My Experience in Getting Police Clearance in Costa Rica

by: Robelyn Martinez Yambao

Hola netpol!
Today, I am going to share how I got my police clearance in San Jose. I will need the police clearance as required document in applying for a visa so, let's get started.

Police Certificate in Costa Rica

FIRST BUILDING
You should apply for the Police Certificate of Costa Rica to the criminal record for INTERNATIONAL PROCEDURES and should go to get it to the offices of the Court Register. Here is the address: Edificio Anexo A, Poder Judicial, primer piso, avenida 6, calle 19, costado norte del OIJ. Favor llevar su cedula de identidad, pasaporte o cédula de residencia. Hours: 7:30a.m. a 12:00p.m. y de 1:00p.m. a 4:30p.m.  The police certificate is only available to adults over 18 years old and the application of this document should be made directly by the interested.  The validity of the Costa Rican police certificate is 3 months. It is easy to locate the address when you use the google map when going there.

SECOND BUILDING
For the processing of criminal record, for international purposes, you must take this certification to the executive branch of the judiciary to authenticate the signature of the head of the registry and in turn, the address should be sent to the secretary of the court to certify the signature of the director or deputy mistress. The 2nd building is located across this office, they are facing each other, the office is on the 4th floor.
The certification that is delivered in the executive direction before 12:00 will be returned at 3:00 pm of that same day and the one that is delivered from 1:00 p.m. will be returned the following day from the 10:30 a.m. Urgent cases, duly justified, will be addressed as a priority.
 
Note: the certification can be withdrawn at the indicated time or later days, by the interested party duly identified. If another person withdraws it, it must be identified, with authorization and a copy of the interested party's ID.

​THE LAST BUILDING
After receiving the certificate, you will need to bring it to the yellow house for the apostille (authentication) so, it will be accepted internationally. This yellow house is beside the INS building and they call it Casa Amarilla.

Watch my vlog inside the Casa Amarilla below:

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