I have received a request to write about my experiences with the procurement of my volunteer visa. If you have no interest in visas and how you would go about obtaining a volunteer visa in Costa Rica, I suggest you stop reading this blog post now, as it’s probably going to be one of my least entertaining stories :)
Step 1: Get Official Documents
There are two documents you need to obtain in the States before you head to CR to get your volunteer visa. The first is a birth certificate and the second is a police clearance letter, which essentially states that you are not a felon/wanted person. While all the documents are easy to come by, they take some time to obtain. To get a certified copy of your birth certificate, you just go to your state records department website and download/fill out a form. Of course, you have to get the form notarized before you mail it back to the state. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the concept of notary, let me explain. A notary is basically a person that is pre-approved by the state to verify that you are who you say you are. Verification is a very important theme with document procurement. When all is said and done, it takes approximate three weeks to get your birth certificate (if it’s digital) even though the website says it only takes two weeks.
