Police Record Requirements
If you have lived as a legal resident in a foreign country for the last three years prior to filing the residency application, you must also submit a certified copy of the document that proves your legal status in that foreign country. The certified copy must be apostilled and translated into Spanish.
The criminal background history certifications have different names in different countries. Here are the most common countries: The U.S. criminal background history certifications accepted by the Immigration Department in Costa Rica are the Identity History Summary Check (IHSC) report issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). To obtain a copy of your IHSC, you must submit a request directly to the FBI's criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division or submit a request through an FBI approved "channeler" agency that has the ability to provide any U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident the right to request a copy of their own personal FBI criminal background check. The IHSC certificate must be apostilled, translated into Spanish and issued within the previous six months from the date a residency application is submitted.
The United Kingdom criminal background history certifications accepted by the Immigration Department in Costa Rica are Police Certificates issued by the ACRO Criminal Records Office (ACRO). To obtain a copy of your police certificate, you must submit a request directly to the ACRO Criminal Records Office or submit a request through an ACRO's approved "channeler" agency that has the ability to provide any U.K. citizen or legal permanent resident the right to request a copy of their own personal police certificate. The police certificate must be apostilled, translated into Spanish and issued within the previous six months from the date a residency application is submitted.
Your criminal history check must be issued and date stamped no more than six months from the date you submit your application. See Residency Required Documents for more details.