Yes - they have to be translated. Here in Leon this is done by UNAN (University) for 25 $ per page.

I am not sure if this translation has to be certified, for example by a notary.

My lawyer just told me that the birth certificate with apostille does not perish (does not lose its validity), but the police record and the health certificate!

Post a Reply

00abuse

Choosing an expat health insurance provider is an important decision. Get a quote from our trusted expat health insurance partner, CIGNA. With Cigna Global Health Options, you can create an international health insurance plan that's perfectly tailored for the needs of you and your family.

Learn More Get a Quote

I just went through the entire process and actually did my last part today as I fly back to Nicaragua Tuesday. I had to go to my state of
Birth (North Carolina) and get my birth certificate Apolstied and was given a certificate. You do not have to go the embassy (nucaraguan as some lawyers tell you

Post a Reply

00abuse

Your attorney should do all the translations or hire someone to do it. That's what I did and of course I paid probably more than I needed to buy did not want to deal with any of this mess. Always ask your attorney if you can get a price for a turnkey operation. Pay them give them what they need and don't be asked of anything else

Post a Reply

00abuse

I recommend that you contact the Nicaraguan embassy and ask them what you need and then submit them to the embassy for pre-approval. Do this shortly before you plan to leave as there is a time line you need to meet.
The embassy staff speaks and reads English so you should hot have a problem.
Shalom and success, Rick

Post a Reply

00abuse

Attorneys in Nicaragua are just that, attorneys, whether in the US or anywhere else in the world. Snakes, nothing more. In Latin America, the US or anywhere in the world, right or wrong. Just remember, MONEY TALKS, period. You can buy residency, if the price is right.

Post a Reply

00abuse

For my 5 year Class 1 residency renewal I still needed to meet the income requirements. I translated my Social Security letter using Google translate to get the Spanish spelling including the special characters right. Touched it up a little, & the lawyer across the street from immigration stamped it. For $50 I used him to also help me submit it, keep track pf the process, and set up an appointment for me to come in a to take the photo photo & get the new card.

You will find that "You can buy residency, if the price is right." is complete nonsense except maybe for someone DO wants in like Edward Snowden.

Post a Reply

00abuse

Yes they must be translated. You do NOT have to go to the embassy if you are from the US but you must if you are from Canada. Canada is not in the Hague agreement. You also need proof of income if you are going for retiree status. All need to be notarized and then stamped by the apostle. It is SOOO much easier to just give it all to a lawyer and let them do all the work, translating and running around. I hired Paul Tiffer and in 5 months he called and said I had to come get my picture and pick up the cedula. So much easier then what most of the folks I know went through.

Post a Reply

00abuse

Paul Tiffer has been around forever and generally has a very good rep.

He speaks English.

The only problem with Paul is his price. There is an awful lot of profit built into his price, compared to what it costs.

There are others (I think I provided an email for someone here in the north) who will do it for less). $500 is typical, including all the translation, etc, etc, and the lawyer's notary charges.

IF you are here already, and your Spanish is good,, you can go to INTUR. This is where you start the process.

Very nice people, will provide you with a highlighted copy of the law, explain some of the pitfalls. I went back this week for some clarification. A lot of minor questions come up. Like the local vehicle purchase.

At some price point it is probably easier to utilize the help of someone who does it regularly, especially if you are in the US. Someone who has samples of everything. Someone who knows a good, reliable customs agent he or she has worked with in the past.

Someone who can get your car through the nationalization process. Someone who knows the rules about buying a vehicle here: If it is already nationalized the import duties will not be exonerated, for example, only the IVA.

It all requires a bit of planning.

The law changes and some of the information presented earlier in this topic is NOT what I was told this week and two weeks ago when I initiated my residency.

I WAS told (this week) that approvals for simple pensionado residencies are currently running 8 months. So, you would probably want to do as much of the work while in the US and prior to the move to Nicaragua if you are bringing down a vehicle and household goods. Storage charges for containers in MGA are outrageous.

Examples of other successful submissions are very helpful. I was given copies of the police letter and health letter by a friend who had recently completed his.

INTUR will vet your package before it moves to immigration. My representative provided me with her email address, office telephone, and her mobil number.

The INTUR office in Managus is one street to the west of the Crowne Plaza. There is a sign on Avenida Bolivar just uphill of the Casa Godoy restaurant. Parking is tight on the INTUR street, but I have parked (but not during lunch when the lot is full) in the mostly empty restaurant parking lot and tipped the guard C$20.

It's then the first corner up the hill, one block to the right, and a half block left. The sign is easy to see.

Good luck!!

