These are my notes on crossing from Costa Rica to Nicaragua at Peñas Blancas! They are step by step instructions of what we had to do to cross the border. I figured I would share in the mean time before I organize them and turn them into a video.

Remember to fill out prechequeo for Nicaragua a few days before. I’m not sure if it’s the biggest deal if you forget.

To Exit Costa Rica…

Long line of trucks pass. Don’t go through first roll window it’s for trucks

Keep driving. Go through police checkpoint.

Park at car import office.
Make copies of Costa Rica tip and insurance. Costs 50 colones
Bring back to office. Close tip. Give them originals, copies and your passport

Took 5 minutes

Go pay exit tax at green building it’s on your right before the immigrations building. Might be blocked by trucks.

$10/per person to exit. Man puts a receipt in your passport. Cash or colones

Go to immigration. They stamp you out. Drive straight. Exit costs rica they ask for tip and receipts and little paper they have when closed tip.

Drive straight. Get to a police checkpoint. They check your passport.

Then drive straight go to blue building says arco de aspersión.

Go up to little window on the left through the walkway. Pay $4.40 to fumigate car. You’ll get a receipt. They spray car. Takes two minutes

Drive up to terminal se pasajeros. Blue and white building. Directly in front of you.

Park. Walk up. If you are facing building on the right you will see osi building. Oficina sanitaria internacional nicaragua they ask for your passports and COVID results. Did not keep copy. Gave us little white paper to give to immigrations.

Go into immigration. There will be a line of cubicles/boxes directly in front of you. Go to whichever is open. Hand over your passports and the little white paper they gave you at osi the Covid checkpoint.

Someone comes up to you to collect $1 municipal tax

Immigrations asks where you’re staying and proof of lodging
Pay $13/person to enter country.

Go to aduana get white slip of paper to fill out import. Go back to car with official in blue polo shirt.they look at the car. Instruct you to go to police officer. Officer stamps your import paper for your vehicle and searches it. Then go to blue building and get your tip. Have title registration passport license. And copies. Didn’t collect copies. No cost for tip. Get in car.

Drive towards checkpoint. Check passports.

Buy insurance for $12 pay cash. Person in blue polo with insurance company on it will come up to car and ask for your tip to fill out insurance slip. Gives it to you and on your way