Costa Rica visa and entry requirements

Costa Rica's visa directives put nationals of countries including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, EU states, Australia and Japan in the first group, which enters without a visa for up to 180 days, and list as entry requirements proof of economic means of at least USD 100 per month or part of a month of stay and a return or onward ticket. Nationals of countries that need a consular visa may enter without it if they hold a multiple-entry visa or residence of the United States or Canada, a residence of the United Kingdom, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland or an EU country, or a multiple-entry Schengen C or D visa.

Every fact on this page verified on or after: Aug 25, 2026· How this site works

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Requirements differ by nationality. Select your passport above, or scan the full table below.

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Visas & entry authorisations

Consular Tourist Visa

Fee
30 USD
Processing
—
Stay per entry
30 days
Entries
single

Consular tariff for granting a consular visa. Costa Rica's foreign ministry tariff sets USD 50 for a visa consulted with and authorized by the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería, and USD 100 for a multiple-entry visa it authorizes.

Apply on the official site Last confirmed Oct 2, 2026 · migracion.go.cr · could not re-read on Oct 7, 2026 · DGME resolution AJ-484-11-2025 · archived copy

Entry requirements

Passport validity

It depends on nationality. Costa Rica's visa directives set a minimum passport validity of one day for the first group (including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, EU states, Australia and Japan), with the stay granted not running beyond the passport's validity; 90 days for the second group; and 180 days for nationalities that need a consular visa. Salvadoran nationals may enter with a passport valid up to its expiry date, and the stay granted will not run beyond the passport's validity.

Verified Oct 2, 2026 · migracion.go.cr · DGME resolution AJ-484-11-2025 · archived copyCompare every country

Vaccinations

Conditional
  • Yellow fever (ICVP) — Costa Rica's health ministry makes yellow fever vaccination mandatory at least 10 days before entry for anyone coming from a country on its list of countries with active transmission: in the Americas Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, French Guiana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago, and in Africa countries including Angola, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
Verified Oct 3, 2026 · ministeriodesalud.go.cr · Resolución Ministerial DM-RC-2214-2024 (27 September 2024) · archived copyCompare every country

Travel insurance

Not officially stated

No official source we could read states a travel insurance requirement for entering Costa Rica. The entry requirements in Costa Rica's visa directives are a valid passport, a visa where required, proof of economic means, a return or onward ticket, and no entry ban.

Verified Oct 2, 2026 · migracion.go.cr · DGME resolution AJ-484-11-2025 · archived copy

Onward or return ticket

Required

Under article 42 of Costa Rica's General Migration Law, as set out in its visa directives, foreigners entering must provide a return ticket to their country of origin or an onward ticket, or a navigation plan showing the destination port.

Verified Oct 2, 2026 · migracion.go.cr · DGME resolution AJ-484-11-2025 · archived copy

Proof of funds

Required

Costa Rica's visa directives list proof of economic means as an entry requirement: at least USD 100 for each month or part of a month of legal stay.

Verified Oct 2, 2026 · migracion.go.cr · DGME resolution AJ-484-11-2025 · archived copy

Staying past your permitted stay

The UK government says Costa Rican immigration authorities can fine overstayers 100 US dollars for each month and refuse their future applications to enter Costa Rica. The Canadian government says overstaying the authorized 180-day period may lead to deportation, and deported persons are not allowed to re-enter for 5 to 10 years.

Verified Oct 12, 2026 · gov.ukCompare every country

Other compulsory government charges

  • Departure tax — 29 US dollars when leaving by air, according to the UK government.

    The UK government says that when leaving the country by air you may need to pay a departure tax of 29 US dollars, which most airlines include in ticket prices. Australia's Smartraveller says you must pay a departure tax to leave Costa Rica and that it might be included in your airline ticket.

Verified Oct 12, 2026 · gov.ukCompare every country

Customs & currency

The UK Foreign Office says cash, traveller's cheques or goods worth 10,000 US dollars or more must be declared, that you will get a certified declaration showing you brought them in, and that without it your money or goods could be seized when you leave.