Post a Reply

00abuse

If you are in the north, or are currently in the US still, you can get in touch with Laura Lewen at
Tinker94@yahoo.com

She speaks excellent Spanish,, and can do the odds and ends, like getting your car through the nationalization process, and getting the registration in you hand.

Post a Reply

00abuse

John SS...You must be from Iowa. The straight and narrow. My late wife was from there. She still belived in Santa Claus til the day she died. John I will lay 10 to 1 odds that you get one of the higher ups in imigracion and take him aside, drop, $3,000 on is desk, you will have a legal residency within 2 to 3 days........that is if it is that important to you. Marry a Nica, you get the same results.

Post a Reply

00abuse

John SS...You must be from Iowa. The straight and narrow. My late wife was from there. She still belived in Santa Claus til the day she died. John I will lay 10 to 1 odds that you get one of the higher ups in imigracion and take him aside, drop, $3,000 on is desk, you will have a legal residency within 2 to 3 days........that is if it is that important to you. Marry a Nica, you get the same results.

Post a Reply

00abuse

Sorry I posted the same thing twice, my computer froze up.
Listen to Key West Pirate, the majority of what he says is right on the button. connections mean both here and CR mean a lot.............plus bucks

Post a Reply

00abuse

What Mikee says is probably true. Much can be had by speaking to the right person. I try to avoid these situations if I can because they can come back on you.

Still, "knowing when to hold them and when to fold them" is really important here. Nipping problem in the bud early makes a lot of sense. I could have easily got my way out of a recent ticket with a small gift. And it was my fault. I spent a lot more in time and grief standing in aline at the bank,, and going back to Managua to retrieve my license. I had other errands in MGA, true, but ..

The Transito would have gleefully accepted the amount of the ticket --and probably much less-- had I approached him the correct fashion: "I have a flight leaving tomorrow for the US,, could you help me out?" some decent story that saves face for him, he's now doing you a favor,,, I really believe the majority don't want to be corrupt, the reality of their life here is such that there is a tremendous incentive to lean that way.

My problem with the bribery is simply, the Transito will become accustomed (will become,,,, ROFL) and it's probably not what everyone wants for a future here.

Post a Reply

00abuse

I just left a country, because corruption there has developed into - for me - unsupportable dimensions. Everything is Madagascar can be bought - the right, the freedom (even if you are a murderer), even the death. People kill you for a handfull of $.The Police and Military rent their kalachs to the bandits for a night, if they are not already involved as the boss of the gang.

For me there are basically two types of corruption, but one will always entail the other: If a higher responsible suggests me to give me 10 years residency for 3,000 $, I have the choice - you may say yes, I will say no, because I hate corruption.

The other type are those mafia methods: When the fiscal inspector sends you a letter with a "tax correction" of 4,000 $, based on nothing, he did not even look once in your books!

I was the only one to file an objection - so deeply is this corruption already rooted in this society!

This was for me the last argument for me to leave. I protested, sent a description of this case and all my experience of 10 years as an investor to the World Bank, various Ministers, our Embassy, the Anti-Corruption office and a bunch of other presidents and directors.

Surprisingly, this was a good moment, as the donors were hesitating to give money - due to obvious lack of good governance and too much corruption.

A big audit took place, the lady was kicked, is no longer a boss and has no more access to cash.
But as she has a love affair with a high responsible at the Ministry of Affairs, and revenge is sweet, I preferred to leave.

It is up to you if you want to contribute to this bribing scenery. But be aware that thanks to guys like you this type of countries become unlivable some day and degrade totally, because you will be expected to pay for everything - especially as a gringo!

Post a Reply

00abuse

I would love to take mikee2 up on his "lay 10 to 1 odds" bet but I would have to put up the $3,000. Then I would lose that and obviously he could never pay off the bet

Ja ja - What a joke - $3,000 is "the price is right." big money to him. It even takes a lot more than that to buy off a local judge - I know. .

A Nica spouse qualifies an impoverished husband if she can prove she has the income to support him which is probably what mikee2 is hoping for.
His late wife from Iowa must have willed her money to Santa Claus & didn't leave any to him.

Nica Immigration is the one & only government agency that is well known for not taking bribes. A true Ripley's believe it or not.
I haven't worked with any other agency where a few of the well known action certificates wouldn't help in the right situation but many times none are needed.

Sometimes a lawyer or much better & cheaper facilitator will help for most legal things here. Another one to add to KWP's suggestion is Patricia Sanchez. She comes well recommended has successfully completed many many Residencies & Nica Citizenships. (Not my thing though).
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000101116475&fref=ts

Take KWP's advice about the MANY things he has experienced. He has far more energy than anyone here and reports on other forums as well. You name it - He has tried it.
He is the only one here that Facebook won't do better for information.

