Traveling to Costa Rica: Frequently Asked Questions
One of the easiest things about deciding whether to visit Costa Rica is how easy it is to enter. And we don't mean the process of getting to Costa Rica, either, although that's easy from most places. We're talking about the entry requirements that Immigration has to allow travelers into the country.
As any sovereign nation, Costa Rica has the right to determine who enters its territory. This page covers all the immigration and customs paperwork you need to consider to get past the officials and to the beaches and rainforests as smoothly as possible. Luckily, for the vast majority of foreigners arriving in Costa Rica, this is straightforward and easy.
Why Costa Rica Asks Travelers for Paperwork
Before you arrive in Costa Rica, you'll have a couple of forms to fill out and youāll have to submit to a passport inspection to get in. It's the same for every country, so there's no need to worry about this. Itās all routine to keep track of who comes and goes. Just have everything in order and you'll be fine. Below, you'll see a few reasons why Costa Rica has entry requirements:
- National security. Limiting who can enter helps prevent espionage, terrorism, and other potential threats.
- Public health. Entry requirements for vaccinations, health screenings, and quarantine periods can help prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
- Sovereignty. Every country has the right to determine who enters its territory.
- Immigration management. Visa processes facilitate tracking and regulating who stays and for how long.
- Preventing illegal immigration. Entry requirements can discourage unauthorized entry and overstaying.
- Tourism control. Visa fees and specific entry requirements can be used to manage tourism numbers and revenue.
These are the main reasons why Costa Rica has entry requirements and why you need a passport to enter. And as we said, it's not only Costa Rica. Pretty much every country on the planet has similar reasons for enforcing entry requirements for foreigners, it's nothing to worry about at all!
Passport Stamps and Visa Stamps: What's the Difference?
One of the more confusing things about entry requirements for first-time travelers is the visa and passport situation. Do you need a visa or a passport to enter Costa Rica, and what's the difference between them anyway? Visas and passports are not the same type of document, and while they're both needed for international travel, they're different entities best described like this:
- Passport. This is a document issued by your own country as your ID for international travel. It proves your nationality, which allows you to re-enter your home country after traveling abroad. Since your passport also shows the country you're entering, it affects how long you can stay, whether you need a visa, or if you can even enter in the first place. Passports are little books with one page showing all your info and the other pages being blank to allow entry stamps and visas. Most passports are valid for 10 years and are available from your local authorities.
- Visa. This is an authorization stamp or sticker put into your passport by the country you want to visit. Sometimes, depending on the country and circumstances, you receive your visa at an embassy or consulate before travel and sometimes you receive it upon arrival. Either way, unlike your passport, it's issued by the country you're visiting. Visas have varying validity, depending on the circumstances. They can be valid for a single visit, multiple entries, or a certain duration. Different visas can serve different purposesātourism, business, study, work, etc.
In summary, a passport is your personal identity document for international travel and a visa is your permission to enter a specific country.
In Costa Rica, we often interchange our wording between passports and visas. Foreigners do it more in particular, and especially when it comes to stamps in their passports. For example, residents and long-term travelers often talk about "renewing their visas" or going on "visa runs" when they mean a different document.
If they're from a country like the United States, they're simply talking about leaving the country and returning, getting their passport stamped in the process. They're not talking about "visas" at all. And this is because, when it comes to visas to enter Costa Rica, it's not a level playing field (just like in other countries). While every traveler needs a valid passport to enter Costa Rica, not every traveler needs a visa to enter Costa Rica.
Costa Rica Visa Requirements for Tourists
The Costa Rican immigration department divides other countries into four groups based on the entry requirements of each group. In addition, they all have different rules that citizens of those countries need to adhere to in order to enter Costa Rica.
Group One (No Visa Needed)
Citizens of this group DO NOT NEED A VISA TO ENTER COSTA RICA. Citizens of Group One countries comprise most tourists to Costa Rica, and if you're reading this, you're probably from one of these nations. Upon arrival, Group One citizens will receive an entry stamp in their passport for up to 180 days without having to apply for a visa.
Here are all the Group One countries at the beginning of 2024 (English-speaking and European Union countries highlighted in bold): Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holy See (Vatican), Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, and Uruguay.
Group Two (No Visa Needed, Shorter Stays)
Citizens of Group Two countries DO NOT NEED A VISA TO ENTER COSTA RICA, although they are not eligible for as long a stay in Costa Rica as Group One citizens. Group Two citizens can receive up to 30 days in Costa Rica and will receive an entry stamp for up to that length upon arrival.
