Who can enter Costa Rica without a visa?
*This does not apply to citizens who have refugee status.
Requirements when entering Costa Rica:
The validity of Costa Rica Short-stay visas is 90 days. If the person wants to stay more than 90 days in Costa Rica, he/she must apply for a residence permit.
If you want to apply for Costa Rica Residence Permit, first you can obtain a relevant Short-stay Costa Rica visa, and after entering Costa Rica with this visa, you can obtain the relevant Residence Permit from Immigration Department.
1. Application Form
2. Three Photos
3. Passport and Copy of the Main Page
4. Copy of ID Card
5. Residence Permit/Visa Copy
6. Criminal Record Certificate
7. Flight Ticket Reservation
8. Birth Certificate
9. Proof of Financial Means
10. For Tourism:
11. For Students, Researchers, Teachers, and Volunteers
12. For Religious Activities:
13. Provisional Visa for Possible Temporary/Permanent Residents:
14. Provisional Visa for Rentiers:
15. Provisional Visa for Retirees:
16. Persons with Refugee Immigration Status:
17. Yellow Fever Vaccine (If necessary)
*Additional documents may be required by the embassy.
The average processing time for a Costa Rica Short-stay visa is 30 calendar days. It depends on your visa application country.
Costa Rica Short-stay visa fee is 30-50 USD. The fee may vary depending on your nationality or your country of submission.
You will apply for a Costa Rica Short-stay visa in Costa Rica visa application centers, embassies, or consulates, whichever accepts visa applications in your country of residence. If there is none of them in your country, you need to apply to the nearest embassy or consulate to your location.
If you want to stay in Costa Rica for more than 90 days, you can apply to Immigration Office. The validity of the Costa Rica Temporary Residence Permit is 2 years. If you entered Costa Rica with a Tourist or another visa, you can change your status as a Temporary Resident by applying to Immigration Office in Costa Rica. In this case, you need to pay 200 USD.
If you want to be in the status of Retiree in Costa Rica, you can apply for Temporary Residency for a Retiree in Immigration Office.
1. Request Letter
2. Application Form
3. Two Photos
4. Proof of Fingerprint Registration
5. Proof of Consular Registration
6. Birth Certificate
7. Criminal Record Certificate
8. Lifetime Pension Issued by a Competent Authority
9. For Dependents:
10. Payment of 1.25 USD and 2.50 USD
*Additional documents may be required by the Immigration Office.
The average processing time for a Costa Rica Temporary Residency for a Retiree is 90 calendar days.
Costa Rica Temporary Residency for a Retiree fee is 50 USD. The fee may vary depending on your nationality or your country of submission.
You will apply for a Costa Rica Temporary Residency for a Retiree in Costa Rica Immigration Office.
If the applicant is a student, teacher, researcher, or intern, he/she can apply for a Temporary Residency in order to realize his/her educational or research activities in Costa Rica.
1. Request Letter
2. Application Form
3. Two Photos
4. Proof of Fingerprint Registration
5. Proof of Consular Registration
6. Birth Certificate
7. Criminal Record Certificate
8. Acceptance Letter
9. Teachers and Researchers:
10. For Volunteers and Internships:
11. For Students:
12. Minors without Their Parents in Costa Rica:
13. Payment of 1.25 USD and 2.50 USD
*Additional documents may be required by the Immigration Office.
The average processing time for a Costa Rica Temporary Residency for Students, Teachers, Researchers, Internships is 90 calendar days.
Costa Rica Temporary Residency for Students, Teachers, Researchers, Internships fee is 50 USD. The fee may vary depending on your nationality or your country of submission.
You will apply for a Costa Rica Temporary Residency for Students, Teachers, Researchers, Internships in Costa Rica Immigration Office.
If you want to carry out your business in Costa Rica as a Manager, Representative, Executive, you can apply for a Temporary Residency. And you can bring dependents with you.
