🇨🇷Visa requirements for Costa Rica
Who can enter Costa Rica, by nationality. Tourism. Data as of October 19, 2026.
Passport holders from 139 countries can enter Costa Rica without a visa in advance. All 139 enter visa-free on a valid passport. Everyone else needs a visa, or an e-visa where one is offered, before travelling.
- 139 visa-free
- 0 on arrival
- 0 eTA
- 0 e-visa
- 103 visa required
242 nationalities
Visa-free entry
139 nationalities
Ã…land Islands6 months
American Samoa6 months
Andorra6 months
Anguilla6 months
Antigua and Barbuda6 months
Argentina6 months
Aruba6 months
Australia6 months
Austria6 months
Bahamas6 months
Barbados6 months
Belgium6 months
Belize6 months
Bermuda6 months
Bolivia6 months
Brazil6 months
British Indian Ocean Territory6 months
British Virgin Islands6 months
Brunei6 months
Bulgaria6 months
Canada6 months
Caribbean Netherlands6 months
Cayman Islands6 months
Chile6 months
Christmas Island6 months
Cocos (Keeling) Islands6 months
Cook Islands6 months
Croatia6 months
Curaçao6 months
Cyprus6 months
Czechia6 months
Denmark6 months
Dominica6 months
El Salvador6 months
Estonia6 months
Falkland Islands6 months
Faroe Islands6 months
Fiji6 months
Finland6 months
France6 months
French Guiana6 months
French Polynesia6 months
French Southern Territories6 months
Germany6 months
Gibraltar6 months
Greece6 months
Greenland6 months
Grenada6 months
Guadeloupe6 months
Guam6 months
Guatemala6 months
Guernsey6 months
Guyana6 months
Honduras6 months
Hungary6 months
Iceland6 months
Ireland6 months
Isle of Man6 months
Israel6 months
Italy6 months
Japan6 months
Jersey6 months
Kiribati6 months
Latvia6 months
Liechtenstein6 months
Lithuania6 months
Luxembourg6 months
Malaysia6 months
Maldives6 months
Malta6 months
Marshall Islands6 months
Martinique6 months
Mauritius6 months
Mayotte6 months
Mexico6 months
Micronesia6 months
Monaco6 months
Montenegro6 months
Montserrat6 months
Nauru6 months
Netherlands6 months
New Caledonia6 months
New Zealand6 months
Niue6 months
Norfolk Island6 months
Northern Mariana Islands6 months
Norway6 months
Palau6 months
Panama6 months
Paraguay6 months
Peru6 months
Philippines6 months
Pitcairn Islands6 months
Poland6 months
Portugal6 months
Puerto Rico6 months
Qatar6 months
Réunion6 months
Romania6 months
Russia6 months
Saint Barthélemy6 months
Saint Helena6 months
Saint Kitts and Nevis6 months
Saint Lucia6 months
Saint Martin6 months
Saint Pierre and Miquelon6 months
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines6 months
Samoa6 months
San Marino6 months
São Tomé and PrÃncipe6 months
Serbia6 months
Seychelles6 months
Singapore6 months
Sint Maarten6 months
Slovakia6 months
Slovenia6 months
Solomon Islands6 months
South Africa6 months
South Korea6 months
Spain6 months
Suriname6 months
Sweden6 months
Switzerland6 months
Taiwan6 months
Tokelau6 months
Tonga6 months
Trinidad and Tobago6 months
Turkey6 months
Turks and Caicos Islands6 months
Tuvalu6 months
U.S. Virgin Islands6 months
Ukraine6 months
United Arab Emirates6 months
United Kingdom6 months
United States6 months
Uruguay6 months
Vanuatu6 months
Vatican City6 months
Wallis and Futuna6 months
Visa required in advance
103 nationalities
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Angola
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Benin
Bhutan
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Central African Republic
Chad
China
Colombia
Comoros
Côte d’Ivoire
Cuba
Djibouti
Dominican Republic
DR Congo
Ecuador
Egypt
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Haiti
Hong Kong
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Jamaica
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kosovo
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Macau
Madagascar
Malawi
Mali
Mauritania
Moldova
Mongolia
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nepal
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
North Korea
North Macedonia
Oman
Pakistan
Palestine
Papua New Guinea
Republic of the Congo
Rwanda
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Somalia
South Sudan
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Syria
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Togo
Tunisia
Turkmenistan
Uganda
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Costa Rica
Costa Rica has 5 sites on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
- Area de Conservación Guanacaste World Heritage Site
- Cocos Island National Park
- Precolumbian Chiefdom Settlements with Stone Spheres of the DiquÃs
- Stone spheres of Costa Rica
- Talamanca Range-La Amistad Reserves
Source: Wikidata, community-maintained and not the official UNESCO count.
Nearby destinations
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa to visit Costa Rica?
It depends on your passport. 139 nationalities can enter Costa Rica without arranging a visa in advance (visa-free, on arrival, or eTA); everyone else needs a visa or e-visa. Use the tables below to check a specific passport.
What is the best time to visit Costa Rica?
January, February, March, April, June, July, based on San Jose's climate normals: mild temperatures and below-average rainfall for the year.
What currency is used in Costa Rica?
Costa Rican colón (CRC). 1 USD is approximately 454.24 CRC.
What side of the road does Costa Rica drive on?
Costa Rica drives on the right.
How many UNESCO World Heritage Sites does Costa Rica have?
5: Area de Conservación Guanacaste World Heritage Site, Cocos Island National Park, Precolumbian Chiefdom Settlements with Stone Spheres of the DiquÃs, Stone spheres of Costa Rica, Talamanca Range-La Amistad Reserves.
What is the emergency number in Costa Rica?
112 / 911.
What time zone is Costa Rica in?
Costa Rica (UTC-6).
What is the nearest airport to San Jose?
Quepos Managua Airport (XQP), about 25 km away.
Visa rules change frequently and can depend on your specific circumstances. This site is compiled from public government sources and is provided for general information only. Always confirm requirements with the official immigration authority or a consulate of your destination before you travel.