  • The UK government says that when leaving by air you may need to pay a departure tax of 29 US dollars, that most airlines include it in ticket prices, and that if you need to pay it you can use cash or card.
Verified Oct 3, 2026 · gov.uk

Yellow fever certificate

Costa Rica's health ministry makes yellow fever vaccination mandatory at least 10 days before entry for anyone coming from a country on its list of countries with active transmission: in the Americas Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, French Guiana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago, and in Africa countries including Angola, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

The 42 countries WHO lists as a yellow fever risk

Requirements normally count any country you have been in shortly before arrival, not only where you boarded.

  • Angola
  • Argentina — Misiones and Corrientes Provinces
  • Benin
  • Bolivia
  • Brazil
  • Burkina Faso
  • Burundi
  • Cameroon
  • Central African Republic
  • Chad
  • Colombia
  • Côte d'Ivoire
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Ecuador
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Ethiopia
  • French Guiana
  • Gabon
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Guyana
  • Kenya
  • Liberia
  • Mali
  • Mauritania
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • Panama
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Republic of the Congo
  • Senegal
  • Sierra Leone
  • South Sudan
  • Sudan
  • Suriname
  • Togo
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Uganda
  • Venezuela
Compiled Aug 26, 2026 · cdn.who.int · International Health Regulations (2005), Article 36

International Health Regulations (2005), Article 36 and Annex 7; WHO International Travel and Health, Annex 1, 18 November 2022 (revised 3 January 2023)

Country in a nutshell

Currency
Costa Rican colón (CRC, ₡)
Cards & payments
Canada's travel advice says it is extremely difficult to exchange Canadian dollars in Costa Rica, that US dollars are more easily exchanged, and that cash withdrawals are possible with a 4-digit PIN only. Australia's Smartraveller says to change money only at banks or official exchanges.
Safety — Exercise caution
The UK Foreign Office says muggings and theft are significant problems, particularly on the Atlantic coast, and advises against leaving luggage in a parked car, either in view or in the boot. It says gang-related violence, including shootings, has become more frequent in urban areas, and that rip currents are very common and there are often no lifeguards.Verified Oct 3, 2026 · gov.uk · archived copy
Power plugs
A, B · 120V 60Hz
Emergency numbers
General emergencies: 911
Languages
Spanish
Time zone
UTC-6
International Driving Permit

Costa Rica's Traffic Law (Law 9078, art. 91 a) says drivers holding a foreign driving licence who are in the country under any of the stay sub-categories of the General Migration Law, or in transit, may drive the vehicle their licence allows for a period identical to the one authorised for their legal stay.

Verified Oct 10, 2026 · sinalevi.go.cr · Ley 9078 Compare every country
Tap water
not for drinking. Use bottled

Best time to visit

Canada's travel advice says heavy rains, particularly from mid-May to the end of November, can cause severe flooding, flash floods and landslides, and that the hurricane season runs from mid-May to the end of November in the Pacific and from early June to the end of November in the Atlantic and Caribbean.

Tips & warnings

Costa Rica's visa directives list among the entry requirements proof of economic means of at least USD 100 for each month or part of a month of stay, and a return ticket to your country of origin or an onward ticket.

The UK Foreign Office advises against leaving luggage in a parked car, either in view or in the boot, and says muggings and theft are significant problems, particularly on the Atlantic coast.

The UK government says rip currents are very common on Costa Rica's beaches and there are often no lifeguards, that drownings are the second most common cause of accidental death, and to seek reliable local advice.

Australia's Smartraveller advises boiling drinking water or drinking bottled water in Costa Rica.

