Visas, Residences
and Other Categories
1. Tourist Visa
Not all people who wish to travel to Costa Rica need a tourist visa; this will depend on your nationality, purpose of visit, country of residence and duration of stay. Visa requirements are based on international agreements or treaties. However, the visa does not guarantee entry to Costa Rica and, as in the United States, this depends on the immigration officer upon arrival. Information about requirements and visa application form here.
Please consider the following information:
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US nationals do not require an entry visa to Costa Rica. However, they must have a current valid passport and a return ticket to exit Costa Rica within 180 days. (Either to return to your country or to go to another country). US passport must be valid for a minimum of one day from the day you enter Costa Rica. As a tourist US nationals cannot stay more than 180 days. For a stay longer than 180 days a residence permit must be established.
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Other nationals might not require an entry visa to Costa Rica. To verify all entry requirements according to your nationality please see the following link nationalities.
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Please see the following link for information of all Consulates in the United States.
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Please visit our FAQ section, there, you will find information that might be useful for your trip to Costa Rica.
2. Provisional Visa (student, teacher, resident, etc):
Por favor ingresar en la página web de la Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería.
Nota: Usted debe presentar su solicitud de residencia en la Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería en Costa Rica.
3. Requirements for temporary residence in Costa Rica
Por favor ingresar en la página web de la Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería.
Nota: Usted debe presentar su solicitud de residencia en la Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería en Costa Rica.
4. Requirements for permanent residence in Costa Rica
Por favor ingresar en la página web de la Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería.
Nota: Usted debe de presentar su solicitud en la Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería en Costa Rica.
5. Yellow Fever Vaccine
If you will be traveling to Costa Rica from South America and/or sub-Saharan Africa, you will need theYELLOW FEVER VACCINE. The countries considered at risk are: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Guyana and Venezuela. You can travel to Costa Rica ten days after the shot. However, some exceptions apply:
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People who have been in countries considered at risk, but who have remained at least six days in a non-risk country before entering Costa Rican territory and who haven’t developed the yellow fever.
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Vaccination against yellow fever is mandatory at least 10 days before entering the country, for anyone coming from geographic areas where yellow fever transmission exists. This vaccination is verified by the document called "International Certificate of Vaccination against Yellow Fever".
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All people who live in the country and who are going to travel to countries or geographic areas considered at risk and who intend to return to Costa Rica must be vaccinated at least 10 days before leaving the country.
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People with contraindications for the vaccination against yellow fever who carry a valid medical opinion supported by the health authority in the country from where they are from.
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Children under 9 months old, people with severe allergy to eggs, immunosuppression and thymic disease present or in their medical history.
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There must be a medical assessment of the pros and cons of vaccination on people with the following conditions: over 60 years of age, pregnancy, lactation, family history of adverse events associated with vaccination against yellow fever, hypersensitivity to gelatin and asymptomatic HIV infection, with laboratory verification of adequate immune system function.