BCR To Soon Issue Driver Licenses and Passports
Imagine going into a bank to get your drivers license and/or passport. Well, that will become a reality beginning June 5 as part of the "Gobierno Digital" plans.

The state bank Banco de Costa Rica (BCR) has been chosen for the pilot program, who will make the service available in 25 of its branches with the goal to offer the service at most of its 255 branches by the end of the year, according to BCR general manager, Carlos Fernández.

The pilot begins at the brances of Cuidad Quesada (San Carlos), San Isidro de El General, Ciudad Neily, Jacó, Santa Cruz, Cañas, Guápiles and the provincial capitals of Puntarenas, Guanacaste, Cartago, Alajuela, Heredia, Limón and San José.

Fernández added that the bank is now undergoing trial runs on the system as well as training personnel on the service and installing equipment and computer programs to be used. The bank will have one or two persons at each branch dedicated to the service, said the bank manager.

The plan is for the bank to issue a first license, renewals, duplicates and temporary driver permits, explained Viviana Martín, viceministra de Transportes (vice-minister of Transport).

The BCR branches will have a link to the Consejo de Seguridad Vial (Cosevi) database to verify any outstanding fines and information relating to the drivers license and will be available during banking hours, where some branches are open as early as 7:00am and Saturdays and Sundays, though services will not be available on Sundays. These hours are in contrast to the hours of operations of 7:00am to 3:30pm, Monday to Friday, at the licensing offices.

As to passports, Mario Zamora, director de Migración y Extranjería (director of the immigration service) said that the BCR branches will have the equipment to collect fingerprints, digital signatures and photos, required by the immigration service.

The bank will be tied in to the immigration service database to verify the passport request and if all is in order, the bank branch can process the passport application.

Zamora said that the customer can pick up the passport at the immigration offices in La Uruca in three days, or have it mailed to certified address or pick it up at the bank branch where it was processed.

The immigration service is now charging us$56, plus ¢250 colones for timbres, for a new passport.

The hope of the new services at the BCR is to eliminate the long lines at the driver licensing offices and immigration service offices that have become legendary.

The use of the BCR is not new to the driver licensing officers and immigration. All financial transactions - payment of fees, fines, costs - are now being handled by the BCR with mini branches within the installations of the driver licensing offices and immigration.

Both Martín and Zamora ruled out that the changes will mean a reduction of staff. Both government officials said that the changes will mean less stress on the system and employees, who can now offer better service.

"No one will be fired, they will continue to offer the same service, however, more efficiently", said Zamora.

Both officials also agreed that there will corruption and fraud will be eliminated with the implementation of the new system, especially with the business of "gavilanes" - those who for a fee will sell you a spot close to the action, as well as offer services at considerable fees.