1. Affiliation Form
2. Letter about Reasons why You Apply to Temporary Residency
3. Two Photos
4. Proof of Fingerprint Registration
5. Proof of Consular Registration
6. Birth Certificate
7. Criminal Record Certificate
8. In case of a Spouse or Children below the Age of the Foreigner that is Contracted in the Country:
9. Copy of the Work Contract
10. In the case of Executives and Managers:
11. Certification from the Corresponding Insurance Entity
12. Certification from Legal Representatives of the Company
13. Certified Copy of the Constitutional Protocol of the Company
14. Proof that the Company or Organization is up to date with the Payment of National and Municipal Taxes
15. Income Certificate
16. Payment of 1.25 USD and 2.50 USD
*Additional documents may be required by the Immigration Office.
The average processing time for a Costa Rica Temporary Residency for Executives, Representatives, Managers, Technical Personnel, and Their Dependents is 90 calendar days.
Costa Rica Temporary Residency for Executives, Representatives, Managers, Technical Personnel and Their Dependents fee is 50 USD.
You will apply for a Costa Rica Temporary Residency for Executives, Representatives, Managers, Technical Personnel, and Their Dependents in Costa Rica Immigration Office.
If you want to live in Costa Rica as a Temporary Resident with your own income from property or investment, you can apply for a Temporary Residency for Rentiers.
1. Request Letter
2. Application Form
3. Two Photos
4. Proof of Fingerprint Registration
5. Proof of Consular Registration
6. Birth Certificate
7. Criminal Record Certificate
8. Document Stating:
9. For Dependents:
10. Payment of 1.25 USD and 2.50 USD
*Additional documents may be required by the Immigration Office.
The average processing time for a Costa Rica Temporary Residency for Rentiers is 90 calendar days.
Costa Rica Temporary Residency for Rentiers fee is 50 USD. The fee may vary depending on your nationality or your country of submission.
You will apply for a Costa Rica Temporary Residency for Rentiers in Costa Rica Immigration Office.
If you want to be with your partner in Costa Rica for a temporary duration, you can apply for a Temporary Residency for Spouse at Immigration Office in Costa Rica.
1. Affiliation Form
2. Request Letter
3. Application Form
4. Two Photos
5. Proof of Fingerprint Registration
6. Proof of Consular Registration
7. Birth Certificate
8. Criminal Record Certificate
9. Marriage Certificate
*Additional documents may be required by the Immigration Office.
The average processing time for a Costa Rica Temporary Residency for Spouse is 90 calendar days.
Costa Rica Temporary Residency for Spouse fee is 50 USD. The fee may vary depending on your nationality or your country of submission.
You will apply for a Costa Rica Temporary Residency for Spouse in Costa Rica Immigration Office.
Generally, Immigration Office requires:
Birth certificate, a certificate of civil status, a criminal record, and financial statements certified by a public accountant. Once in Costa Rica, they must be also legalized by the Foreign Ministry and translated by an official translator.
If you will travel to Costa Rica from South America or sub-Saharan Africa, you will need the Yellow Fever Vaccine. The countries considered at risk are: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo DR, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Guyana, and Venezuela. You must get the vaccine 10 days before your arrival date to Costa Rica. Any individual traveling to Costa Rica that has been in transit, whether in airports, seaports, or land borders, in the following countries, will require a vaccination: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.
You must meet certain requirements to enter Costa Rica, even if you are not required a visa:
All fees are non-refundable and will not be refunded if your visa application is not successful.
The embassy may request you to provide additional documents or information, according to your personal situation, even after you have submitted all the required documents mentioned on the official website of the Embassy/Consulate/Visa Application Center.
Affiliation Form can be obtained from http://www.migracion.go.cr/.
You will be given 10 working days to complete them.
If you have no intention to apply for Residency in Costa Rica and want to stay in Costa Rica for less than 90 days, you must have an entry and exit ticket (by land or air).