How to Get Your Canadian Documents Verified for Costa Rica Immigration: A Step-by-Step Guide

Canadian citizens and non-permanent citizens looking to immigrate to Costa Rica have to follow the Canadian Apostille process. It is a newly introduced alternative to the outgoing authentication and legalization process. Getting your documents apostilled is one of the most important steps when immigration to Costa Rica, alongwith applying for an RCMP clearance.

We have observed that applicants often struggle with these two key steps, wasting a lot of time and money in the process. This guide will walk you through the process of obtaining both your RCMP clearance and an apostille certification on your documents, to ensure a hassle-free experience.  

RCMP Clearance

The RCMP clearance is a type of criminal record check offered by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). The application process for Costa Rican immigration usually requires a fingerprint-based background check from the RCMP. This means that you will have to submit your fingerprints to the RCMP and fill out an application form to get a record check conducted against your details.

The RCMP only accepts fingerprint impressions digitized inside Canada by an accredited agency. You can fulfill this requirement by looking up an accredited fingerprinting agency near you. This becomes an issue if you are currently located outside Canada.

You can get in touch with your chosen fingerprinting agency to ask them for possible solutions. At Globeia, we offer step-by-step help in such cases, to help our clients submit their fingerprints without having to visit Canada. Our clients receive a fingerprinting package from our office, which can be used to capture impressions of their fingerprints at a nearby police station or notary public. The completed cards can then be mailed back to us and we take care of the rest of the process for our clients.

We also help our clients take care of any additional requirements that might come up during the application process. Your convenience is our priority, which is why we make the RCMP criminal clearance process quick and hassle-free. Our team works tirelessly to ensure that each application is processed timely, so you can rest assured that your clearance certificate will be ready when you need it.

Document Apostille from Global Affairs Canada

You will need some or all of your documents apostilled, depending on your visa type. Apostille applications are managed by Global Affairs Canada and provincial document verification offices, depending on the issuing authority. 

We will help you determine which office you need to send your documents to, for an apostille stamp.

Globeia has a 3-step document apostille process in place to ensure faster processing and convenience for our clients. This involves:

• Preparing the documents in advance to check if a certified translation, notary public verification, or any other Global Affairs Canada requirement needs to be fulfilled.  
• Submitting the document to Global Affairs Canada on our client’s behalf and completing the application process.
• Receiving the apostilled document from Global Affairs Canada.

There is no need to get your document legalized from the Costa Rican Consulate anymore. The new single-step process is accepted by the Costa Rican immigration authority and private organizations. 

We would advise you to check if a certified translation of your document is required by Costa Rica. This is not a requirement in all cases, but you might need to get a Spanish translation of your document as the final step of the process.

At Globeia, we understand how overwhelming and confusing this process can be, which is why we're committed to making it as easy as possible for you. You can book a 10-minute appointment at one of our Canadian or U.S. locations, or mail us your fingerprint impressions if you're currently in Costa Rica.