This memo will explain the requirements to enter Costa Rica as a tourist. You should complete the following requirements other than your visa, if necessary, to enter the country by air:
- Have a travel insurance that covers at least accommodation and medical expenses generated by the COVID-19 disease, national or international (approved by the National Tourism Institute (“ICT”)).
- Complete the form called Health Pass (Pase de Salud), generated by the Ministry of Health.
- Have the negative PCR-RT COVID-19 test obtained on the last 72 hours.
- Evidence that they will leave the country by air
- Come from an authorized country or state
- Driver’s license or State ID
People who arrived by air and intended to leave by sea or land will not be accepted.
Passengers who fail to comply with these requirements may not enter the country.
Upon landing in Costa Rican territory, travelers must wear face protection and comply with the strict protocols of the air terminal with regard to physical distancing, disinfection of carpets, and taking temperature readings, and must follow any other sanitary instructions.
Tourists from authorized states may enter the country even if their route includes a stop at a destination that is not authorized, as long as they do not leave the transit airport.
Travel insurance
The Government of Costa Rica allows international insurances and two from Costa Rica.
The tourist will have to request from the international insurer a certification issued in English or Spanish, stating at least three conditions:
- Validity of the effective policy during the visit in Costa Rica.
- Guarantee that it covers medical expenses in cases of pandemic disease COVID 19 in Costa Rica, for at least $ 50,000 (fifty thousand dollars of the United States of America).
- That includes a minimum coverage of $ 2,000 for extended lodging expenses due to pandemic illness.
However, you can waive such $2,000 coverage if you have lodging because you own a home. What you have to do is upload your insurance document in your Health Pass (gets available 48 hours before your departure time) https://salud.go.cr. The Health Pass-ICT staff will send you an email asking you for the lodging coverage in your insurance, so you send the documents of your house, proving you own a house in Costa Rica.
Make sure your insurance document has points 1 and 2 before upload it.
A group insurance is acceptable only if covers all expenses mentioned for each individual.
When you are complying with the requirements to travel to Costa Rica you will need to complete a Form at https://salud.go.cr They will ask for the info of the insurance. If the insurance has an issue the form will create a purple alert for review the insurance or a red alert which is a no entry alert. If that insurance is not accepted, you can get at the airport one from a Costa Rican provider.
If you prefer to get a Costa Rican insurance your options are:
- INS (National Insurance Instituted) https://micrositios.ins-cr.com/seguroviajero/or
- Sagicorhttps://www.sagicor.cr/seguro_para_turistas/
Complete the form called Health Pass
Fill out the electronic epidemiological HEALTH PASS form, available at https://salud.go.cr.
Negative PCR-RT COVID-19 test obtained on the last 72 hours.
All persons, including minors, must provide a RT-PCR diagnostic test with a negative result; the sample must have been taken within 72 hours of travel to Costa Rica.
Come from an authorized country or state
The tourist who are not nationals of one of the following authorized countries, but who prove they have stayed in one of them during the 14 days prior to the flight, will be able to enter.
The authorized countries and States are (up to October 10, 2020):
| 1. Australia | 11. Ireland | 21. Kingdom of Spain | 31. Republic of Korea | 41. Republic of Poland | 51. Portuguese Republic |
| 2. Belize | 12. Jamaica | 22. Kingdom of the Netherlands | 32. Republic of Croatia | 42. Republic of San Marino | 52. Romania |
| 3. Canada | 13. Japan | 23. Kingdom of Norway | 33. Republic of Slovenia | 43. Republic of Singapore | 53. Taiwan (Region). |
| 4. Swiss Confederation | 14. Nicaragua | 24. Kingdom of Sweden | 34. Republic of Estonia | 44. Slovak Republic | |
| 5. El Salvador | 15. New Zealand | 25. Kingdom of Thailand | 35. Republic of Finland | 45. Federal Republic of Germany | |
| 6. State of the Vatican | 16. Panama | 26. United Kingdom of Great Britain and North Ireland | 36. Republic of Hungary | 46. French Republic | |
| 7. United Mexican States | 17. Principality of Liechtenstein | 27. Czech Republic | 37. Republic of Iceland | 47. Hellenic Republic (Greece) | |
| 8. Grand Duchy of Luxembourg | 18. Principality of Monaco | 28. Cypriot Republic | 38. Republic of Latvia | 48. Italian Republic | |
| 9. Guatemala | 19. Kingdom Belgium | 29. Republic of Austria | 39. Republic of Lithuania | 49. Oriental Republic of Uruguay | |
| 10. Honduras | 20. Kingdom of Denmark | 30. Republic of Bulgaria | 40. Republic of Malta | 50. People’s Republic of China |
- And from United States of America only the following states:
- As of September 1: Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, or Virginia (and Washington, D.C.)
- As of September 15: Colorado, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Washington, Oregon, Wyoming, Arizona, New Mexico, Michigan and Rhode Island.
- As of October 1: California and Ohio
- As of October 15: Texas, Georgia, and Florida
- As of November 1st: the rest of USA
The Government and the National Tourism Institute announced that air borders will be open for all countries, from November 1st, 2020 onwards.
Note: The purpose of the present publication is to provide general information on the updates for Immigration regulations in Costa Rica and it is not intended to be legal advice as such. In case more specific information is required regarding these topics, please do not hesitate to contact any of our lawyers.