Visa requirements by nationality

PassportsVisas & entry authorisationsMax stay
AfghanistanEmbassy visa—
AlbaniaEmbassy visa—
AlgeriaEmbassy visa—
AndorraVisa-free180 days
AngolaEmbassy visa—
Antigua and BarbudaVisa-free30 days
ArgentinaVisa-free180 days
ArmeniaEmbassy visa—
AustraliaVisa-free180 days
AustriaVisa-free180 days
AzerbaijanEmbassy visa—
BahamasVisa-free180 days
BahrainEmbassy visa—
BangladeshEmbassy visa—
BarbadosVisa-free180 days
BelarusEmbassy visa—
BelgiumVisa-free180 days
BelizeVisa-free30 days
BeninEmbassy visa—
BhutanEmbassy visa—
BoliviaVisa-free30 days
Bosnia and HerzegovinaEmbassy visa—
BotswanaEmbassy visa—
BrazilVisa-free180 days
BruneiVisa-free30 days
BulgariaVisa-free180 days
Burkina FasoEmbassy visa—
BurundiEmbassy visa—
Cabo VerdeEmbassy visa—
CambodiaEmbassy visa—
CameroonEmbassy visa—
CanadaVisa-free180 days
Central African RepublicEmbassy visa—
ChadEmbassy visa—
ChileVisa-free180 days
ChinaEmbassy visa—
ColombiaEmbassy visa—
ComorosEmbassy visa—
Costa RicaFree movement—
Côte d'IvoireEmbassy visa—
CroatiaVisa-free180 days
CubaEmbassy visa—
CyprusVisa-free180 days
CzechiaVisa-free180 days
Democratic Republic of the CongoEmbassy visa—
DenmarkVisa-free180 days
DjiboutiEmbassy visa—
DominicaVisa-free30 days
Dominican RepublicEmbassy visa—
EcuadorEmbassy visa—
EgyptEmbassy visa—
El SalvadorVisa-free30 days
Equatorial GuineaEmbassy visa—
EritreaEmbassy visa—
EstoniaVisa-free180 days
EswatiniEmbassy visa—
EthiopiaEmbassy visa—
FijiVisa-free30 days
FinlandVisa-free180 days
FranceVisa-free180 days
GabonEmbassy visa—
GambiaEmbassy visa—
GeorgiaEmbassy visa—
GermanyVisa-free180 days
GhanaEmbassy visa—
GreeceVisa-free180 days
GrenadaVisa-free30 days
GuatemalaVisa-free30 days
GuineaEmbassy visa—
Guinea-BissauEmbassy visa—
GuyanaVisa-free30 days
HaitiEmbassy visa—
HondurasVisa-free30 days
Hong KongEmbassy visa—
HungaryVisa-free180 days
IcelandVisa-free180 days
IndiaEmbassy visa—
IndonesiaEmbassy visa—
IranEmbassy visa—
IraqEmbassy visa—
IrelandVisa-free180 days
IsraelVisa-free180 days
ItalyVisa-free180 days
JamaicaEmbassy visa—
JapanVisa-free180 days
JordanEmbassy visa—
KazakhstanEmbassy visa—
KenyaEmbassy visa—
KiribatiVisa-free30 days
KosovoEmbassy visa—
KuwaitEmbassy visa—
KyrgyzstanEmbassy visa—
LaosEmbassy visa—
LatviaVisa-free180 days
LebanonEmbassy visa—
LesothoEmbassy visa—
LiberiaEmbassy visa—
LibyaEmbassy visa—
LiechtensteinVisa-free180 days
LithuaniaVisa-free180 days
LuxembourgVisa-free180 days
MacauEmbassy visa—
MadagascarEmbassy visa—
MalawiEmbassy visa—
MalaysiaVisa-free30 days
MaldivesVisa-free30 days
MaliEmbassy visa—
MaltaVisa-free180 days
Marshall IslandsVisa-free30 days
MauritaniaEmbassy visa—
MauritiusVisa-free30 days
MexicoVisa-free180 days
MicronesiaVisa-free30 days
MoldovaEmbassy visa—
MonacoVisa-free180 days
MongoliaEmbassy visa—
MontenegroVisa-free180 days
MoroccoEmbassy visa—
MozambiqueEmbassy visa—
MyanmarEmbassy visa—
NamibiaEmbassy visa—
NauruVisa-free30 days
NepalEmbassy visa—
NetherlandsVisa-free180 days
New ZealandVisa-free180 days
NicaraguaEmbassy visa—
NigerEmbassy visa—
NigeriaEmbassy visa—
North KoreaEmbassy visa—
North MacedoniaEmbassy visa—
NorwayVisa-free180 days
OmanEmbassy visa—
PakistanEmbassy visa—
PalauVisa-free30 days
PalestineEmbassy visa—
PanamaVisa-free180 days
Papua New GuineaEmbassy visa—
ParaguayVisa-free180 days
PeruVisa-free180 days
PhilippinesVisa-free30 days
PolandVisa-free180 days
PortugalVisa-free180 days
QatarVisa-free180 days
Republic of the CongoEmbassy visa—
RomaniaVisa-free180 days
RussiaVisa-free90 days
RwandaEmbassy visa—
Saint Kitts and NevisVisa-free30 days
Saint LuciaVisa-free30 days
Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesVisa-free30 days
SamoaVisa-free30 days
San MarinoVisa-free180 days
São Tomé and PríncipeVisa-free30 days
Saudi ArabiaEmbassy visa—
SenegalEmbassy visa—
SerbiaVisa-free180 days
SeychellesVisa-free30 days
Sierra LeoneEmbassy visa—
SingaporeVisa-free180 days
SlovakiaVisa-free180 days
SloveniaVisa-free180 days
Solomon IslandsVisa-free30 days
SomaliaEmbassy visa—
South AfricaVisa-free180 days
South KoreaVisa-free180 days
South SudanEmbassy visa—
SpainVisa-free180 days
Sri LankaEmbassy visa—
SudanEmbassy visa—
SurinameVisa-free30 days
SwedenVisa-free180 days
SwitzerlandVisa-free180 days
SyriaEmbassy visa—
TaiwanVisa-free30 days
TajikistanEmbassy visa—
TanzaniaEmbassy visa—
ThailandEmbassy visa—
Timor-LesteEmbassy visa—
TogoEmbassy visa—
TongaVisa-free30 days
Trinidad and TobagoVisa-free180 days
TunisiaEmbassy visa—
TurkeyVisa-free30 days
TurkmenistanEmbassy visa—
TuvaluVisa-free30 days
UgandaEmbassy visa—
UkraineVisa-free180 days
United Arab EmiratesVisa-free180 days
United KingdomVisa-free180 days
United StatesVisa-free180 days
UruguayVisa-free180 days
UzbekistanEmbassy visa—
VanuatuVisa-free30 days
Vatican CityVisa-free180 days
VenezuelaEmbassy visa—
VietnamEmbassy visa—
YemenEmbassy visa—
ZambiaEmbassy visa—
ZimbabweEmbassy visa—

