Basic Information for Entering Costa Rica

You will need a Passport that is valid for at least 3 months beyond your intended stay in Costa Rica. For all adults and children (birth to 16yrs) joint passports are issued to parent/legal guardian and child. To obtain an Authorized Visa please go to the Consulate in your jurisdiction. We do not accept visa applications by mail While in Costa Rica passport issues may be resolved at the U.S. Embassy.

For U.S. Citizens a visa is not needed unless you stay in Costa Rica for more than 90 days. Other countries have different requirements so if you are not a U.S. citizen visit the Embassy of Costa Rica.

A Ticket for Return or continued travel is necessary. A pre-paid airline ticket to exit Costa Rica or proof of financial resources ($400.00US - $1,000.00US in cash, traveler checks, and/or credit cards) to pay for the market value of a one-way airline ticket (either to return to your home or to go to another country)

Note: The government of Costa Rica after November 17, 2003 announced they will NOT accept U.S. driver licenses/IDs and U.S. birth/naturalization certificates as entry documents.

You can file for a stay extension at the Immigration Department of Costa Rica. Or, you may exit Costa Rica and re-enter. Most tourists visit Nicaragua or Panama - Costa Rica's neighbor countries - for a day and come back into Costa Rica.

Travelers must be at the airport two hours before departure. There is a departure tax of U.S. $26.00.

A $20.00 U.S. dollar fine will be charged upon departure from Costa Rica if you overstayed your permitted length in the country.

*Bring your credit cards but a “visa” is an endorsement by a “visa officer” in a passport or a certificate of identity which indicates that the visa officer, at the time of issuing the visa, knows of no reason that the holder of the passport or certificate of identity should not be granted the relevant permit.

Air Travel

Airlines traveling regularly to Costa Rica: United Airlines, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, Mexicana de Aviación, Copa Airlines, Aviateca, Martinair, American West, US Airways.

Customs

There are no customs duties charged on personal luggage, which includes items for personal and professional use, as long as they do not appear in such quantities that suggest commercial intent. Costa Rican law requires ALL baggage to be examined thoroughly and that travelers submit to customs regulations listing all articles entering Costa Rica including fruit, vegetables, meat, meat products, biological products such as vaccinations, serums, etc. In the case of one’s family, one declaration may be filled out by the head of household.

Tico Business Hours

Most Banks are open from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. and do not close for lunch. Government offices are open from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Most commercial business open from 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Stores and other businesses at commercial centers from 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Most restaurants open from 10:00 am to 11:00 pm. Hotels and some restaurants are open 24 hours. There is a 13% sales tax at hotels, restaurants and most service industries, and an additional 3% tourist tax at hotels.

Communications & Language

Land lines with direct-dial telephone services, fax, telex, radio (119 commercial and 17 public service institutions,) 12 TV Stations and Cable and Satellite are all available. Bilingual operator assistance for international calls dial:116, local information dial:113, long distance information dial:124 Internet cafes are available in most towns and hotels. National or official language: Spanish. Literacy rate: 96% (2003). Additional spoken languages include: Basque, Eastern Yiddish, Ngäbere (5,092), Yue Chinese (4,500). Information resource SIL 1967–2002. Blind population: 2,500. Deaf population: 202,625. Deaf institutions: 9. The number of languages listed for Costa Rica is 10. Of those, 9 are living languages and 1 is extinct.

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