Dokument #1336474
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Autor)
According to an official of the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in San Jose, Costa
Rica, Nicaraguan refugees can return to Nicaragua if they
voluntarily express their desire to do so by way of voluntary
repatriation (6 Nov. 1991).
The official further stated that an amnesty
decree was in effect between 2 July 1990 and 2 July 1991 during
which, any undocumented individual could apply to legalize their
residence (Ibid.). According to various sources in Costa
Rica, approximately 20,000 to 30,000 people chose to abide by the
amnesty decree (Ibid.). Under the amnesty law, if people can
prove a "tie" to Costa Rica (e.g. son or daughter born in Costa
Rica), they would qualify to remain in Costa Rica as permanent
residents whereas others would qualify for temporary status
renewable on a yearly basis (Ibid.).
Further information on the subject could
not be found among the sources currently available to the
IRBDC.
UNHCR, San Jose, Costa Rica. 6
November 1991. Telephone Interview with Official.