Costa Rica seeks to improve control over immigrant population

Immigration Administration officials on Monday presented a new electronic device called “Migration Maps,” which will record the location of main foreign populations in Costa Rica.

“Mapping will allow for clearer information and the location of [foreigners] who decide to live in the country. This will become a tool to facilitate decision making on immigration policies,” Immigration Administration Assistant Director Freddy Montero said.

A public demonstration of the new system on Monday displayed the western district of Pavas, in San José, as the place where most Nicaraguans reside. North and central Pacific regions are home to the largest number of North Americans, and the provinces of Heredia and Alajuela are preferred by Colombians.

Montero said officials also are negotiating with the local office of Interpol to check criminal records in the United States for residency applicants in Costa Rica.

“We hope to improve the quality of analysis that is performed before allowing or refusing an application for residency,” he said.