Costa Rica is recognized worldwide as an ideal destination for tourism, thanks to its beautiful landscapes and biodiversity, also, this country is a pioneer in Latin America with regards to strengthening environmental protection policies. These are some of the reasons why each year it receives more foreign visitors. If you are captivated by this nation and want to visit, you must know the requirements needed to enter the country.
To begin it is important to know that citizens of the United States of America and Canada do not need to apply for a tourist visa to enter the country, it is enough to have a valid passport and an airplane ticket to leave Costa Rica within 90 days of your entry (either to return to your country or to go to another country). If you wish to stay longer you can request a permit.
Types of permits.
Here we list some of the types of permits that exist to enter Costa Rica if you intend to stay longer than the 90 days (allowed for tourism):
Business Agents, Travelers or Commercial Delegates:
The main requirement is a letter indicating the reasons for requesting the stay. This must be identified with the full name of the applicant, nationality, age, occupation, address of the place where he lives and place or means for notifications.
It is important to know that the letter must be directly signed, you can do it in front of the Migration officer or present the signature authenticated by a lawyer. You must also present the payment receipt with the amount of ¢125 and ¢2.50 for each sheet submitted with the application, where your name indicated as a depositor in the account: 242480-0 of the Bank of Costa Rica.
Other requirements are Two recent passport-sized photographs, proof of fingerprint registration issued by the corresponding Ministry of Public Security and proof of consular registration the requirements for such registration will be determined at the corresponding Consulate.
Besides, you must carry a payment receipt for the sum of one hundred dollars (the US $ 100.00) or its equivalent in Colones at the reference exchange rate of the Central Bank, in the account: 242480-0 of the Bank of Costa Rica. Besides photocopy of all pages of the valid passport. The photocopy must be certified and must be shown together with the original before the official who receives them, or by a notary public.
Lastly, you must show the letter of the company to which you are associated, indicating the functions that you will carry out in the country, with an express indication stating that you will not accrue payments of salary or fees in the country. It should be mentioned that if the length of your stay exceeds six months, you must present a criminal record and birth certificate duly certified and authenticated.
It is important to know that any stay extension request must be made while your visa time has not expired. Foreigners who are authorized to stay under the Non-Resident Category may enter and leave the country as many times as necessary if it does not exceed the authorized period of stay. In case of non-compliance, you must make a new request.
Resident visa:
For citizens of the United States or Canada to apply for this visa they will only have to cancel the visa application process that is ($ 50), in addition to presenting the following documentation:
Application addressed to the Consul of Costa Rica nearest your place residence, and include: full name and surname, nationality, passport number, place of residence, reason for the trip, clearly indicating that it is for a visa application as a provisional resident, expected time of stay in Costa Rica, approximate date of arrival in the country, profession or trade, exact address of the place where you will stay in Costa Rica, date and place of birth, fax number to receive notifications, date, and signature.
Current criminal record certificate. If it is not in Spanish, you must make a certified translation.
Passport or travel document, valid with an expiration date not less than six months and a copy of all its pages
Certificate issued by the Costa Rican Civil Registry of Marriages and Birth indicating your links with Costa Rican citizens, or a birth certificate if you are a minor. These last requirements are especially important if you plan to apply for permanent residence.
Certified proof of economic solvency presented to the Migration and Foreigners Department of Costa Rica or at the Consulate of Costa Rica nearest your place residence.