Group Two countries include the following (English-speaking and EU countries highlighted in bold): Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Bolivia, Brunei, Dominica, El Salvador, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Kiribati, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Nauru, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Philippines, Russian Federation, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, SĆ£o TomĆ© and PrĆncipe, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, Suriname, Taiwan, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
Group Three (Visa Needed)
Citizens of Group Three countries NEED A VISA TO ENTER COSTA RICA. They need to apply at the Costa Rican Embassy/Consulate in their home country. After receiving the visa, they have up to 60 days to enter Costa Rica, starting from the date the visa was approved. For this type of visa, the initial maximum stay is 30 days, but it can be extended up to a total of 90 days.
These countries include the following (English-speaking and EU countries highlighted in bold): Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Bahrain, Benin, Belarus, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, India, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kenya, Kosovo, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mauritania, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Venezuela, Vietnam, Western Sahara, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Group Four (Restricted Visa Needed)
Citizens of Group Four countries NEED A RESTRICTED VISA TO ENTER COSTA RICA. This means applying to their nearest Costa Rican Embassy/Consulate plus receiving approval from the Directorate of Immigration in Costa Rica. For this type of visa, the initial maximum stay is 30 days, but it can be extended up to a total of 90 days.
These countries include the following: Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Cuba, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, North Korea, Palestine, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan.
Summary: Most Visitors Enter Easily
Costa Ricaās most frequent visitors are among the groups that need fewer requirements. If you're from North America (Canada, Mexico, United States), Western Europe/EU, Australia/New Zealand, or from almost any Latin American/Caribbean countries, you're in Group One or Two, meaning you don't need a visa to enter Costa Rica. Citizens of all other countries should check what group they fall into since it gets a little bit trickier for them.
Important note: Group Three and Four citizens should wait until their visas are approved before booking flights to and hotels in Costa Rica.
Costa Rica Passport Requirements for Tourists
As mentioned, passports are issued by the governments of your own country and Costa Rica has nothing to do with this process. However, there are a few rules regarding your passport validity when entering Costa Rica:
- Passport validity requirements for Group One citizens: Most passports, as discussed above, are valid for five or 10 years from the point of issue. They will have their expiration date written on the main info page. Travelers from the Group One countries listed above can enter Costa Rica as much as one day before their passport expires, as long as they leave before that expiration date. So for example, if your passport expires on July 1, you have to leave the country by June 30th at the latest. If you're traveling in Costa Rica from, say, June 20th until July 2nd, and your passport expires on July 1st, you cannot enter Costa Rica. They won't even let you on your flight and if they did, they would refuse you permission to enter the country upon arrival. Make sure your passport is valid for your entire stay in Costa Rica.
- Passport validity requirements for Group Two citizens: If you're a citizen of one of the Group Two countries listed above, your passport needs to be valid for at least three months from the date you depart Costa Rica. So, if you're departing Costa Rica on June 30th, your passport needs to be valid until at least September 30th.
- Passport validity requirements for Groups Three and Four citizens: If you're from either of these groups of countries, you need at least six monthsā validity on your passport. It's not something you really need to monitor, though, as you'll be applying for a visa beforehand, so your local Costa Rican Embassy/Consulate will tell you if you need to renew your passport or not.
All foreigners entering Costa Rica also need to have at least one blank page in their passport, meaning at least one page unmarked with entry/exit stamps and visas. They also need to ensure their passport is in good conditionānot beaten up with rips, tears, etc.
To summarize:
- Make sure your passport is valid for your entire stay in Costa Rica, or for at least three months before departure depending on whether youāre from a Group One or Group Two country.
- Make sure you have at least one blank page in your passport.
- Make sure your passport is in good condition.
Health and Vaccination Requirements to Enter Costa Rica
Although Costa Rica lifted all COVID-19 vaccination/testing requirements to enter in April 2022, it still requires travelers coming from certain countries to present proof of vaccination against yellow fever.
If you're traveling to Costa Rica from the following countries (as of January 2024), you will need a World Health Organization (WHO) yellow fever vaccination certificate:
- Angola
- Benin
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Burkina Faso
- Cameroon
- Colombia
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Ecuador
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Guinea
- Guyana
- Liberia
- Nigeria
- Peru
- Sierra Leone
- Sudan
- Venezuela
Note that these countries are all in Sub-Saharan Africa or South America. This list is subject to change, so check with your Costa Rican Embassy/Consulate closer to the time you're traveling.
We also recommend travelers coming to Costa Rica have travel insurance to cover medical expenses and to be up-to-date on routine vaccinations like hepatitis A and B, typhoid, and tetanus, although these are recommendations rather than requirements.
