Most visitors do not need a visa for Costa Rica. Citizens of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, every European Union country, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Brazil and several other countries can enter without one and can be given up to 180 days. Other nationalities either enter visa-free for up to 30 days or need a visa from a Costa Rican consulate before they travel. Which rule applies depends only on the passport you travel with.
The rules below come from Costa Rica’s current visa directive, published by the immigration authority (Migración) in La Gaceta on 17 November 2025.
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Do you need a passport for Costa Rica?
Yes. Every visitor needs a valid passport to enter Costa Rica, including US and Canadian citizens, and children travel on their own passport. A driver’s licence, birth certificate or national ID card is not enough. Costa Rica’s immigration law (Law 8764, article 42) lists a valid passport as the first requirement for entry.
A US passport card will not work. The US State Department says the card is only for land and sea travel from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and some Caribbean countries, and is not valid for international travel by air. Bring the passport book.
How long your passport must still be valid depends on your nationality; see the table below and the six-month passport myth.
Who needs a visa for Costa Rica? The four groups
Costa Rica sorts every country into four groups. Find yours in the table, then read the details for that group.
| Group | Visa? | Longest stay | Passport must be valid | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | No visa | Up to 180 days, set by the officer at entry | On the day you arrive (your stay cannot run past its expiry) | USA, Canada, UK, all EU countries, Switzerland, Norway, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Israel, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Panama, Uruguay, South Africa |
| 2 | No visa | Up to 30 days, can be extended to 90 in total | At least 90 days | Belize, Bolivia, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Philippines, Malaysia, Russia, Turkey, Taiwan |
| 3 | Consular visa | Up to 30 days | At least 180 days | Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, India, China |
| 4 | Restricted visa | Up to 30 days, can be extended to 90 in total | At least 180 days | Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan |
The examples are not the full lists. If your country is not shown, check the directive or ask us before you book.
Do US and Canadian citizens need a visa for Costa Rica?
No. The United States and Canada are in the first group, so you do not apply for anything before a holiday or a scouting trip. At the airport the immigration officer decides how many days to give you, up to a maximum of 180. It is not automatic: check the stamp or entry record and plan your departure around the date you were actually given.
First-group stays cannot be extended. The one exception: if you were given fewer than 90 days, you can ask Migración to extend your stay up to 90 days.
The six-month passport myth
Many travel sites say your passport must be valid for six months. For the first group, the directive only requires the passport to be valid on the day you enter, but the officer will not give you more days than your passport has left. So a passport expiring in five weeks gets you, at most, five weeks. For the second group the minimum is 90 days, and for the third and fourth groups it is 180 days. Your airline may apply its own rules at check-in, so ask them too.
What you need to show at the airport
Under the General Law of Migration and Foreigners (Law 8764, article 42) and the directive, every visitor must have:
- A valid, machine-readable passport in good condition.
- A visa, if your group needs one.
- Proof of funds of at least US$100 for each month, or part of a month, of your stay.
- A return or onward ticket (or, by sea, the navigation plan showing the destination port).
- No ban on entering Costa Rica.
It also helps to keep the address of your first accommodation and your travel plan handy.
Need a visa but hold a US, Canadian or European visa?
If your country is in the third or fourth group, you may not need a Costa Rican visa at all. The directive lets you enter without one if you hold:
- A multiple-entry US or Canadian visa or residence permit, valid on the day you arrive. US transit visas (C1, C2 and C3) do not count; the C1/D crew visa does.
- A residence permit from the UK, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland or an EU country that allows multiple entries or is valid for at least 90 days from the day you arrive.
- A multiple-entry Schengen visa (type C or D) valid for up to 90 days.
In each case the officer will not give you more days than your visa or permit has left.
How the consular and restricted visas work
Third-group visitors apply to a Costa Rican consulate for a consular visa; fourth-group visitors need a restricted visa, which is approved by Migración’s Restricted Visas Commission. Both are valid for a single entry. Once approved, the visa has to be stamped in your passport within three months, and you must use it within 60 days of the stamp (60 business days for a consular visa). Start early, and do not buy non-refundable tickets until the visa is in your passport.
Can you work in Costa Rica as a tourist?
No. The directive allows business meetings and similar visits only when you are not paid or earning a profit inside Costa Rica. Taking a local job, or running a business here day to day, needs a residency category that Migración authorises for that work. See our guide to work permits in Costa Rica.
Staying longer than a tourist visit
If you are thinking about living here, tourism is not the way to do it, and repeated border runs are not a plan. Costa Rica’s residency categories, such as Pensionado, Rentista and Investor, let you stay for years; remote workers can look at the Digital Nomad Visa. Start with our residency requirements guide.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a passport for Costa Rica?
Yes. Every visitor needs a valid passport, including US and Canadian citizens and children. ID cards, driver’s licences and birth certificates are not accepted for entry.
Can I use a US passport card to fly to Costa Rica?
No. The US passport card is not valid for international air travel. You need a passport book.
Do I need a visa to travel to Costa Rica from the US?
No. US citizens are in the first group and can be given up to 180 days without a visa.
Does my passport need six months’ validity for Costa Rica?
Not if you are in the first group: it must be valid on the day you arrive, and your stay cannot run past its expiry date. Second-group passports need 90 days, and third- and fourth-group passports 180 days.
How long can I stay in Costa Rica as a tourist?
Up to 180 days for the first group and up to 30 days for the other groups. The exact number of days is decided by the officer when you arrive.
Can I extend my tourist stay?
First-group visitors can only extend if they were given fewer than 90 days, and only up to 90. Second- and fourth-group visitors can extend up to 90 days in total.
Rules from Migración’s General Visa Directive (La Gaceta, Alcance 148, 17 November 2025) and Law 8764, article 42, checked 15 October 2026. Visa rules can change; check before you book.
Planning a longer stay? CRIE is an immigration law firm in Costa Rica with over 20 years of experience. Talk to our immigration expert, Johanna: WhatsApp +506 8373 2085 or email [email protected].
WhatsApp Johanna: +506 8373 2085