Tourist Visa Renewal in Bluefields, Nicaragua

Migracion y Extranjeria in Bluefields, Nicaragua

Can you believe that it was time for us to renew our visas again?

When we first moved to the Atlantic Coast I was worried that we would have to return to Managua to renew our visas - a very time consuming and expensive proposition. Not looking forward to such a trip we started asking around to see if it was possible to extend our visas closer to home. We were told that all we had to do was head to Bluefields and they had an office there where we could get our renewal done in a matter of minutes.

So, today was the day to see if the information we were given was correct. After a couple of days of almost steady rain we took the 6:30 a.m. panga from Pearl Lagoon to Bluefields under clear skies - well, ok, there were black clouds in the distance but we managed the trip without a shower. Once we arrived in Bluefields and hitting the bank we took a taxi to the "Immigration Office" (12 cords each). When we arrived at the office the clerk reminded us that we needed photocopies of the data page of our passport as well as the page that has our "Entrada" or entrance into the country. Thankfully, there is a store a short distance away where we could get copies done at only 1 cordoba per page. When we returned to the office the clerks filled out our forms. We actually felt it was easier when we filled them out ourselves, but the service was nice. After paying our fee we only had to wait a few minutes and our passports were ready to go. I'm guessing that it took less than 1/2 hour to complete the process - pretty good compared to the time it takes in Managua. The costs are the same: 1500 cordobas for 90 days extension plus 5 cords for the form (each).

After completing a few errands and picking up some supplies that we can't get in Pearl Lagoon we were on the 12 o'clock panga back home. Renewing your Tourist Visa in Bluefields is a very quick and easy process.

View of Bluefields, Nicaragua from the panga

Renewing our Nicaraguan Tourist Visa in MetroCentro Mall

Renewing your Nicaraguan Tourist Visa at MetroCentro Mall is as simple as everyone has indicated. We took the Interlocal from León to the UCA bus station in Managua. The cost for the Interlocal is only 46 cordobas. The driver will drop you off near the mall if you ask - almost door to door service!

We arrived at the mall about 9:45 and there was already a line up. Shortly after we arrived the guard for the Migracion office handed out the forms (5 cordobas each). The Migracion office opened up on time and it took about 1 1/2 hours for us to reach the front of the line. When we got to the counter the desk agent pointed out that we had forgotten to bring photocopies of our identity page and also the page that had our last entry into Nicaragua.  No problem! On exiting the Migracion office you will notice a "Photo Shop" right across from you (beside the Pet Store). They know exactly what you need because I'm sure this happens all the time. The photocopies will cost you 2 cordobas per page. When you return to the Migracion office go to the front of the line and the desk clerk will take you next.  The clerk will confirm how many days you want to renew your Tourist Visa for (500 cordobas per 30 days) and will process your payment. Your paperwork will be handed to another clerk to verify and to enter the information into a book. Your name will be called and you will have to sign against the entry in the book and you will be handed back your passport with the updated visa stamped in it. The date that your visa is valid until will be written in your passport so that you know when it expires. You will need to exit the country in order to renew your visa the next time.

Renewing your Visitor's Visa at Metrocentro Mall

When you enter Nicaragua your visitor's visa is only good for 90 days. There are a couple of ways for you to renew your visa. You can leave Nicaragua by visiting Costa Rica or any other country that is not part of the C4 or you can "purchase" a renewal through Migración. Remember, that every 180 days you must leave the country - you can't pay to renew your visa at this point.

Migracion Y Extranjeria in Metrocentro Mall

We recently accompanied some friends to Managua when they had to renew their visitor's visa. The Migración y Extranjería office is located in the Metrocentro Mall - just follow the signs in the mall. The office hours for this location are from 10:00 am until 6:pm. When we arrived at about 9:45 on a Monday morning there was already a long lineup waiting for the office to open. One of the Migración officers was handing out the necessary forms to be filled out for the visa renewal. The cost for the form was 5 cords.  It took about an hour and 15 minutes for our friends to reach the counter. They said that the officer was really helpful and the process itself took very little time. The current cost for renewing your visa at the Migración office is 500 cords per 30 days.  The office will not accept American dollars so be sure to carry local currency.

I have heard that it is possible to renew your visa without even leaving León. However, the office in León takes your passport and payment and forwards it to Managua for processing. Sometimes this process can take weeks or even months.

Nicaragua to Costa Rica

Recently we took our first trip to Costa Rica to renew our visitor visa. The current rules for visitors from Canada is that you receive a 90 day visitors visa when you enter Nicaragua. When your 90 days are up you need to renew your visa in one of two ways - you either buy an extension (up to 90 days) or you leave the country and return to Nicaragua and receive another 90 days. You can only renew your visa in a country that is not part of the C4 (Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador) so the closest for us is Costa Rica.

Since we had already prepaid for a bus ticket from Managua to San Jose, Costa Rica as our proof of onward travel we decided to take a short vacation for our visa run.  We spent 3 nights in Costa Rica at Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste - a beautiful little beach town on the Pacific side of the country. Here is a breakdown of our costs:

Hotels: Hostal Dulce Sueno in Managua = $16.00
            Villa Kokomo in Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste = $120.00 (3 nights @ $40.00/night)
            Hostal El Carmen in Granada = $11.00
Food: Groceries = $42.12
          Restaurants in Costa Rica = $104.19
          Restaurants in Nicaragua = $29.91
Border Fees: $4/person to leave Nicaragua = $8.00
                     $14/person to return to Nicaragua = $28.00
Transportation: Local Bus to Playa Hermosa and return to Liberia = $6.35
                       Tica Bus, Taxi and InterLocal Buses in Nicaragua = $77.55
Snorkel Trip = $63.41

Total expenses for visa run/vacation: $516.92. We will be exploring less expensive alternatives for future visa runs.

Nicaragua Border

Nicaragua Border

Nicaragua Border