Costa Rica's Migración Unveils New Digital
Entry System
Based on a rise in organized criminal
activity by foreigners and entry of "undesirables",
the Dirección General de Migración y
Extanjería
(Costa Rican immigration service) has been busy to install a new
electronic or digital system of entry to
Costa Rica.
The new system that recently went into place
at the Juan Santamaría (San José)
international airport uses a digital system
to detect undesirables attempting to enter
the country and a digital imprint in the
passport, replacing the traditional rubber
stamp.
The new system will be able to tell the
immigration officer on the front line if the
person is barred from entering the country
and if he or she is wanted on an
international warrant.
The system attempt those intent on evading
entry controls and those individuals using
fraudulent entry stamps in their passport to
bypass immigration checks.
The director of Migración, Mario Zamora,
said that the digital signature in the
passport avoid the problems of the past.
The imprint includes the date and time of
entry, as well as a digital code that used
by immigration officials to detect
falsification. In the past a rubber stamp
and the official's initials were the only
details entered in the passport.
Immigration officials say that there are
between 250.000 and 300.000 foreigners with
"irregular status".
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The foto shows the new stamp (top) now used by the immigration service to avoid falsification and control entry in Costa Rica.
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