Stay lengths are for ordinary tourist visits. Click a nationality for its full guide.

Nicaragua65 of 199 passports visa-free · 128 eVisa/ETAPanama115 of 199 passports visa-freeMexico64 of 199 passports visa-free · 3 eVisa/ETADominican Republic112 of 199 passports visa-freePeru105 of 199 passports visa-free

Frequently asked questions

Do US citizens need a visa for Costa Rica?

No. Costa Rica's visa directives put the United States in the first group, which enters without a visa for up to 180 days, with a minimum passport validity of one day; the stay granted by the immigration officer will not run beyond the passport's validity. The entry requirements include proof of economic means of at least USD 100 per month or part of a month of stay and a return or onward ticket.

How long can tourists stay in Costa Rica?

Costa Rica's visa directives say first-group nationals (including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, EU states and Japan) can stay up to 180 days and second-group nationals up to 30 days, extendable to a total of 90 days; the immigration officer at entry decides the stay granted.

Can I enter Costa Rica with a US or Schengen visa instead of a Costa Rican visa?

Yes, if you hold one of the documents Costa Rica's visa directives accept: a multiple-entry visa or residence of the United States or Canada valid for at least 1 day (US C1, C2 and C3 transit visas are not accepted), a residence of the United Kingdom, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland or an EU country that allows multiple entries or is valid for at least 90 days, or a multiple-entry Schengen C or D visa. With a US or Canadian visa or residence, the stay granted will not run beyond its validity.

Do I need a yellow fever vaccination for Costa Rica?

Only if you come from a country on Costa Rica's list of countries with active yellow fever transmission: in the Americas Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, French Guiana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago, plus the African countries on the same list. Costa Rica's health ministry says vaccination is mandatory at least 10 days before entry for anyone coming from those countries.

Do I have to pay a departure tax when leaving Costa Rica?

The UK government says that when leaving by air you may need to pay a departure tax of USD 29, that most airlines include it in the ticket price, and that if you have to pay it you can use cash or card. No official source we could read states the tax for leaving overland.

Sources & verification

Every fact on this page is compiled from and periodically re-checked against these official sources:

Something wrong or out of date? Tell us, with the official source