You actually have to leave the country every six months. You can renew after three months at an immigration office and extend for another three months without leaving the country. Most people go to the office at Metrocentro in Managua. Both leaving and renewing in-country cost money. There are no free renewals. Some towns have immigration offices that will send your passport to Managua to renew, for a fee.
Ask other expats wherever you live.

Folks we know that have renewed in Managua have related that they were hassled by immigration after a few in-country renewals.
You are probably safe for a year or so renewing at immigration, but don't count on it for too long. Many people leave the country for a few days and re-enter.
You have to go to Mexico, Belize or Costa Rica to renew. Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador don't count as they are part of the C - 4 countries.

If you are planning on living in Nicaragua without some sort of long term visa, renewing will cost money and you will probably be leaving the country every three months. It is a fact of life. And, you will probably be going to Costa Rica. People we know going to Costa Rica are spending at least $25 dollars per passport, plus travelling expenses.

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I lived in Nicaragua for three years up until last January. I owned a business so maybe that is why it was easier for me to constantly renew my Visa in Rivas every 90 days. However I had my attorney handle everything at the immigration office and all I had to do was just show up and sign a few documents and pay like $50 and I never left the country for 2 years, it also could be the fact I had submitted for my residency and was waiting.for it to process. I can tell you this. It is possible to make a border run to Costa Rica and literally put your foot in the country and walk back to Nicaragua all in the a matter of 15 mins. I know tons of people that did it and I have done it in the past as well. There is no need to spen 3 days in Costa Rica

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This sounds like a good description of the reality and is pretty much what I do.

It's easy to buzz down to CR for a 90 day renewal. There is an expense involved,, true. For awhile, I had a friendly migration officer who was re-upping me at El Espino, but that stopped.

I had a friendly guy at Las Manos who offered to give me a new car permit without actually entering Honduras. Nicaragua doesn't really "know" if the car leaves. Cost $50.
The car is more of a problem than the visa, since it has a 30 day limit. One extension in Managua, and the car has to leave. It CAN leave into Honduras, and although you might not re-upped, the car does get another 30 days.

I wind up going back to the US with sufficient frequency, and I like to fly out of CR rather than Managua,, and you get 90 days in CR for the car. I have CR plates, so COULD leave the car there longer, but never have. l plan on getting rid of the car towards the end of this year. I hope to have my residency in place,,
and I have a truck waiting for me in the US, one I bought some time back and is just being garaged.


I'd like to point out that "problems" at the borders are often scams by the tramites who attempt to "help" you. There ARE honest people, ask for Conejo at Peñas Blancas if you feel that you need help. Many are rotten, and will look for some way to rob you -- that is probably where the "3 day requirement" got started.

They call him Conejo because he runs every place he goes.

The tramites are the conduits for the bribes, the officials will rarely attempt to solicit a bribe directly. This is true all the way through CA.

Going into and out of CR there is NO reason to need help. Really, Nicaragua either!!

It's just that I always drive, and the car adds a layer of complexity and the C$200 I give to Conejo and his helper puts the three of us off in three different directions, and makes the clearing process much faster.

Tramites in CR will steer you to a friend for the exit permit and add $3 to something you can get from an ATM like machine is the migration office for $7.

I had an insistent tramite coming into Nicaragua tell me that the Aduana agent at the fumigation station wanted my papers. I got out of the car, went over to the agent, and he told me he had no idea what the guy was talking about.

The tramite was just trying to get my papers into his hands. At that point you have a fight to get them back. This is a common scam all the way through CA.

IT'S REALLY not a big deal, I think people put more into it than there is there.

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The latrest info I got regarding the cost for the 3 months extension of the tourist visa wasd 1,500 CS plus 70 cS admini costs + 5 CS for the form you have to fill out.

From various sources I always hear that things have become more difficult and that 50% of the extension demands were refused - I have no idea why.

I have to extend my tourist visa next week and will then be able to say more.

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This whole concern about the the "very expensive option" of leaving every three months does not seem to make sense comparatively to other costs. A CR turn-around/person as stated above is on the order of $25 each plus bus fare round trip. RT Managua to CR would be about $6 each so total comes in well under $200/3 months.

By comparison the cost of a decent Spanish/English school for the 7 yr old will be minimum $200/month. $600 when you have 3 in school.
There are at least a dozen good schools in Managua and 2 in SJDS where there are a lot of expats but don't know about other small cities.
Equivalent home school?? Lots of prerequisites including knowledge of Spanish.