To dance you have to pay the fiddler. Get a 5 year Class 1 residency and shell out the bucks to nationalize your cars. Or buy a slightly used or new one here. You can get some tax exoneration with a residency but most don't jump through the hoops - Don't know exactly why.

Post a Reply

00abuse

well, according to JohnSS, nobody can be bought, Nicaragua is straight laced, corruption is a thing of the past. Look,these people in Nicaragua and CR are poor. Bribary is a way of life, it's expected, it's a tip for services rendered. What you say is true about police extortion. Just last week here in CR, the head man for the OIJ was arrested for squeezing money out of 3 gringos in the Jaco area. Being a gringo in any foreign country is hard on us. All they see is the $$$$ on our forehead. We are all rich, because of TV and the movies. You are lucky you got away with your life. Murder in CR is rampant. You can someone snuffed out for $50. I have been here 18yrs, I have seen it. I personally have used a buddy of mine, a Columbian, to collect a $4,000 debt. Albeit he got 50%, the people coughed up within a week after being contacted by him. I would have never seen that money without him, so 50% was better than nothing. I have yet to have a transito cop turn down a couple of bucks when I get stopped. And I would much rather pay the cop than jump thru the whoops to pay a fine. Maybe Johnn SS lives in a place in Nicaragua, milk and honey, no corruption, no bribery. Hmmm, let me know.

Post a Reply

00abuse

Your post doesn't merritt an answer, it doesn't make sense. Read the first paragraph over a couple of times.

Post a Reply

00abuse

Sorry mikee2 that your reading comprehension skills are lacking too.

You live in CR but are an expert at everything Nicaragua - Thanks but no thanks.

A lot of us are pushing everybody to quit paying the transitos just to make our life a little easier although I did it for years. This elevates their greed and their prices are going up for us and to $100 & $150 for tourists that don't know better. A black eye for Nicaragua.

BTW for others a phone # to keep in addition to KWP's.for a recommended person here to help you obtain your Cedula:
Most anything else too dealing with the government without paying lawyer rates for services that are sometimes lacking.
Patricia Sanchez 8950-8211
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000101116475&hc_location=ufi
8950-8211

Post a Reply

00abuse

I like what Ms Petticord has to say in her newsletters:

BRIBERY: 2014 Sept 05 Live and Invest Overseas

One of the presenters at last week's Retire Overseas Conference spoke about bribery and corruption overseas.

I read statistics recently from a relevant study in Ecuador. Something close to 80% of the people surveyed had at some time been asked either directly or indirectly for a bribe when dealing with an Ecuadorean government official. The survey didn't stipulate what kind of official—could have been anything from a police officer to a clerk in a government office or a minister.

The more interesting thing for me was that, according to the study, of the people who were asked for a bribe by a government official but refused to pay, some large percentage still got what they wanted. Further, a not insignificant percentage of people who did pay the bribe when asked did not get what they wanted.

Paying and still not getting what you're after would be frustrating. What recourse would you have? You couldn't go to the guy's boss and complain, saying, in effect, "I paid this guy to do something for me that he shouldn't have done...and he didn't do it."

Most retirees living in a foreign country won't ever encounter a direct request for a bribe. The exception might be a request from a traffic cop about to issue you a citation, for example. Otherwise, unless you are doing business in a country, you are, again, very unlikely to have to grapple with this issue.

What if you do, though? What if you find yourself in a situation where someone is asking you for a few dollars (or more) to grease the wheels? You have to weigh the pluses & the minuses of paying and your own tolerance for the idea in general. Me? My position is: Don't pay. Ever.

Others look at a bribe to a traffic cop as an expedition fee...pay the mordita (or "little bite"), as it's called, and you won't have to deal with the speeding ticket, say. As I said, it's up to you to make the call. My advice would be that, if you're open to the idea of paying a bribe, know in advance how much is appropriate, situation to situation.

In Panama, gringos generally overpay for traffic stops. They get nervous when they hear that the ticket will be US$65 and hand over a US$20 bill when five bucks will usually do. That said, the government here in Panama has been cracking down on police corruption. It still exists, for sure, but you may not be given the option of buying your way out of a ticket. More and more, traffic cops are simply writing out the citations.

A few years ago, when the anti-corruption push started, I was pulled over on the Pan-American Highway driving back to Panama City, and the cop started writing the ticket practically before I got out of the car. He apologized as he handed it to me, saying, in Spanish, that he had no choice.