Customs and Immigration Procedures when Entering and Departing Costa Rica
Now, we've determined your passport requirements and whether you need a visa or yellow fever vaccination certificate to enter Costa Rica, in this section we'll outline what to expect when arriving and departing. Although most people reading this page will be arriving in Costa Rica by air, through Juan Santamaria Airport (SJO) in San JosƩ or Guanacaste Airport (LIR) in Liberia, we'll also outline the procedure when arriving/departing by land from/to neighboring Nicaragua or Panama as there are some small, subtle differences.
Costa Rica by Air
Arriving:
Once off the plane, you will head to Immigration Control, where they will check your passport and issue your entry stamp. Depending on your arrival time, there may be a big line of people waiting to get stamped in. You'll see two types of lane: one for Costa Rican citizens/residents and one for tourists (people without Costa Rican citizenship/residency). As a foreign tourist, you take the latter. When it's your turn to pass, give your passport to the agent, who will scan it. They might ask you how long you're staying, for proof of exit (your return or onward ticket out of Costa Rica), and where you are staying in Costa Rica. There is also a chance they'll ask for proof of funds, although this is rare, especially when arriving by air.
Once satisfied, they will stamp your passport and write a number on the stamp. This number is the amount of days you're allowed to stay and can be anything from one day to 180 days, depending on where you're from. Most people from Group One countries get 180 days written, but that's not a given. Often, they'll simply write the amount of days until your flight out.
Now it's time for Customs. The immigration agent will hand you back your passport and you'll head to the next stage of your entry procedure (if you have checked luggage, you'll pick this up from the carousels first, if not you'll head straight past the carousels to Customs).
There is a chance that on the plane, you would have been given a customs form to fill in. We say "a chance" because this is no longer officially required although some airlines continue issuing the forms. The form basically deals with whether you have anything to declare when entering Costa Rica. If you have a form, you'll hand it to the customs officer there on duty. If you don't have a form, they might ask you some questions, particularly pertaining to how much money you have with you. Bottom line here is, if you're carrying an amount of cash or securities equal to or over $10,000 on your person, you are obliged to declare it. Failure to do this can result in that money being confiscated. They will ask you this on the form or in person or both.
Once they're satisfied you're good to go, you put your luggage through a scan. On the other side of the scan, you pick up your luggage and leave through the door which takes you out of the airport and into Costa Rica. Congratulationsāyou've arrived!
Departing:
There are also a few exit requirements to consider when departing Costa Rica by air, although nothing too strenuous. If you're leaving Costa Rica through Juan Santamaria Airport (SJO) or Guanacaste Airport (LIR), you'll need to check to see if your airline ticket includes the $31 departure tax. Most of the time, this is included in your ticket, but sometimesādepending on the airlineāit is not. If it isn't included, you need to pay this tax in cash (US dollars or Costa Rican colones) or by card at a special counter in the departure area. It's also possible to pay this in advance at some banks or even at your hotel. But againācheck to see if it's included in your ticket. It probably is!
Now it's time to check in for your flight. You do this in the usual way, either in person or through a machine. Once this is done and any luggage is checked, you pass through security and wait for your flight out. Passing through security in Costa Rica is the same as elsewhereāshoes off, belt off, no liquids, etc.
Weāre often asked about airport check-in times in Costa Rica. When departing out of SJO Airport in San JosĆ©, we always recommend arriving three hours before your flight. We used to recommend this back when everyone had to manually pay their departure tax at the airport, which led to two linesāone to pay this tax and then one to check-in. But even now, when most people have the departure tax included in their flight ticket and when you can check in through a machine, we still recommend three hours. SJO is still quite a hectic airport, and that extra hour gives you some extra wiggle room, especially when the traffic is bad getting to the airportāwhich it often is during daylight hours.
For travelers departing from Guanacaste Airport (LIR), a two-hour check-in is easier, although three hours also gives you that extra edge.
Costa Rica by Land
There are three official border crossings between Costa Rica and Panama and two between Costa Rica and Nicaragua. The two main crossings (Paso Canoas on the Panama border and PeƱas Blancas on the Nicaragua border) are on the PanAmerican Highway. Theyāre both busy, chaotic, and confusing, and if youāre traveling into or out of Costa Rica through either of these, we recommend doing so as early in the day as possible. The two other Panama border crossings (Sixaola on the Caribbean side and San Vito in the mountains near the Panamanian community of Volcan) are much quieter, as is the second Nicaragua crossing at Los Chiles. The procedure remains more or less the same with all of them, regardless of how busy they are.
Arriving:
The nuts and bolts of arriving into Costa Rica by land are exactly the same as arriving by air. An immigration agent will check your passport and ask how long you're staying and to show them proof of your plans to exit the country. They might well also ask for proof of funds. Note that there is more chance of immigration agents asking for all these things at a land border than there is when arriving by air, so have everything ready to show them.