Virtually everything else here is more expensive than the US except housing and labor for maid, cleaner, caretaker etc. Sure if you "live like a Nica" it costs less.
The typical estimates/consensus in the expat groups is maybe $2,500/month rock bottom for a family of 5. That's living well under US standards & well above Nica standards. Probably motos instead of a car and little or no expensive AC. Not a lot for eating out and expensive holiday trips.

Maybe a vacation here for a month or so would give you a hint of the costs of living here and you may discover the visa turn-around cost is the least of your worries. Internet access in populated areas is pretty solid if you work online.

Good luck you are planning before you leap which is the right way to do it. YMMV maybe I missed something.

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The summary by JohnSS is right on the money. Costs are often underestimated and most do not include doing nothing but living where, not travel, no vacations..etc

Coming alone or as a couple is one thing..with a family of 5, quite another and has challenges that will be daunting….and maybe not so good for your kids….at least in the short term.

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Yes and my whole point was that the big concern about costs for visa turnarounds discussed in this thread were insignificant to other family costs to live here for "that year".

I forgot medical, I wouldn't trust the free care here for anything serious especially for my kids. Pro care is a lot less than the US but certainly not cheap.
Pellas insurance for a family of 5 (disregarding the time time for it to fully cut in) is several times the cost of visa turn-rounds.

Add an expensive alarm system. Best and very common considering kids safety is monitored at minimum $75/month. Realize there will be no recovery after a theft.

Life ain't all that cheap here except you can have a 5 million dollar hog heaven house overlooking the ocean for the $500K you sold a middle class house for in the states.

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Another expense of going into Costa Rica, even if you do a turn around, is that each passport holder has to have a ticket out of the country. There are lots of sellers at the border who will sell you an open bus ticket, good for one year, for about $30.

I have also heard about people being hassled at immigration in Managua, they are pushing residency visas and only giving people 30 days. We avoid anyone in uniform as a general rule.
We use the border crossing at San Carlos as much as we can. Much more exciting and very relaxed, but you have to get in and out of San Carlos, which can be an adventure in itself.

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I live in Costa Rica and go to Nicalandia once or twice a year. It's still half the price of CR. I have no idea where you all are getting you figures. I find I can live comfortably on about $800 a month, but then it's just me, no kids or wife.
Does one still have to exit the country if one is married to a Nica?

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And don't forget to smell the roses. On one of your turnarounds splurge and spend a week in San Jose--museums of every description, city parks with irrigation, modern buses, national parks etc. Show your kids there is more to c.a. than poverty.

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800$ per month comfortably? To be honest - at present I try to live on 1,000 $ (no family, but 2 dogs) and find it difficult, but of course at the beginning you have to buy certain things.

My house rent is the limit - 350$ plus 50$ for WIFI - but the house and the owner are very nice and not everyone accepts 2 dogs.

Would be interesting to know how much you others need per month.

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I find the $800 for a single person in NICA to be the bare minimum and have a life…not live like a Nica.

I own my home but keep careful records.

Here is and example:

Internet...with TV 80
Insurance and meds and medical/dental….$150
Food and HH supplies…….$300
Elec and Water…$50 (no AC)

That is already $580 before rent if I (you) had to pay….so total is $980, or maybe $800 if you have really cheap rent.

Knock down medical by $100 and still $700…minimum dwelling @$300...no beer and no eating out and no life,

Be sure you look before you leap...

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I kinda fibbed a little, I forgot to tell you that I have house in Chinandega I bought about 6 yrs ago. It's small, 2 small bedrooms and rented out to an "inlaw". But, if and when I move back to Dega, I would live in it. They tell me their electric is about $80 a month. Food is fairly cheap in Dega. The only real heavy expense is friends of the feminine persuasion. hahaha. They can amount to a considerable expense. Oh, yes, Flor de Cana.

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Thank you so much everyone for all of your input! My husband and I are arranging to travel there in 2 weeks to check it out. I actually lived in a rural area of Chile for 2 years so I am fluent in Spanish and pretty familiar with the general mentality of the culture and the quality of life differences from the USA, however I was single and young at the time without children so this is a different situation now.
I would appreciate anyone's comments and thoughts on having children down the possible cons but also pros. Someone mentioned the term "daunting challenges" in regards to a family of 5 there. My husband and I are somewhat divided on this issue. I see the fact that there will be a lot of changes and challenges and adjustments but I also feel that I want my kids to experience more than just one culture and way of life. I'm more of a hippie type and love surfing and having a simple life. I am not materialistic or needy for a lot of that. My husband is more conservative and enjoys more in the way of "stuff". Does anyone have any kids down there or know of other expat families with kids that are happy there? Thank you so much for replying.