I'd never thought about it before that day, but it struck me then that ticket-writing quotas for cops must have started as an anti-corruption strategy. If you weren't writing tickets, you must have been taking bribes. Of course, in the U S today, ticket quotas are simply a revenue stream for municipalities in need of cash.

What about bribes related to doing business in another country?
Again, my recommendation is: Don't do it.
Besides the fact that it's illegal, paying a bribe marks you as a payer.
"Pay once, and you pay forever," as a business associate in Nicaragua puts it.

Thinking more pragmatically, you also need to remember, as the survey in Ecuador highlighted, paying the bribe is no guarantee that you'll get what you want anyway.

In all my years of living, traveling, investing, and doing business all over the world, I've never paid a bribe. I've been pulled over by traffic cops maybe a dozen times in a bunch of different countries. I follow a simple strategy. When a cop pulls me over, I smile. I greet him politely. I try to appear a bit ignorant but not arrogant. Even if I speak the local language, I wait to determine the demeanor of the cop before letting him know I speak the local language.

When I was pulled over in Montenegro a few years ago, I rattled off a few options to the police officer through the window of the car—Parlez vous Francais? No. Sprechen Sie Deutsch? No. Habla Español? No. Finally, he suggested, "Italiano?" I said, sure, we can muddle through in Italian (though I don't speak it).

I got out and went to the back of the car where he and his partner tried to explain to me that I had been speeding. Writing with their fingers in the dust on the back windshield, they managed to convey that I had been doing 80 kph in a 50-kph zone.

Then they indicated in the dust how much the ticket would be (125 euros). I continued to smile and nod. OK, OK, I told them over and over, pleasantly. Finally, they gave up, looked in the car at my family, and asked, "Vacacione?" in some mix of English, Italian, and Serbian. I nodded yes...and they sent me on my way suggesting that I slow down. Easier to move on to the next victim, I guess they figured.

That strategy has worked all over the world.

I know others, though, who don't want to waste time with that kind of chit-chat. They get pulled over, they get out of their car, & they hand the cop their driver's license and passport with a US$5 bill stuck inside. The officer "inspects" their documents and sends them on their way. For them, the US$5 is an expediting fee.

And I've never heard of someone giving a cop 5 bucks and still getting a ticket.

Lief Simon

P.S. I have only once been asked for a bribe outright. It was a police officer in Panama. He and a partner were working as a team with one clocking the radar & the other signaling for people to pull over. They were making a production line out of it. When the cop got to me, he stated flat out, in Spanish, "You can pay me, or you can pay the ticket." I told him to write the ticket and was on my way within a few minutes.

Editor's Note: Today's essay is reprinted from Offshore Living Letter

Post a Reply

00abuse

I've heard good things about Patricia Sanchez too.

She is in Managua,, right?

She's substantially less than Paul, and if you are doing two or more it starts adding up.

The thing is: You really only need a lawyer to rubber stamp documents (mostly the translations) with his seal. The lawyer adds nothing to the mix,,, more important is someone who understands the details and has the experience. The lawyers do not, except Paul maybe.

I'm NOT saying anything negative about Paul,, but if there are two of you then the $1000 you save using Laura, or the $600 with Patricia could be used for something else.


I think that Nicaragua is lurching towards a less corrupt government, except maybe at the top. There are a few rogues out there, but I think most take a few cords to put a chicken in the pot for their kids, or for a few bucks to take the kids somewhere for Semana Santa.

Post a Reply

00abuse

Thank you Walter - I share your opinion and experience at 200 %!

With the one and only exception: When an innocent person is sent to jail - sometimes there is no other way to get him out.

Post a Reply

00abuse

KWP - Many reports from people here are that your $1000/$600 numbers are on the money. Those are complete costs unless there is a serious glitch.
Patricia in Managua uses inexpensive lawyers for the stamps included in the price. Why pay more?

A friend did my renewal with my POA using a lawyer across the street from immigration for the stamps and to babysit the process, schedule appointments etc. I used Google Translate for the Social Security letter, he stamped it, and immigration accepted it.
That is their only business and they are experts & know all the right people. A bargain @ $50 total cost since it saves long drives from SJDS. My only trip to Managua was to have the photo taken and in 5 minutes had the new cedula.
(BTW - I don't think POAs work any more for retiree Cedulas at least. You gotta appear in person)

I bet you throw $1,200 her way you will have 5 year Class 1 Cedulas for both you & the wife.
(Probably not nice to mention the old expression - Bringing a wife is like bringing a sandwich to a banquet ;-) )

Except for a few pesos for the local guy we are not doing Nicaragua & the people any good promoting corruption. They get screwed enough by DO who handles that job without any help.

