All You Need to Know about Costa Rica Travel Restrictions

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by Trip.com

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The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has changed the way countries see health and travel. Destinations all over the world have implemented new travel restrictions and Costa Rica is no exception. In this article, a summary of the Costa Rica travel restrictions will be presented.

Overview of Costa Rica Travel Restrictions & Entry Requirements

Costa Rica Mountain View

Visitors from around the world can be granted access to the Republic of Costa Rica as long as the entry requirements are met. Costa Rica can be accessed by air, land, and sea.

Some visitors are required to have a visa for entry. All visitors must comply with the COVID-19 precautions and restrictions.

The local government does not mandate coronavirus detection tests or quarantine for those entering Costa Rica by plane or by land. Travelers entering Costa Rica by sea and have not stopped at any other destination will not need to be isolated if they have been at sea for 14 days or more.

For safety reasons, Costa Rica asks visitors to abide by certain hygiene protocols for all recreational activities.

Costa Rica Visa Requirements

Whether or not a tourist needs a visa to travel to Costa Rica depends on several factors the most important one being the traveler’s nationality. Note that a visa does not automatically guarantee entry to Costa Rica. For an overview of nationalities and their respective visa requirements, visit the Costa Rica Embassy website.

Costa Rica Travel Restrictions & Requirements - General

Costa Rica Waterfall View

All travelers to Costa Rica need to be in possession of a passport that is valid for the entire duration of their stay. A return travel ticket or an onward ticket is also needed upon entry in Costa Rica. An immigration worker will require the visitor to show it to them. They may also ask travelers to prove that they have sufficient funds to provide for themselves for the duration of their stay.

It is recommended to carry a copy of the photo page of your passport, along with a copy of the page containing your entry stamp so travelers can easily and safely identify themselves.

As of Jul 30, 2007, travelers from the countries listed below are required to show a yellow fever vaccine certificate to enter Costa Rica.

Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Bolivia, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, and the Republic of Guyana.

Costa Rica Travel Restrictions - Coronavirus

Costa Rica requires tourists to fill out a digital form called the Health Pass within 72 hours of arrival. A new form must be filled out for every individual traveler, including children traveling with their parents or guardians.

The form can be accessed on the official Health Pass web page.

Costa Rica Scenery

Travel Policy (Insurance)

As of August 1, 2021, visitors who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus with an authorized vaccine can enter Costa Rica without a travel policy. The final dose of the vaccine must have been administered at least 14 days prior to arrival in the country.

The vaccines authorized by Costa Rica include:

  1. AstraZeneca: Covishield, Vaxzervia, AXD1222, ChAdOx1, ChAdOx1_nCoV19 India
  2. Janssen: COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen, Johnson & Johnson y Ad26.COV2.S
  3. Moderna: Spikevax, mRNA-1273
  4. Pfizer-BioNTech: Comirnaty, BNT162b2 y Tozinameran
  5. Sinovac: COVID-19 Vaccine (vero cell), Coronavac ™
  6. Sinopharm: SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine (vero cell), Inactivated (InCoV)
  7. Covaxin: BBV152, Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 vaccine

In order to make use of this benefit, vaccinated visitors must attach their vaccination certificate to their completed Health Pass. For verification’s sake, certificates must contain the following information:

  1. The name of the recipient of the vaccine
  2. Date on which each dose was administered
  3. The pharmaceutical company
Costa Rica Village

It is important to note that all documents must be provided in English or Spanish to be reviewed and approved.

Travelers over the age of 18 who are not vaccinated must buy a travel insurance policy that is valid for a minimum of 5 days. The policy must cover lodging and any medical expenses in case travelers contract COVID-19 during their stay in Costa Rica.

Tourists may choose to purchase a Costa Rica travel policy or an international travel insurance policy to cover any accommodation or medical expenses related to COVID-19.

International insurance policies must meet the following criteria:

Policy must be valid during the entirety of a visitor’s stay in Costa Rica.

Policy must cover at least US$50,000 for medical expenses. This must include care required upon COVID-19 infection.

Policy must cover at least US$2,000 for accommodation expenses in case the visitor needs to quarantine due to COVID-19.

The following information must be included in the policy (in English or in Spanish):

The name of the insured traveler.

Dates on which the policy is valid.

Mention of the guaranteed coverage for medical expenses in case COVID-19 is contracted or detected in Costa Rica.

Mention of the minimum coverage of US$2,000 for quarantine accommodation expenses.

It is very important that the travel insurance policy specifies that COVID-19 coverage is included. The document must be uploaded to the mandatory Health Pass for review and approval.

Costa Rica Beach

Costa Rican Policies

If a visitor opts to purchase a Costa Rican travel policy, they are free to select any of the local insurance companies listed here, as they are registered and authorized by the General Superintendency of Insurance of Costa Rica.

INS

Sagicor

BlueCross BlueShield

It is important to note that the minimum requirement for medical coverage for Costa Rican insurers is set at US$20,000.

Visitors transiting through Costa Rica must purchase an insurance policy with a minimum coverage of 5 days.

The Costa Rican government warns visitors not to include unnecessary documents containing personal information like copies of credit cards, keys codes, or passports with the Health Pass.

Entry to Costa Rica by Sea

As of Sep 1, 2021, Costa Rica has restarted cruise tourism. Cruise ships are required to show proof of vaccination against the COVID-19 virus for the entire crew and at least 95% of eligible passengers.

During Your Stay in Costa Rica

As of Jan 8, 2022, bars, restaurants, casinos, hotels, stores, museums, art schools, gymnasiums, resorts, and adventure activities may only allow entry to those who can verify that they have been fully-vaccinated against COVID-19 with one of the accepted vaccines. This must be verified by means of a QR code or a printed vaccination certificate. The requirement only applies to those aged 12 or older.

Essential establishments like grocery stores and pharmacies will not require proof of vaccination.

For travelers coming from the United States of America, the "COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card" will be accepted.

The following individuals are exempt from the aforementioned requirement:

Children younger than 12.

Tourists who are medically exempt from the COVID-19 vaccine.

Costa Rica Building

Costa Rica Travel Restrictions Checklist

This checklist summarizes all documents and materials necessary to travel to Costa Rica.

Valid passport
Enough funds for the duration of the stay
Valid tourist visa (if applicable)
Completed Health Pass
Valid travel insurance policy
Proof of vaccination (if applicable)
Return travel ticket or onward ticket
Proof of yellow fever vaccination (if applicable)

FAQ about Costa Rica Travel Restrictions

Q: Is Costa Rica open for tourism?

A: Yes, Costa Rice is currently open for foreign tourists.

Q: Do I have to quarantine when traveling to Costa Rica?

A: Quarantine is not currently required when traveling to Costa Rica.

Q: Is a COVID-19 test required to travel to Costa Rica?

A: A COVID-19 test is not required to enter Costa Rica.

Q: What is the Costa Rica Health Pass?

A: The Costa Rica Health Pass is a digital form that must be filled out for entry into the country.

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