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There are more and more young expat families with kids. There are also more middle class Nica families with kids that interact with gringos. We recently attended a fund raiser for a private school where there was a great mix and lots of kids. You have to find a way to fit into the community, make friends and make opportunities for the kids.
SJDS has some great kids programs like the library and schools. Managua and Granada have lots of expat kids, I don't know about the other parts of the country. I would advise you to put them in a private school with expat kids so they can get involved. Right now, both the bigger expat private schools in Granada are having summer programs that looked pretty good!

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The early part of this thread was about COL in Nicaragua and there was a lt of talk about $800 vs. 1,200 a month…which applies to only single people. Somehow the fit that this is 5 in a family got shoved aside.

So, just being minimal…have to figure $2,500 for the family…you certainly not going to live in $300 month house with three kids and have any semblance of "quality of life" for them (or you).

School will cost about $1,500 each kid in a decent expat school in Granada.....so that is another $400 a month added to living expenses…I'd say you could do it all on $2,500 to $3,000 a month without any frills or travel. Insurance for the kids? That gets compacted, ranging from advice to depending on the local "free" health care (not recommended) to who knows what. Some grown ups depend on it, but not too likely you want to have only that for kids….so add that to the 3K.

point is , it can work, but you need to have income to make it do so or will be a mess.

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thank you for all of the detailed info. I never thought about the car not being able to stay. So are we basically stuck without a car if we move to Nicaragua? I've heard that used car there are crappy and new cars are really expensive.

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Unless,, and until you "nationalize" the vehicle it will have to leave every 60 days.

Nicaragua only allows 30 days for the vehicle on a "tourist permit". This is unique, most other CA countries offer 90 days. One renewal is available in Managua (only). Vehicle does NOT have to be in Managua for the renewal. Someone else could do it with a power of attorney. It's an easy process. Vehicle status is different from your status in the country.

After that 60 days the vehicle HAS to leave the country. It can return immediately. Unless you are on the Caribbean side, you are close to a border. Crossing into CR, and then returning is the least expensive. There are no charges for the car permits in that direction. Honduras will charge $35 for a US plated vehicle

Used cars CAN be very difficult to find in good condition. Routine maintenance is something many NIcaraguans simply do not do. Even the good roads are rough in places. Buying from another expat might be the best solution. CraigsList here and in Costa Rica has many vehicles for sale.

If you bring a passenger type vehicle it cannot be over seven years old unless it is a work vehicle.

The law was changed to 10 for individual imports a year or two ago, but Aduana (customs) still enforces the 7 year rule. The seven year was supposed to apply to vehicle importers, with ten years an exception for private imports. Aduana is a law unto itself, with little recourse if you are not satisfied with a decision.

As with everything else in Nicaragua, your mileage might vary. Dramatically.

I've brought in two older Ford F250 pick up trucks. The last one was a 1992 and cost right at $1000 with all the duties and fees. The seven year rule does not apply to work vehicles.

This would NOT be a suitable vehicle for day to day driving in a metro area. But, an older Ford Ranger would be suitable and could be brought in cheaply. A van is NOT considered a work vehicle.

Once here and nationalized, the vehicle is not expensive. There is no yearly registration fee, and the insurance is $55 year. Gas is more expensive than the US, but less than Canada, for example.

The place you stay WILL have to have a gated area for your vehicle. It cannot be left on the street at night.

It's VERY nice to have your own car. Buses run everywhere and are cheap, but they may run to less popular places once or twice daily. They are often impossibly crowded, dirty, and at the wrong time of year, full of sick people. Theft is a problem. You have to keep luggage in sight unless it is on top, under the control of the ayudanate.

Even with your --backpack-- let's say, in sight, one passenger may attempt to distract you while another discreetly goes through the backpack. The buses are so crowded that it's easy to miss.

IF you doze off and your backpack is in the overhead rack, a departing passenger will simply pick it up as he leaves. Someone is always watching.

The vehicle is handy for keeping your belongings locked up. Among a host of other things. Private space is at a premium here, the vehicle provides that space.

