General Information: You may request a tourist visa by bringing the Visa Request Documents (see below) in person to your nearest Consulate of Costa Rica or by mailing the documents - at the Consulate of Costa Rica's own discretion - via U.S. priority mail, or private courier (FEDEX, DHL, UPS, etc.) Use our Commercial Directory to search for the nearest Costa Rican Consulate to your residence. (Click "search" in our Commercial Directory and type in the keyword "consulate" to view a list of Costa Rican Consulates worldwide). Additional requirements apply if you mail the documents. (See below) It takes two (2) business day to issue your visa. Your visa is a 30-day-one-entry visa once it is issued, you will have 30 days to use it. If you do not enter Costa Rica during that time, your visa will expire and you will need to get a new one.
Visa Request Documents (VRD): Below are the standard documents required inorder to request a visa at Consulates of Costa Rica in the U.S. and worldwide. Consulates of Costa Rica worldwide may require additional documents at their own discretion.
If you are going to request a tourist visa at the Consulates of Costa Rica in the U. S., bring the following documents:
1. A valid passport for at least six (6) months or longer beyond the dates of your trip and all of the following:
2. A photocopy of the picture and personal information page of your passport, and
3. A photocopy of visa pages granted by other countries -if requested by the Costa Rican Consul
4. A Visa Application Form. Here are the two Official Visa Application Forms (*) issued by the Immigration and Naturalization Services in Costa Rica and their non-official instructions issued by costarica.com: Please select the form that applies to your situation, (Please print it and fill it out.) Acrobat Reader is required to view or print this form in Portable Document Format (PDF).) If you require VIA (Visa Issuance Authorization), use this form:
A. Tourist Visa Application Form for Consulates of Costa Rica Around the World
If you are eligible for the VIA Waiver or do not need a Visa Issuance Authorization, use this form
B. Tourist Visa Application Form 2 for Consulates of Costa Rica Around the World
(*) According to the Immigration and Naturalization Services of Costa Rica, Consulates of Costa Rica in the U.S.A., Canada, and the rest of the world must accept this form, effective September 15, 2003. If you encounter any problems, please let us know by writing to
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or tell the Consul to contact The Immigration and Naturalization Services in Costa Rica.
5. One color passport sized photograph (2 in. X 2 in.)
6. An original and a photocopy of either your itinerary issued by your travel agency/airline or your round-trip ticket to Costa Rica (1)
7. Proof of Legal Permanent Residency
* Original Permanent Resident Card (Green Card), and
* a photocopy of the front side of your Permanent Resident Card (Green Card)
8. Evidence of long term economic ties to the country of residency
* The most recent checking and/or savings bank statement (2)
* Your last paid stub, and
* Company letter stating your personal information, your position, your salary, years of service, authorized vacation, and savings (Social Security Payrolls).
9. A $20.00 U.S. Consular Fee in cash, money order, or company check only, payable to the Consulate of Costa Rica (3)
(1) Do not purchase your ticket. Call your airline, make a reservation, and request a fax or email copy of your reservation. Consulates of Costa Rica will accept the reservation as your itinerary. (2) You need to show at least $500.00 U.S. or more in your bank account
(3) After Immigration and Naturalization Services of Costa Rica approves your visa issuance application the Consulate of Costa Rica will inform you if you are required to wire money to Costa Rica or not.
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Additional Requirement for Mailing Documents to a Consulate of Costa Rica: These are the standard procedures to mail your visa application to a Consulate of Costa Rica, where they accept mail applications at their own discretion. Therefore, please contact your nearest Consulate of Costa Rica to inquire about applying for a visa via mail. Please read about Embassies and Consulates.
Note: The Consulate of Costa Rica in Washington D.C. does not accept visa application via mail. You must apply in person.
If you mail the above documents via U.S. mail and/or courier to the Consulate General of Costa Rica, you will be required to:
1. Authenticate your Visa Application Form
Your Visa Application Form must be authenticated by a notary public. The notary public must sign, stamp, and write on the back of the visa application form the following statement:
" The undersigned ________________________, notary public in ____________County, in the State of _____________,certifies that this Visa Application Form has been signed in my presence by ____________ the holder of Passport #___________ from __________(country)."
Notary Public Signature [Notary Public Seal]
Notary Public Name
2. Enclose a self addressed stamped U. S. priority mail envelop with the postage that is required.
If you use a private courier (DHL, FEDEX, U.P.S., etc.), please include a note with your courier information, and a courier self-addressed envelop with your account number. The Consulate of Costa Rica will call your courier when your visa has been issued.
3. Send your documents to the mailing address of your nearest Consulate of Costa Rica. Back to Top
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