husband and I moved to San Ramon in September 2007, we completed our immigration application in the US in July 2007. We are working with a competent immigration attorney and while all our processing is completed, we have not yet received our Cedulas, our residency numbers, from the Costa Rican Government.

Some laws have changed since we applied. Applications can be filed in Costa Rica, whereas in 2007, they had to originate from outside the country. We recommend that you obtain a competent immigration attorney for the latest legal advice. We also advise that you do not pay fees up front; this has been an on-going scam. Our attorney is asking that we pay all his fees at the time that the Cedulas are issued.