Vatican CityCosta Rica: Visa-free

Vatican CityCosta Rica

Do Vatican City passport holders need a visa for Costa Rica?

Visa-free

No. Vatican City passport holders do not need a visa to visit Costa Rica for tourism for stays of up to 6 months.

No visa is required for a short tourist stay. Travel on a valid passport alone.

Source: embassycr.org (checked July 18, 2026).

RequirementVisa-free

Maximum stay6 months

ScopeTourism, ordinary passport

Action before travelNone, travel on your passport

Data as of2026-10-14

Visa-free access to Costa Rica139 of 242 nationalities tracked

Other visa-free destinations for Vatican City passport holders

See all Vatican City destinations →

Frequently asked questions

Do Vatican City passport holders need a visa for Costa Rica?

No. Vatican City passport holders do not need a visa to visit Costa Rica for tourism for stays of up to 6 months.

How long can Vatican City citizens stay in Costa Rica without a visa?

Up to 6 months, for tourism, ordinary passport.

What currency is used in Costa Rica?

Costa Rican colón (CRC).

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.

How many countries can enter Costa Rica without a visa?

139 of the 242 nationalities this site tracks can enter Costa Rica visa-free, with a visa on arrival, or with an eTA.

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.

About Vatican City

Vatican City, officially the Vatican City State, often shortened as the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state in Southern Europe. Ruled by the pope, it is an enclave within the city of Rome, Italy, and serves as the administrative centre of the Catholic Church. Vatican City is governed by the See of Rome, commonly known as the Holy See, itself a sovereign entity under international law, which maintains its temporal power, governance, diplomacy, and spiritual independence. Vatican is also used as a metonym for the Holy See, which is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City, comprising the pope and the Roman Curia. The independent state of Vatican City came into existence in 1929 via the Lateran Treaty between the Holy See and the Kingdom of Italy, which spoke of it as a creation, not as a vestige of the much larger Papal States (756–1870), which had previously encompassed much of Central Italy.

RegionSouthern Europe

Area0 km²

CurrencyEuro (1 USD ≈ 0.89 EUR)

LanguagesItalian, Latin

Calling code+3906698, +379

Drives on theright

Emergency number112

UNESCO sites2

Travel guide

Vatican City is the world's smallest country both by area and by population, and is the centre of Catholicism. This tiny country completely within Rome is packed with more history and artwork than most cities in the world, and indeed many countries. St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel are all in Vatican City.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura
Vatican City

Upcoming public holidays

November 1, 2026Tutti i Santi, Ognissanti

December 8, 2026Immacolata Concezione

December 25, 2026Natale

Full source list on About.

About Costa Rica

Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica, is a country in Central America. It borders Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the northeast, Panama to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, sharing a maritime border with Ecuador to the south of Cocos Island. It has a population of around five million in a land area of nearly 51,180 km2 (19,760 sq mi); the capital and largest city is San José, home to around 350,000 residents and two million people in the surrounding metropolitan area.

CapitalSan Jose

RegionCentral America

Population5.2M

Area51,100 km²

CurrencyCosta Rican colón (1 USD ≈ 455.96 CRC)

LanguagesSpanish

Calling code+506

Drives on theright

TimezoneCosta Rica (UTC-6)

Nearest airportQuepos Managua Airport (XQP), 25 km

Emergency number112 / 911

UNESCO sites5

Income levelHigh income

GDP per capita$19,970 (2025)

Tourist arrivals1.1M (2020)

Climate in San Jose

Warmest April, coolest December, driest February, sunniest March. Best time to visit: January, February, March, April, June, July.

Monthly climate normals for San Jose, 2020
Month	High	Low	Rainfall	Sunshine
January	21.9°C	15.9°C	84mm	320h
February	22.7°C	15.4°C	12mm	332h
March	23.5°C	15.2°C	12mm	362h
April	23.4°C	15.7°C	151mm	302h
May	22.3°C	16.6°C	540mm	234h
June	21.4°C	15.7°C	525mm	231h
July	21.8°C	15.4°C	457mm	278h
August	21.5°C	15.7°C	1010mm	241h
September	21.4°C	15.3°C	1009mm	250h
October	21.1°C	15.4°C	958mm	235h
November	20.3°C	15.4°C	968mm	213h
December	20.9°C	14.7°C	260mm	299h

Avg. high/low, °C (left axis) Rainfall, mm (bar maxes out at 250mm/month)

Daily normals for 2020. Hover a month for exact figures.

Travel guide

Costa Rica has bewilderingly diverse culture, climates, flora, and fauna, and landscapes range from rainforests, to dry tropical and temperate forests, to volcanoes, to Caribbean and Pacific beaches, to high mountains, and marshy lowlands. Costa Rica is an exceptionally stable and peaceful country compared to the volatile region it's in, and is one of the world's top destinations for nature and ecotourism. Owing in part to its comparative wealth, it can be a bit more expensive than its northern neighbors in Central America.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Area de Conservación Guanacaste World Heritage Site
Cocos Island National Park
Precolumbian Chiefdom Settlements with Stone Spheres of the Diquís
Stone spheres of Costa Rica
Talamanca Range-La Amistad Reserves

Upcoming public holidays

December 1, 2026Día de la Abolición del Ejército

December 25, 2026Navidad

January 1, 2027Año Nuevo

Full source list on About.