On December 23, 2022, the General Immigration Authority of Costa Rica informed through its official communication No. DG-044-12-2022-DTOR about the implementation of significant changes in the issue of immigration identity documents for foreign citizens, commonly known as DIMEX.
The first change consists in a new appearance that printed documents will have, leaving behind the former design in green which will be replaced by a new blue-color plastic card with gold details. This new document will be delivered to those conducting renewal, duplication, or first-time application procedures as from January 2, 2023.
The second change – probably the most relevant one – consists in the announcement that the hardcopy version of the DIMEX will be delivered along with a digital identity document in PDF format, which will be sent to the personal email of the concerned foreign citizen and will contain a QR code with encrypted and non-sensitive information regarding its owner.
This digital DIMEX will be the official identity document of foreign citizens as from 2025. Thus, a two-year transition period has been implemented aiming to a “modernization and digitalization process of institutional services, leading to both a secure and agile digital transformation,” as declared by the immigration authority through its social media platforms.
It should be noted that for those with a valid DIMEX, such document will remain valid until its expiration date and, therefore, it is not necessary to renew or change it before said date.
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