Foreign residents in Costa Rica to receive stickers in passports

Beginning Monday, foreigners with permanent residency in the country began receiving stickers to identify their status.

The stickers, which are placed inside passports when residency status is granted or renewed, are intended for people in “special categories” in the country, including, but not limited to students, academics, domestic servants and professionals.

According to the Immigration Administration, the new system is intended as a security measure to eliminate falsification of documents and to comply with specifications established by international travel organizations. The sticker includes photo identification, a signature, personal information and type of residency. Previously, foreigners with “categoria especial” had their passports marked with a stamp.

“The launch of this project, which we´ve been working on for several years, allows us to consolidate our efforts … to increase security in the distribution of documents for permanent residents in Costa Rica,” Immigration Director Mario Zamora said in a statement.

The Immigration Administration estimates the new system will apply to 16,000 foreigners living in Costa Rica.