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Costa Rica: Information on the possibility that a Salvadoran who was granted Convention refugee status by Costa Rican authorities in 1989 would be subject to fines or taxes in 1990 if he or she left Costa Rica illegally (without an exit visa) in 1990, and on the amount and the nature of the fines or taxes imposed

According to an official at the consulate of Costa Rica in Ottawa, a person who held refugee status in Costa Rica and left the country illegally would likely lose his or her status automatically, and thus would render the question of fines or taxes irrelevant (3 Aug. 1995). The representative was unsure whether this would necessarily be so in a case that took place in 1990, and suggested corroborating the information with the highest authority on migration matters in Costa Rica, the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería.

According to information provided by telephone and in writing by the chief of the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería of the Ministry of Government and Police of Costa Rica in San José, a person who, holding the status of refugee in Costa Rica, left Costa Rica without obtaining the necessary exit permit from the Refugees Department (Departamento de Refugiados), would immediate lose his or her refugee status (14 Aug. 1995; 16 Aug. 1995). The source stated that the question of fines or taxes is thus irrelevant, and that this would have been true in 1990 as it is true today (14 Aug. 1995). The source offered to verify the specific status of individual cases known to Costa Rican authorities upon written request from a Canadian government institution (ibid.).

An information officer from the Refugees Department (Departamento de Refugiados) of the same Dirección General stated in a telephone interview that persons who have obtained refugee status in Costa Rica have been informed of their rights and obligations, including limitations on travel, at the time the status was granted (16 Aug. 1995). The source stated that, although the refugee status of a person who left Costa Rica without a permit would be cancelled, the person who has his or her status cancelled can appeal the measure to the Refugees Department (ibid.). Finally, the source stated that in 1989 or 1990 there were no fines or taxes for refugees who left Costa Rica without a permit (ibid.).

Corroboration of the above statements by non-government sources could not be obtained within the time constraints of this Response.

For additional information on the situation of refugees who left Costa Rica without an exit permit as of early 1991, please refer to Response to Information Request CRI8120 of 13 March 1991, available through the Refinfo database.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References

Consulate of Costa Rica, Ottawa. 3 August 1995. Telephone interview with consul.

Departamento de Refugiados, Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería, San José. 16 August 1995. Telephone interview with information officer.

Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería, San José. 16 August 1995. Fax received by DIRB.

_____. 14 August 1995. Telephone interview with chief.

Topics: Visas, Convention Refugee,