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@patorisrl no need for anyone to reply I received an answer from my attorney’s contact at CAjA.

if you have residency and not in CR for an extended amount of time (no definitive time given to me), you can go to CAjA and show your airline tickets (departing and returning)  or some other proof you were out of the country, you monthly CAjA payments for that period will be waived. I have friends that have told me a minimum of 3 months out of the country, but could be less, since CAjA contact did not specify any minimum time period.

Must it be a minimum of 3 consecutivemonths?

    @patorisrl no need for anyone to reply I received an answer from my attorney’s contact at CAjA. if you have residency and not in CR for an extended amount of time (no definitive time given to me), you can go to CAjA and show your airline tickets (departing and returning)  or some other proof you were out of the country, you monthly CAjA payments for that period will be waived. I have friends that have told me a minimum of 3 months out of the country, but could be less, since CAjA contact did not specify any minimum time period.         -@patorisrl

Not clear. Do you have to visit before your departure or upon you return to advise them? I am asking because if you didn't pay CAJA for a number of months CR won't let you in until you'll pay all outstanding months. Pura vida works quite well...

Apparently there is a form to complete from Immigration indicating you were out of Costa Rica. It needs to be brought to the CAJA office to erase the non-payments.  My lawyer is willing to do this for a fee but I'm sure the form is available somewhere online.  Does anyone know?

@mjgbenoit

the name of the form/document would be appreciated .

@patorisrl

@patorisrl

Go to a CCSS administrative office BEFORE you go; fill out the form, show your airline tickets, and WRITE DOWN the name of the person you spoke with... and the date and time you were there.  YOU MUST be your own Advocate.   

It is at least 3 consecutive months.   When you return, go back with receipt of your return ticket and your Passport showing 'entry' stamps for wherever you went, and for your re-entry into CR.   There are people who have done ALL of this and still had issues.   Read the response from AJGrandmaa  in the previous Post.   Her's is a TESTIMONY of the real experience... not some  forum reader's 'guess.'

Think about it...  did your insurance company in the USA/Canada allow you to NOT PAY your monthly premiums when you went away for an extended vacation????    It is a courtesy from the CR gov't because they know that some expats here are snowbirds and are gone from here for 3 plus months, regularly.   

They charge all foreigners from the industrialized 'western' nations 4-5x more for monthly, mandatory Caja (if you have Residency) fees because CR needs and wants our money.  There are a LOT of really poor people here.  I pay $260 a month right now for Caja (because the dollar sucks)... my Tico buddy only pays $45/mo ... and I don't have to pay the $100 fee toward the Pension program because I joined Caja (2019) before that became mandatory. 

Don't push it... the new President doesn't like Americans and can put a HALT to the waiving of your Caja 'absence" payments... in an instant.    He is the one responsible for charging ALL NEW CAJA members that are foreigners, the $100/month fee to go towards a CR Pension (he referred to it as an unpaid 'tax' in his inauguration speech)... whether you are already getting a Pension from abroad, or not.  You have to pay for a minimum of ten years, which could go far beyond your official CR Retirment age if you took up Residency here less than 10 years from the CR retirement age.

Be vigilant and always smile and be nice to the CCSS people no matter how frustrated you get.   Don't assume anything. 

@marcel550

When you join Caja, it is a good idea to subscribe to the official CCSS Website.   It works like any other website... you have to have a User Number and a Contrasena  (password).   The site lists normally available 'free' medications from the Caja pharmacies; locations for clinics; etc.

The document you are looking for MAY  be on that website... but it would behoove you to go to a CCSS administrative office and get it yourself from the 'source' as well as document who you spoke to, date and time, etc.

Here is the website:

Good luck.