(From Inside Costa Rica)

Costa Rica's Migración Unveils New Digital Entry System

Based on a rise in organized criminal activity by foreigners and entry of "undesirables", the Dirección General de Migración y Extanjería (Costa Rican immigration service) has been busy to install a new electronic or digital system of entry to Costa Rica.

The new system that recently went into place at the Juan Santamaría (San José) international airport uses a digital system to detect undesirables attempting to enter the country and a digital imprint in the passport, replacing the traditional rubber stamp.

The new system will be able to tell the immigration officer on the front line if the person is barred from entering the country and if he or she is wanted on an international warrant.

The system attempt those intent on evading entry controls and those individuals using fraudulent entry stamps in their passport to bypass immigration checks.

The director of Migración, Mario Zamora, said that the digital signature in the passport avoid the problems of the past.

The imprint includes the date and time of entry, as well as a digital code that used by immigration officials to detect falsification. In the past a rubber stamp and the official's initials were the only details entered in the passport.

Immigration officials say that there are between 250.000 and 300.000 foreigners with "irregular status".

No documents found.