The requirements to enter Costa Rica depend on your country of nationality. Generally, citizens of the United States, Canada and the European Union countries do not require a visa application to enter Costa Rica since they will automatically be given a tourist visa at the immigration point of entry. With a valid passport these nationalities can enter Costa Rica and remain in the country for up to a maximum of 90 days.
GROUP ONE - NO VISA REQUIRED
Those countries designated as NO VISA REQUIRED may enter Costa Rica without an entry Visa and may remain in Costa Rica for up to 90 days. The 90 days are not renewable and the tourist must leave the country after the visa has expired. They may re-enter at any time to apply for an additional 90 days at the discretion of the immigration officer at the point of entry. The passport you travel on it must have a validity of at least one day.
GERMANY
ANDORRA
ARGENTINA
AUSTRALIA
AUSTRIA
BAHAMAS
BARBADOS
BELGIUM
BRAZIL
BULGARIA
CANADA
CROATIA
CHILE
CYPRUS
DENMARK
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
SLOVAKIA
SLOVENIA
SPAIN
STATE OF QATAR
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
SLOVAKIA
ESTONIA
FINLAND
FRANCE
HUNGARY
IRELAND
ICELAND
ISRAEL
ITALY
JAPAN
LATVIA
LIECHTENSTEIN
LITHUANIA
LUXEMBOURG
MALTA
MEXICO
MONTENEGRO
NORWAY
NEW ZEALAND
NORTHERN ZEALAND
NETHERLANDS
PANAMA
PARAGUAY
POLAND
PORTUGAL
PRINCIPALITY OF MONACO
SAN MARINO
PERU
PUERTO RICO
SERBIA
SOUTH AFRICA
KINGDOM OF THE GREAT BRITAIN
CZECH REPUBLIC
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH KOREA
HELLENIC REPUBLIC (GREECE)
ROMANIA
VATICAN
SINGAPORE
SWEDEN
SWITZERLAND
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
URUGUAY
GROUP TWO - NO VISA REQUIRED
The following countries may also enter without a VISA and stay for up to 90 days so long as their passport is valid for at least three months
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
BELIZE
BOLIVIA
DOMINICA
EL SALVADOR
STATE OF BRUNEI
RUSSIAN FEDERATION
PHILIPPINES
FIJI
GRENADA
GUATEMALA
GUYANA
HONDURAS
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
MARSHALL ISLANDS
SOLOMON ISLANDS
KAZAKHSTAN
KIRIBATI
MALAYSIA
MALDIVES
MAURITIUS
MICRONESIA (FEDERATED STATES)
NAURU
PALAU
KINGDOM OF TONGA
SAMOA
SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS
SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
SAINT LUCIA
SÃO TOMÉ AND PRINCÍPE
SEYCHELLES
SURINAME
TAIWAN
TUVALU
TURKEY
UKRAINE
VANUATU
VENEZUELA
GROUP THREE - CONSULAR VISA IS REQUIRED
If you are a citizen of a Group Three country you need to obtain an entry VISA from a Costa Rican Embassy or Consulate abroad before you enter Costa Rica. If the visa is granted it is for a period of 30 days renewable up to maximum of 90 days. Your passport must be valid for at least six months.
ALBANIA
ANGOLA
SAUDI ARABIA
ALGERIA
ARMENIA
AZERBAIJAN
BAHRAIN
BENIN
BELARUS
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
BOTSWANA
BURKINA FASO
BURUNDI
BUTAN
CAPE VERDE
CAMBODIA
CAMEROON
COLOMBIA
CÔTE D’IVOIRE
COMOROS
CHAD
ECUADOR
EGYPT
GABON
GAMBIA
GEORGIA
GHANA
GUINEA
GUINEA BISSAU
EQUATORIAL GUINEA
INDIA
INDONESIA
JORDAN
KENYA
KYRKYZSTAN
KOSOVO
KUWAIT
LESOTHO
LIBERIA
LIBYA
LEBANON
MADAGASCAR
MALAUI
MALI
MOROCCO
MAURITANIA
MOLDOVA
MONGOLIA
MOZAMBIQUE
NAMIBIA
NEPAL
NICARAGUA
NIGER
NIGERIA
OMAN
PAKISTAN
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
SAHRAWI ARAB REPUBLIC
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO (FORMERLY ZAIRE)
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF
LAOS
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
RWANDA
SENEGAL
SIERRA LEONE
NORTHERN SUDAN
SOUTH SUDAN
SWAZILAND
THAILAND
TANZANIA
TAJIKISTAN
EAST TIMOR
TOGO
TUNISIA
TURKMENISTAN
UGANDA
UZBEKISTAN
VIETNAM
YEMEN
YIBUTI
ZAMBIA
ZIMBABWE
GROUP FOUR IS RESTRICTED VISA
This is the most restrictive category. This means that citizens of Category Four Countries must have an entry visa BEFORE they are allowed to enter Costa Rica. The visa must be reviewed by the Director of Immigration before it can be granted. If granted the visa is for a period of 30 days and renewable up to a maximum of 90 days.