Once you're checked out of either Nicaragua or Panama, you'll walk across a stretch of "no man's land" to Costa Rica and join the line of people waiting to enter. On the way, you'll be stopped a couple of times for them to check your passport - basically to see if you've been stamped out of the previous country. After that, you'll get to the Costa Rica entry building and join the line. While in line, someone will give you the forms you need to fill ināan immigration entry form and a customs form. Fill them in while in line and present them to the agent alongside your proof of exit and anything else they ask for. Once you're done here, put your luggage through a scanning machine and you're in Costa Rica.
Again, note that immigration is much stricter for people at land borders than it is at the airports, so you'll have more questions to ask and there's more chance of you having to show proof of exit and funds.
Departing:
If you're departing Costa Rica by land, crossing into Nicaragua or Panama, there's also a departure tax to pay. This time, it's unequivocal as you have no airline ticket. But the price is different too, varying from $7 to $10 depending on the border. You pay this either in person at a separate building or by machine before heading to the immigration building. At the immigration building, you hand in your exit form and passport and they will stamp you out (when departing Costa Rica by land you receive an exit stamp). After that, you walk across "no man's land" to the other side and go through the procedure of entering Panama or Nicaragua.
Whether youāre arriving in or departing from Costa Rica by land, itās also worth knowing that the borders are not open 24 hours a day. If youāre on a bus, this is no issue, as they run only while the border is open. If, however, youāre driving yourself or catching a new bus on either side of the frontier, find each borderās opening hours below:
- PeƱas Blancas (Nicaragua): 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM daily.
- Los Chiles (Nicaragua): 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily.
- Paso Canoas (Panama)*: 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM Mon-Fri / 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM Sat-Sun.
- San Vito (Panama)*: 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM daily.
- Sixaola (Panama)*: 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily.
*Note that Panama is one hour ahead of Costa Rica. The times stated above are Costa Rican times. Itās also worth pointing out that sometimes, at the smaller posts (Sixaola and San Vito), the border guards take a lunch break at noon. This isnāt a given, but know that itās a possibility, meaning youāll have to wait.
Costa Rica by Sea
Arriving in Costa Rica by sea is less common (unless youāre on a cruise ship) but still possible. Cruise ships have entry points on both the Caribbean and Pacific coasts, and they manage the process for passengers. If you're on a private yacht, various marinas can host you. You'll get an import certificate for your vessel, permitting a three-month stay in Costa Rica. Contact your marina beforehand to arrange border and customs procedures, including officials visiting the marina for your entry and departure.
Recap on Entry Requirements to Costa Rica
To conclude this page, entering Costa Rica is a straightforward process for most travelers (as is departing). Here's a quick rundown:
Visa Requirements
- Group One (most tourists): No visa needed, entry stamp valid for up to 180 days.
- Group Two: No visa needed, entry stamp valid for up to 30 days.
- Group Three: Requires visa application before arrival, 30-day initial stay with possible extension to 90 days.
- Group Four: Requires restricted visa application with embassy approval, 30-day initial stay with possible extension to 90 days.
Passport Requirements
- Valid for the entire stay in Costa Rica.
- At least one blank page for entry/exit stamps.
- Not damaged or torn.
Health and Vaccination Requirements
- No COVID-19 testing or vaccination required as of January 2024.
- Yellow fever vaccination required for travelers from specific countries.
Customs and Immigration Procedures
- Air: Immigration, passport check, exit stamp/proof of onward travel, customs (cash declaration if $10,000 or over).
- Land: Similar to air but expect stricter checks, proof of exit/funds likely required.
Departure
- $31 departure tax by air (check if included in ticket).
- $7-$10 exit tax by land.
- No departure tax when leaving by sea.
- Recommended airport check-in times are three (3) hours at SJO and two (2) hours at LIR.
Remember that these rules and regulations can change. Always check official sources for the latest information and details specific to your situation. Feel free to contact us with any questions, and enjoy your trip to Costa Rica!
Additional Resources
Our guide to the Costa Rica entry requirements is valid and up-to-date but we're not a government agency and have no affiliation with the Costa Rican Department of Immigration.
Rules can and do change, so while you can use this page as a general guide, please also check with the official authorities as well. Below are some helpful sources for anything on this topic:
- Costa Rican Immigration (in Spanish)
- U.S. State Department Costa Rica Entry Requirements page
- UK Foreign Office Costa Rica Entry Requirements page
- Canadian Dept. of Foreign Affairs Costa Rica Entry Requirements page
- Juan Santa Maria Airport Passenger Guide
- Guanacaste Airport Immigration Guide
- Costa Rica Tourism Board Entry Requirements page