Post a Reply

00abuse

In fact now that I think of it the $1,000 may be $1,200 to $1,500 these days. An even better reason to avoid lawyers.

Post a Reply

00abuse

Mine is 700 $ for the company ceration (he did that in 10 days) and 700 & for the residency, to be launched now.

Post a Reply

00abuse

You are no longer required to have papers authenticated by The Nicaraguan consulates or embassy's
Get you papers notarized in the USA, get them authenticated by the Department of State that you live in or where ever the papers were notarized. Turn these into a lawyer and make damn sure he turns them in to INTUR and gets a receipt. Get a set price and pay nothing until you have your residency. We did our own with no lawyer. Just a translator to change them into Spanish and $35.00 to a lawyer to notarize them. If you submit them to the Embassy they will charge you $40.00 per copy if they authenticate them. If you are going to get a lawyer, get a good one. There are several that you can trust. Go to a respected law firm here. A friend of a friend will only get you screwed.

Post a Reply

00abuse

As I remember. my proof of income for my renewal was done at the US Consulate, in Spanish and ready to go.
You have to make an appointment and go thru the security checkpoint and bring proof of your income. If it is a bank statement, be sure your name is on it, not just an account number so all the docs are tied together..

Post a Reply

00abuse

One point the INTUR lady made was:

Make sure ALL the names on the documents match, If you use a full name with middle name, use it on all the docs.

This can be a sticking point, ,, if John Pinolero is on one document, and Jack Pinolero is on another.

Post a Reply

00abuse

Yes, I tend to lean in your direction but if you are arrested and put into jail, bribary takes on a whole new world and it gets extremely expensive and might or might not work....most likely not.
How much does the average traffic cop make? By not paying "chorizo" to either a traffic cop or someone in the gov. sector to get something done, you're not going to change the way of life in Nicaragua. These people are poor. I would much rather give the cop some money so he can survive a little better,,,,,,,or go buy some beer after work.......than pay and jump thru the hoops to pay the ticket where the money will end up in someone's pocket anyway. I speak fluent SP, so I usually end up making friends with cop and giving him a few dollars to help out. He usually won't stop u again to get money, unless you deserve to be stopped. The Nicaraguan people are totally different than Ticos. If u don't have money to give the Ticos to help them, you are not going to be a friend. The Nicas like you for just being a friend. As soon as I sew up some business here in CR, "I'm out!". Back to Nicaragua to live.

Post a Reply

00abuse

The average new transito cop on the beat makes about $192. a month. Can you live on that?

Post a Reply

00abuse

By northern Nic standards that is a clean, safe, well-paying job, the envy of his neighborhood. The govmint takes care of its own- somebody working in the private sector might make half of that with no fringes. Hats off to somebody smart enough to be a transito cop.

Pay scales tend to follow productivity and Nic has not supported itself for generations.

Post a Reply

00abuse

I'm in the midst of this now. I am working with a great lawyer in Granada. He requires one copy of apostilled birth cert, police report, and health certificate. He will get the translation done. There are others who also provide this service but who are not attorneys and notaries. They charge a bit less, but you will need to give them 4 apostilled copies of everything so in the end it works out to be about the amount cost. Either way, you do not need to get the translations done or send anything to the Nicaraguan embassy. It all get done in Nicaragua. Also, the Nicaraguan government has standards for the translators of our documents, so getting them done yourself is not a good idea. Let whoever is helping you get the translations done so you are certain they will be accepted. Hope this helps. Contact me privately if you want more info or my lawyers contact information. He came highly recommended to me and though he has not met me, has been extraordinarily responsive to my requests, answered all my questions and been very detailed and clear in his responses. Good luck!!!

Post a Reply

00abuse

You are very correct in what you said.

But, still is not much, even for Nicaragua, remember what everybody has said on this forum about the costs here.

Post a Reply

00abuse

Lawyers world wide have one universal skill - They tell a lot of convincing stories to their clients.
Good facilitators require the same documents & do everything lawyers do @ typically about 1/2 the total price. Includes the cost of their own inexpensive translators & lawyers/notaries for the stamps.

My native Spanish speaking friend did my renewal with a POA while she was doing her original & both 5 year Class 1. We used local police & health certs in Spanish. She used a lawyer/notary from across the street for some stamps & my birth cert translation. Also help submitting & tracking since he knew all the ropes. Saved her several trips from SJDS since hers was complicated. All for $100 - $50 each application.
Google Translate for my Spanish Social Security income letter with his notary stamp worked for me.

People who do not know the ropes or do not speak Spanish well have done it themselves but not for me..

One thing for sure here - YMMV

Post a Reply

00abuse