Important Entry Requirements

Maybe this trip to Costa Rica will be your first foreign trip or maybe you have traveled a dozens of times to different countries?  Whatever the case may be, I’ll go over the top 3 important requirements to review before entering Costa Rica.  

1. Passport Expiration – Before booking your tickets, check the expiration date on your passport!  Some countries do not allow travelers to enter if they are traveling within 6 months of their passport expiring.  You must have a valid passport for a minimum of one day from the day that you enter Costa Rica.  Many backpackers go to other countries in Central America after visiting Costa Rica, so it’s important to make sure it’s valid.


2. Proof of Onward Travel / Roundtrip – In order to enter Costa Rica, you must have a non-expired passport, as well as showing proof of a return ticket to your country of origin, or proof of onward travel. This is required upon entry.  If you can’t show proof of this at the airport, bus station or other means of transportation into the country, then most likely you will be denied entry.  The only way to get around this inconvenience is to purchase a return flight or bus ticket to Nicaragua or Panama from Costa Rica on the spot.  US citizens on a tourist visa can only stay 90 days.


3. Vaccines – Costa Rica is a popular tourist destination for millions of people per year, but before traveling here it’s a good idea to be up to date on vaccines.  Hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid, yellow fever, rabies, meningitis, polio, measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis), chickenpox, shingles, pneumonia and influenza.  Yellow fever is a requirement if someone is traveling from Tanzania or Zambia in the African continent, Colombia (applies to Bogotá, Cali, Cartagena, Medellín, Barranquilla and the San Andrés providence), Ecuador (applies to Orellana, Napo, Pastaza, Zamora-Chinchipe, Sucumbíos and Morona-Santiago), Paraguay (applies to the entire country except Asunción), Perú (applies to the entire country except Cajamarca, Tumbes, Piura, Lambayeque, Machu Picchu, the Inca Trail, Cuzco and Lima), and Trinidad and Tabago (applies to entire country except Port of Spain).

Please take the time to review this checklist before visiting Costa Rica.  If you’re visiting Costa Rica from any of the countries listed above that carry Yellow Fever, you should have documentation of your vaccine ready to show custom officials upon entry. 

This isn’t a requirement to enter Costa Rica, but don’t forget to inform your bank that you’ll be leaving the country and using your debit or credit cards out of country.  Cards can be blocked if used out of country without notification.  Some banks require the individual to be present for re-activating the debit card.  In order to avoid all of that, please tell your bank before hand about your trip and when you’ll be back.  Once all these things are checked off, go read the what to bring page!  You won’t regret it!