How do I get my Ph Wife to visit Costa Rica while we wait for green card?

[David Holmes 13]

Hi all. I'm in the US and my wife is in Cavite. We've applied for her green card and are just waiting. In the meantime, I thought it would be fun to meet at different places around the world.

 

We're trying to figure out how to get her to Costa Rica, but all the flights go through the US, suggesting that she needs some kind of transit visa. I have no idea what that is or how to get one.

Are there alternate routes to get to Costa Rica that wouldn't require futzing with US immigration services?

[Hank_ 9,174]

1 hour ago, David Holmes said:

Hi all. I'm in the US and my wife is in Cavite. We've applied for her green card and are just waiting. In the meantime, I thought it would be fun to meet at different places around the world.

 

We're trying to figure out how to get her to Costa Rica, but all the flights go through the US, suggesting that she needs some kind of transit visa. I have no idea what that is or how to get one.

Are there alternate routes to get to Costa Rica that wouldn't require futzing with US immigration services?

Costa Rica is not a U.S. territory.   You will have to check with the country of Costa Rica about requirements

 

Applied for her green card?  Or applied for a visa?

[RT&MB 27]

Look for routes that go west instead of east.  i.e. go through Dubai, Singapore, a major European city etc.  

[David Holmes 13]

2 hours ago, Hank_ said:

Costa Rica is not a U.S. territory.   You will have to check with the country of Costa Rica about requirements

 

Applied for her green card?  Or applied for a visa?

Green card. I get that Costa Rica is not US, it's just that all the flights from Ph to CR go *through* the US. Or Canada.

[Hank_ 9,174]

7 minutes ago, David Holmes said:

Green card. I get that Costa Rica is not US, it's just that all the flights from Ph to CR go *through* the US. Or Canada.

So your wife has already cleared POE and has returned to the Philippines being her green card has been "ordered"?   If that is the case she has an I-551 stamp in her passport, not sure how Costa Rica would respond to that.   Still best to check with Costa Rica as to their requirements for an LPR from the USA

 

Edited November 23, 2019 by Hank_

[David Holmes 13]

20 minutes ago, Hank_ said:

So your wife has already cleared POE and has returned to the Philippines being her green card has been "ordered"?   If that is the case she has an I-551 stamp in her passport, not sure how Costa Rica would respond to that.   Still best to check with Costa Rica as to their requirements for an LPR from the USA

 

No, we're still in the NOA2 stage. We won't even get to talk to NVS until April.  She has no ability to get into the states or territories, hence my question of how to get to Costa Rica. So far the only answer has been 'go east instead'

[Hank_ 9,174]

6 minutes ago, David Holmes said:

No, we're still in the NOA2 stage. We won't even get to talk to NVS until April.  She has no ability to get into the states or territories, hence my question of how to get to Costa Rica. So far the only answer has been 'go east instead'

Ah, you are at the visa petitioning phase, not green card.   

 

Once again you need to contact Costa Rica regarding visitor/tourist visa for a Philippine citizen.   You are asking your important question in the wrong place.

[Just Paul 4,595]

You can go via Mexico City.   Look at google flights or other booking sites.   You might have to break it up into two tickets to save money.  

 

When my wife came to Mexico it was much cheaper go to Hong Kong on one ticket ~$100  then HK to Peking to Tijuana ~ $450

 

You can also get a transit / visitor visa for Canada pretty easily.

 

One thing to remember is that she can only get a 30 day visa and expand it to 90 days.