The Costa Rican passport recovered in 2022 its power to enter other countries without the need for a prior visa, according to an international index that places the travel document of Ticos at the level prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, when it won strength to cross borders without major requirements.
Among 175 countries analyzed (where 175 have the best score), the national passport reached 140th place in the so-called Global Passport Power Ranking 2022, which compares and classifies travel documents according to the possibilities they offer their bearers. According to this measurement, Ticos can freely enter 140 countries, 90 of which do not require a visa and allow stays of between 30 and 90 days.
In 46 cases, entry is allowed, but a visa must be attached at the entry point, or an Electronic Visa (eVisa) must be obtained. This is usually a simple online travel registration process for citizens exempt from conventional visas. In these 46 cases, the legal stay times range from 30 to 120 days.
Only in four countries are Ticos asked for an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), which is an entry requirement for foreigners also exempt from a visa. Applying is usually a simple online process that is ready in a day. These are the cases of: Ivory Coast, Pakistan, South Korea and Sri Lanka that allow stays of 30 to 90 days. In 58 foreign territories, Ticos do require a prior visa.
Gets better
The position of 2022 represents an improvement in the mobility options of national passports since it is just one step less than the 141st position assigned to Costa Rica in 2019. For that year he had advanced seven places after occupying the 134th position in 2018. In 2017, he was in the 123rd place in the ranking.
During 2020 and 2021, in the midst of the pandemic and with international restrictions on travel abroad, the Costa Rican transit document ranked 86th and 115th, respectively.
Global Passport Power Ranking
The 2022 Global Passport Power Ranking is compiled by the Passport Index online platform, a free interactive tool that makes travel planning easier for its users by providing information on entry requirements for nationals and possibilities to analyze one’s own passport and compare it with others. .
The rankings are based on freedom of mobility and visa-free travel available to individual passport holders. As part of its methodology, Passport Index declares the condition of no prior visa, according to reciprocity between countries.
Some countries have a carte blanche policy in this matter in order to promote tourism and therefore people traveling there will enjoy greater freedoms to move around. Next, the countries to which Ticos can travel according to current entry requirements compiled by 2022 by Passport Index.
