Immigration

Passports

The Costa Rican Passports issued after September 2006 have a validity of 6 years. The minimum validity of a Costa Rican passport to travel to another country is established by the migration authorities of the country you are going to visit.

Visa

Depending of your origin country a visa might be requested. Besides the visa, in order to visit Costa Rica people must meet the following requirements:

• Travel continuity ticket or return to the country of origin.
• Proof of of economic solvency, which corresponds to US $ 100.00 for each month of tourism.
• Passport in good condition. The minimum validity of the passport will correspond to the group in which the foreign person is located, according to the Guideline of Income to Costa Rica:
• For nationals located in the First Group, up to 1 day.
• For nationals located in the Second Group, mandatory validity of 3 months.
• For nationals of the Third and Fourth Groups, mandatory period of 6 months

Minors

The exit permit for people under 18 years old is an authorization granted by the parents or the traveler’s legal representative in order to be be able to leave Costa Rica. Without this permission, minors, Costa Ricans and legal residents in Costa Rica, cannot travel.

All these procedures are done at the Migration main office in La Uruca.

Vaccines

The executive decree issued by the Ministry of Health indicates that people traveling to risk areas should be vaccinated to avoid outbreaks in Costa Rica. This applies to Costa Ricans and residents alike.

The countries at risk are:

Africa: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan.

South America: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela. Except for the archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina.

Caribbean: French Guiana

Rejections and deportations

Rejection

Rejection is an action by which the migration authority denies a foreigner the entry into the national territory and orders the immediate transfer to the country of origin or provenance, or to a third country that admits it. Rejection can occur when the foreign person:

• Does not comply with the income requirements required by law.
• Present an impediment to entering the country.
• Be surprised trying to evade immigration control or entering a place not enabled.

Deportation

Deportation is an act ordered by the Migration General Director through which a foreign person is placed outside the national territory. This action is carried out when the foreign person:

• Has entered clandestinely into the country or without complying with the rules of entry and permanence.
• Has obtained entry and / or stay in the country through declarations or the presentation of false or altered visas or documents.
• Has remained in the country even after the authorized period expires.
• You have been invited to leave the country and did not do so within the stipulated period. The foreign person who is deported will not be able to reenter the country for a period of five years, except for the exceptions authorized by the Migration General Director Office.