Exoneration of vehicle duties is available up to $25K for retirees who get residency approved. This is not a difficult process. It is currently running about eight months for approval. There are a number of people who will help you. I've seen prices from $500,, to Paul Tiffer's $1000. Document translation and notary seals are part of this cost; the rest is verifying the suitability of the documents, and babysitting the process. $500 is fair; $1000 has a lot of profit built into the number.

The INTUR people who handle the initial part of the application are very helpful, but do not speak English. If your Spanish is not VERY good, you will need help.

If you do get someone to help you most of the process can be completed from the US. One reliable resource in the north is Laura Lewen at Tinker94@yahoo.com

Completing the process from the US has other advantages: retirees have a $20K exoneration for household goods, BUT they cannot be shipped until the residency process is completed. Storage on either end gets to be expensive.

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Good essay KWP.
Question - After the 1st border run is the clock reset so you can still do a 30 day in Managua again?

One expat in SJDS has a fix. Advertises transportation & guidance to carry expats that need a 90 day visa stamp. New crop every 30 days. More than covers his expenses and even pays for a driver to do it. I guess that's legal or else the driver has a "friend" at the border.

Your one key statement that applies to everything here - YMMV

Link that confirms KWP's advice but again - YMMV
http://www.dga.gob.ni/preguntadetalle.cfm?recordID=75

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Just as has been said in a million articles, "he has a friend at the border", always keep in mind, MONEY talks both in Nicaragua and Costa Rica. You will never find someone that says "no" if the price is right. This is what I love about Latin America. It's the same in the US, just costs more,,,,,,a lot more....

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I get asked this question occasionally by people staying here on a 6 month or so trip through Nicaragua in their foreign car usually US registered.
KWP said in Managua "Someone else could do it with a power of attorney."
Are you saying that it is a fact you can not do that at the border?

In fact in Immigration they do say no to bribes for getting residency. That is one place the take they take the law seriously.

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You can only get the 30 day extension in MGA Aduana at KM 6.5 on the Carreterra Norte. It makes no sense why you couldn't just show up at a border if you lived closer - - but this is what they tell me.

If you show up at the border they expect you to leave the country with the car and return.

Really, it's not that big a deal to do it in MGA, the car does not have to be there, and anyone with a Carta Poder can complete the simple process. My last Carta Poder cost me $16. One could be good forever for a task like this.

I can outline the steps if someone needs it, but really,, just show up, there is a receptionist, and they will point you in the right direction. You can only get 30 days, and there is a limit on how early you can renew, don't remember exactly.

I got caught up in this once, too early but I had a flight the next day, left the car at the Camino Real, $5 /day secure parking, when I came back I paid the $50 fine, plus my daily tardiness at $2/day, and got re-upped.

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Any border run with the car allows you another 30 days in MGA. You just can't get a second in a row . . . .at MGA.

I've done this for at least a couple of years. It is getting a little old. I plan on selling the HIghlander and bringing my truck down with a residency import.

Soon :)

The Highlander has actually been an excellent vehicle. It's 4WD, has reasonable ground clearance, a V6 that is easy on gas.

I've had zero problems with it except for new shocks, but I do maintain it well.

One thing the INTUR lady pointed out to me on vehicles this week was, IF the vehicle you buy has been nationalized (import duties paid), they will not exonerate those import duties, only the IVA. Otherwise, the import duties on the vehicle are exonerated as well.

Pellas had banners up for that cute Mahindra diesel dual cab 4WD for just under $17K plus IVA. If you could get another 20% of import duties removed from that, it might be a good solution for many.

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John SS.......my man, you take one of the higher up immigration officials aside, drop , say, $3,000 on his desk and I will lay 10 to 1 odds, you have residency within 2 to 3 days. That is if residency means that much to you. Best thing, marry a nica, then case is closed.

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At present there seems to be a change in policy: in FB several people were mentioned whose tourist visa was not extended or instead of 90 days only for 30.

Myself I was here for 3 month last year, and came back in April and wanted to extend now. They said this is impossible, because I was already here before.

it seems they are cutting down on the tourist visa extensions, because many people stay here on tourist visa even more than 5 years.

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Lots of expats in SJDS don't have residency but no reports yet of problems for 90 day turn arounds at Penas Blancas or the new one at Las Tablillas.
When that problem happens what a panic. Then when immigration at MGA does the same thing for arriving airline passengers who live here we will know they are serious.

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