BCR Begins Issuing
Driver Licenses and
Passports Today
Beginning today, the
Banco de Costa Rica (BCR)
begins to issue drivers
licenses and Costa Rican
passports as part of the
program called "Gobierno
Digital".
Thirty BCR branches
around the country will
begin the service.
Users have to call the
bank for an appointment.
According to Alejandro
Acón, manager of the
commercial division of
the bank, says that on
Sunday 10.300
appointments were
recorded, half for
driver licenses and the
other half for
passports.
For the BCR the service
is part of a plan to
offer their bank
services to thousands of
potential clients.
The bank says it has the
ability to handle 1.000
customrs daily and will
be increased when an
additional 10 to 15 more
branches will be added
during the next three
months, based on the
growth of the service.
The number to call for
an appointment is
800-BCRCITA or
800-227-2482. The BCR
says that customers will
have to wait a maximum
of 10 minutes at most
from their appointment
time to be served, which
process takes between 15
and 20 minutes.
The cost of a new
drivers license that is
valid for a two year
period is ¢5.000 colones
and ¢10.000 colones for
a renewal of five years
and ¢5.000 colones for a
duplicate copy, the same
cost at the driver
license centres, plus
any outstanding traffic
fines and surcharges.
A medical certificate,
which can be obtained by
any doctor filling out
the correpsonding form,
is required. Outside the
driver license centre in
San José, dozens of
doctors have set up
temporary offices
providing medical exams
- an eye test, blood
pressure test and
medical history - for
the prescribed fee of
¢5.000 colones.
It is not sure if
doctors will do the same
in the areas of the BCR
branches issuing the
licenses.
In the case of
passports, the document
will not be issued at
the bank as the drivers
licenses. All passports
are printed by the
Dirección de Migración y
Extranjería on special
equipment. The BCR will
complete the form for
the customer, but the
document has to be
picked up at immigration
or for an additional
us$5 dollar fee, can
have it mailed via
Correos de Costa Rica
(post office).
Payment for the services
is accepted in cash or
debit and credit cards
issued by any bank.
Acón added that the
majority of the
appointment for the
service is in the
metropolitan area (San
José), while at branches
in San Carlos, Limón,
Guanacaste, San Ramon
and Quepos, for example,
the demand for the
service is minimal.
The BCR branches with
the service include:
Alajuela: Alajuela
centre, San Ramón, Mall
Internacional, Cubujuquí
(Heredia) and Cenada;
Limón, Limón centre,
Guápiles and Siquirres;
Cartago, Cartago
centre and Turrialba;
Guanacaste,
Cañas, Nicoya, Liberia
and Filadelfia;
Puntarenas,
Puntarenas centre
(ciudad), Jacó, Quepos,
Ciudad Neily and San
Vito; in the province of
San José, San
José downtown central
offices, El Carmen,
Vasconia, Desamparados,
Plazoleta, Aranjuez,
Guadalupe (Goicoechea),
San Antonio de Coronado,
San Rafael de Escazú,
Paseo Colón, San Marcos
de Tarrazú and Villa
Ligia.
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