Migramóvil

The "Migramóvil" is a fully equipped bus manned by migration officials that brings information and services to the border region between Costa Rica and Panama. This initiative has been developed by the Government of Costa Rica in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) with the aim to support the monitoring of migration flows into the country and provide critical information to migrants in hard-to-reach regions of the country.

Despite the progress made by Costa Rica in promoting good practices and developing mechanisms to strengthen the protection of the rights of migrant populations, challenges remain in addressing the multiple and complex needs of specific vulnerable groups, such as indigenous people, extra-continental migrants and migrants who are victims of labour exploitation and human trafficking.

The migration officials can use the bus to train personnel in charge of immigrant services in the most affected regions and directly assist vulnerable migrants with the administrative aspects of their immigration, making sure that they become registered and receive access to public services as well as assistance in their integration process. Since the project launch in 2019, Migramóvil has significantly reduced the number of cases in which refugees failed to complete all the necessary administrative steps towards their registration in Costa Rica, as they are not able to travel to San José where most immigration services are located.

However, the project’s impact is not limited to migrant registration and integration. The initiative also benefits public awareness on migration and has led many citizens in border areas to actively engage in initiatives fostering the acceptance of migrants. More specifically, the “Think Twice” and "Updated Papers” campaigns will continue to be implemented throughout 2022, complementing the overall aim of the General Directorate of Migration and Aliens (DGME) to foster an efficient integration of migrants into Costa Rican society.