Everything you need to know about a Costa Rica Visa

British nationals, planning to enter Costa Rica for tourism purposes don’t need a visa. You can stay in the country for up to 90 days under the tourist visa waiver policy.

However, if your travel plans include work, business, or a long-term stay, you might need a visa in advance to your arrival date. We will come to the section later. Again, under the visa-free regime, you cannot overstay the granted period. 

Failure to do so can lead to heavy fines and complications during your return journey.

In order to avail the tourist visa exemption facility, you must ensure that your passport is valid for at least one day after exiting Costa Rica. You should also carry evidence of return or onward travel.

Please note that certain airlines and migration authorities demand minimum passport validity of six months, as per the regulations under the International Civil Aviation Organization.

Additionally, you should be able to produce proof of your financial stability so that you can sustain your stay period in Costa Rica.

Visa policy of Costa Rica according to nationality

Tourist visa

As we already mentioned, UK nationals are exempt from requiring a tourist visa to visit Costa Rica. As for other citizens, the requirement of a tourist visa depends on several factors - the country of residence, the purpose of the visit, and the length of your stay.

In order to know which countries fall under the tourist visa free regime, please visit this link. While some nationals are granted visa-free stays of up to 90 days, others can stay up to 30 days without a visa.

If you do not belong to the aforementioned list, you will need a visa to enter Costa Rica. For this, you need to contact the Embassy at 020 7629 3111 or send an email to: concr-uk@rree.go.cr

Business visa

British nationals do need a business visa to enter Costa Rica. You must personally present your documents directly to the Consulate. Only the authorities at the Costa Rican Consulate have the authority to grant you a visa.

Unfortunately, we cannot assist you in this process and you must lodge a business visa application at the nearest Embassy of Costa Rica.

In order to apply for one, you will need an original passport, which is valid for at least six months from your arrival date in Costa Rica. This should be accompanied by a passport sized photo, taken against a white background, which is not older than 6 months. For the rest of the supporting documents, please get in touch with the Costa Rican Embassy in the UK.

Other consular visas

In order to know which nationals need a consular visa to enter Costa Rica, you can visit the following page.

If you need one, you will require the following documents:

• A visa request letter addressed to the Costa Rican Consul,which contains you name, passport number, country of residence, the trip’s purpose, length of stay, entry and exit dates, profession, accommodation address in Costa Rica, date and place of birth, fax number, date and signature
• A passport that is valid for at least six months, accompanied by its copy
• Round trip or onward travel tickets
• Proof of sufficient funds
• Police certificate
• Additional documents as asked by the Embassy

Once all the required documents are submitted, you can fill the visa application form on this website. Then, you need to book an appointment to apply for a visa by sending an email to: concr-uk@rree.go.cr

Restricted visa

A restricted visa grants entry to citizens who are natives of nations that fall under the Restricted Visas and Refugee Commission. These countries are: Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Jamaica, Somalia, Bangladesh, Haiti, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Eritrea, Iraq, and Palestine.

Documents:

• A visa request letter addressed to the Consul, written by the sponsoring party in Costa Rica
• A copy of the passport that contains a legalized Consular authentication
• A copy of the identification documents of the person inviting the foreigner to Costa Rica
• Evidence of economic solvency of the sponsor in Costa Rica and the applicant
• Police records
• A certificate issued by a competent authority, which proves the relationship between the applicant and the inviting party in Costa Rica
• A single status certificate, which is authenticated by the Consulate

Additional points

If you are traveling to Costa Rica from South America and/or Sub-Saharan Africa you will need to produce a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate.

UK Emergency Travel Documents (ETDs) are accepted for entry, airside transit and exit from Costa Rica.

If traveling with minors, you should note that children under 18 years who are born in Costa Rica are considered as Costa Rican citizens.

Hence, in order to leave the country, he/she must carry a notarised written consent from both parents or a Costa Rican passport.