By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

The Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in San José invites U.S. citizens, residents and tourists, living in the provinces of Alajuela, Guanacaste and Puntarenas to a Town Hall meeting.

In Alajuela, the meeting is scheduled to take place on Monday, August 12 at 11 a.m. at the Polideportivo ADIFORT in La Fortuna District, San Carlos Canton.

The Guanacaste meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 13 at 10 a.m. at the Guadalupe Hotel in Tilaran Canton.

In Puntarenas, the meeting will take place on Wednesday, August 14 at 8:30 a.m. at the Monteverde Institute in Monteverde Canton.

The embassy stated that the meeting's primary objective is to engage in open conversations regarding topics of interest or concern.

Additionally, passport renewal services will be provided.

  

Those interested in renewing their passport should bring a fully completed application, as well as their passport and copies of the original documentation, such as passports, birth certificates, and ID cards.

Children's applications must be signed by both parents.

The passport renewal information can easily be accessed on the U.S. Embassy website.

If a passport gets stolen, lost, or damaged, the applicant must schedule an interview at the embassy by emailing ACSSanJose@state.gov since the staff participating in these meetings will not be able to accept the application, the embassy advised.

"Payment for services must be made through Pay.Gov, no on-site payments can be collected," they added.

  

The correct amount must be paid for the service, as collections are not permitted during the event. If any payment discrepancies arise or the application requires further information, the application may be denied, and/or the applicant may be required to visit the embassy for a formal interview.

The links to Pay.Gov for passport renewal services are listed below.

In the case of adult passport renewal, the cost is $130 and the document link is DS-82 U.S. Passport Renewal Application Fee Payment Form.

For younger minors under the age of 16, the passport renewal cost is $135 and the file link is Form DS-11 Passport Application Fee.

For a first adult passport or minors over the age of 16 and older, the cost is $165  the document's link is on Form DS-11 Passport Application Fee.

As there is only a limited capacity for the meeting, those who would like to attend should email scssanjose@state.gov to confirm their participation.

Recently, the embassy held a Town Hall meeting in Jaco Beach in Puntarenas.