Visas
Our Visa Officer is ready to assist you with your visa process and provide guidance throughout the visa application process. However, it is each person’s individual responsibility to find out what the visa requirements are for countries they might visit/transit through on their way to Costa Rica. UPEACE will not be held responsible for travel issues that result from transit visas.
Who Needs to Apply for a Visa to Costa Rica?
The Costa Rica visa policy is divided into four groups:
- Visa-exempt nationals who are allowed to travel to Costa Rica with just their passport which must be valid for at least one more day from the date of entry. This category included nationals of the United States and European Union member states. They are allowed to stay in Costa Rica for a maximum of 90 days.
- Visa-exempt nationals who are allowed to travel to Costa Rica with just their passport which must be valid for at least three months from the date of arrival. They are allowed to stay in Costa Rica for a maximum of 30 days.
- Foreign nationals who need a Costa Rica Consular Visa, which must be applied for at a Costa Rica consulate in their country of residence. The Costa Rica visa allows them to stay in the country for up to 30 days.
- Foreign nationals who need a Costa Rica Restricted Visa. This type of visa has to be approved by the Commission of Restricted Visas. If approved, it allows the holder to stay in the country for up to 30 days.
Do You Need a Visa for Costa Rica?
You only need a Costa Rica visa if you are from one of the following countries:
Foreign nationals who need a Costa Rica Consular Visa (Third group)
The following countries have to apply for a Costa Rica Consular Visa at a Costa Rica consulate in their country:
- Albania
- Algeria
- Angola
- Saudi Arabia
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Belarus
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Botswana
- Brunei
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Cabo Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Colombia
- Comoros
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Laos
- Djibouti
- Dominican Republic
- Timor-Leste
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- India
- Indonesia
- Ivory Coast
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Moldova
- Mongolia
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Nepal
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Papua New Guinea
- Peru
- Qatar
- Republic (Sadr)
- Republic of the Congo
- North Macedonia
- Russia
- Rwanda
- Sahrawi
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Sudan
- Eswatini
- Taiwan
- Tajikistan
- Thailand
- Togo
- Tunisia
- Turkmenistan
- Uganda
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- Uzbekistan
- Vietnam
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Foreign nationals who need a Costa Rica Restricted Visa (Fourth group)
Nationals from the following countries have to apply for a Costa Rica Restricted Visa, which requires authorization form the Commission of Restricted Visas:
- Afghanistan
- Iran
- Bangladesh
- Iraq
- Cuba
- Jamaica
- Korea
- Myanmar
- Eritrea
- Palestine
- Haiti
- Somalia
Who is Exempt from Costa Rica Visas?
The following nationals are exempt from holding a visa when travelling to Costa Rica:
For stays of up to 90 days GRUPO 1
- Andorra
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belgium
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- Chile
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Mexico
- Montenegro
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Ireland
- Norway
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Poland
- Portugal
- Monaco
- Puerto Rico
- South Korea
- Romania
- San Marino
- Serbia
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Trinidad and Tobago
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Uruguay
- Vatican City
For stays of up to 30 days GRUPO 2
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Belize
- Bolivia
- Dominica
- El Salvador
- Micronesia
- Fiji
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guyana
- Honduras
- Tonga
- Kiribati
- Maldives
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritius
- Nauru
- Northen Mariana
- Palau
- Philippines
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa
- Saint Lucia
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Seychelles
- Solomon Islands
- Suriname
- Turkey
- Tuvalu
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela
Do You Need a Costa Rica Visa if You Already Have a US/Schengen visa?
Visa-required foreign nationals may be exempt from holding a Costa Rica visa if they already have a valid entry visa for one of the following countries:
- An EU member state
- A Schengen country
- United States
- Canada
- South Korea
- Japan
Additionally, foreign nationals on the third and fourth group are exempt from holding a Costa Rica visa if they have a residence permit (not less than six months) for:
- United States
- Canada
- Eu Member States