Entry requirements to Costa Rica for tourists

To enter Costa Rica as a tourist (non-resident) several documents are required at once: a valid passport, in some cases a visa depending on nationality, an exit ticket from the country, and sometimes proof of economic solvency. This guide covers initial entry; to extend the stay once inside see the "Prorroga de turismo" guide, and for residence categories see "Ley de Migracion y Extranjeria".

Passport: it must be valid and electronically readable (OACI/ICAO format). The minimum validity required depends on the migration group of the country of origin — some groups only require that the passport not expire before the planned departure date, while others ask for a minimum of 90 days of validity upon entry. For practical safety it is recommended to travel with at least 6 months of validity remaining, and to confirm the exact requirement for your nationality at migracion.go.cr before traveling.

Visa: whether one is needed or not depends on the country that issued the passport. Costa Rica classifies countries into groups (visa-free entry, restricted visa, or consular visa) according to the Directrices Generales de Visas, which Migracion updates with some frequency (the current version in this check is November 2025). Most countries in the Americas and Western Europe do not need a visa for tourism, but others do — it is advisable to review the updated list at migracion.go.cr/visas/ before buying the plane ticket.

Length of stay granted: upon entry, the Migracion officer stamps the passport with the departure deadline date. Depending on the country group, the initial period can range from 30 days to 90 or even 180 days — it is not a single number for all tourists. Staying beyond that date without regularizing your status generates a migration fine upon exit.

Exit ticket or continuation of travel: proof is required that the person will leave the country within the authorized period (return ticket or to a third country); some airlines already ask for this at check-in for the incoming flight. Migracion may also ask for evidence of sufficient funds for the stay, with a usual reference of around USD 100 per month of planned stay, although this is not always verified at the point of entry.

Yellow fever vaccine: it is only required for those arriving from (or with a layover in) countries with risk of transmission, mainly in South America (Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, among others) and various countries in Africa. Most tourists from North America and Europe do not need it; if the itinerary includes any of those countries, confirm the current list before traveling.

Exit tax: when leaving by air, an exit tax applies (approximately USD 29); most international airlines already include it in the ticket price, but it is advisable to confirm this when buying the ticket.

Note: country groups, stay periods, and visa requirements change with some frequency by administrative directive. For the specific case of a certain nationality, always confirm at migracion.go.cr or with the corresponding Costa Rican embassy or consulate before traveling.