Visa Resource Center

To find out if you need a visa to enter Costa Rica, please use the "Do You Need a Visa..." box and select the type of visa you want to apply for, then select your country of  citizenship, click "Go", and your visa requirements will appear on your screen.      

The information in the Visa Resource Center is obtained directly from the Immigration and Naturalization Services of Costa Rica in San Jose, Costa Rica.

New Visa Regulations

New law effective February 2009: Nationals of countries that require a consular visa to enter Costa Rica are no longer required to apply for the visa, if the visitors are holders of the following: 

    * A valid tourist visa or a crew member’s visa, or business visa to enter the U.S., Canada or the countries of the European Union. The tourist visa must be stamped in their passport and valid for at least 3 more months.

OR

    * A permanent residence (green card), student visa (F1, J1), work visa (H1B, G4, etc.), or refugee status in the United States, and/or in any country member of the European Union or Canada, valid for a minimum of 6 months. Residency extensions stamped on passport are not accepted.

Note: The passport expiration date needs to be more than six months from the day of arrival into the country. Visitors are allowed to remain in Costa Rica for up to 30 days.  All visa extensions should be requested at the Immigration Office in San Jose, Costa Rica