The General Directorate of Migration and Foreigners (DGME) of Costa Rica reported that 2,614 DIMEX documents remain uncollected and will be available to their holders until August 2026. Those listed on the official registry may visit the Migration headquarters, located in La Uruca, during any of the three daily time slots available: 10:00 am, 12:00 pm, and 2:00 pm, without the need for an appointment. To complete the process, it is necessary to present the receipt that was provided at the time the photograph was taken.
These ID cards were previously sent to the Correos de Costa Rica branches, where users typically go for fingerprinting, photographs, and to request the issuance or renewal of the document.
According to information gathered by Confidencial.digital, if the card was not picked up at those offices and more than two months have passed since the photograph was taken, the DGME recommendation is to check the published list on the Migration website and, if you appear there, go to the headquarters to pick it up.
If the two-month period has not yet expired, the pickup must be done at the postal branch where the procedure was initially managed.
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Changes in requirements and user experiences
The DGME announced that it cleared a backlog of more than 26,000 pending documents following the entry into force of a requirement simplification plan for the DIMEX, implemented on February 16, 2026, and in effect until the same date in 2027. Before this measure, additional requirements were demanded depending on the immigration category, such as employer letters or extra certifications. The current procedure includes the assessment of requirements, the review of security systems, and the verification of the applicants’ migration movements.
The holders listed on the official list can pick up their DIMEX at the Migration headquarters in La Uruca at 10:00 am, 12:00 pm, or 2:00 pm without an appointment. (Image: General Directorate of Migration and Foreigners Costa Rica)
In its institutional statement, the DGME explained that “the processes of documenting for the first time, renewing, or obtaining a duplicate of your Dimex involve the assessment of requirements, including security systems and migratory movements, among others, so reporting that we are now up to date with delivery is a reflection of institutional commitment and the fulfillment of our responsibility”.
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Confidencial.digital also collected testimonies from users describing delays in obtaining their documents. A Nicaraguan migrant reported that her husband has waited “a year and a half” to receive his ID card. For her part, a Colombian citizen commented that she has been “waiting for seven months” after processing the renewal at a post office branch and visiting Migration offices. Along with these cases, other experiences were reported in which the delivery of the document took place in less than a month.
Those individuals who have not yet received a notification can check the status of the file and the DIMEX through the online services of the DGME. To access, they must use the immigration post number and the file number that appears on the refugee applicant document, when applicable.
