Welcome to Costa Rica!
Entry Requirements During the COVID-19 Pandemic
All international tourists are permitted to enter Costa Rica by air, land and sea.
Tourists must meet the visa requirements, when applicable, as well as the requirements established in the framework of the pandemic.
The Government of Costa Rica does not require tourists entering by air, land or sea to present a negative COVID-19 test, nor quarantine upon arrival.
Tourists visiting Costa Rica are requested to abide by the sanitary protocols in place when participating in tourist activities throughout the country.
*Important Update* From Dec. 1, 2021 to Feb. 7, 2022, commercial establishments must display their operation modality on their exteriors, indicating whether proof of vaccination via the QR code generated through the Health Pass is required to enter. Commercial establishments that do not require the QR code must operate under limited capacity. Minors will not be required to present proof of vaccination.
From Dec. 17, 2021 individuals vaccinated abroad (Costa Rican citizens or foreigners) who do not have a QR code will be able to verify their vaccination status using the physical card provided when they were vaccinated. This will allow these individuals to enter commercial establishments which require proof of vaccination.
Country Entry Requirements
Tourists can verify if they require entry with or without a visa at the following link: https://migracion.go.cr/Paginas/Visas.aspx.
The CIRCULAR DG-004-2021-UI-AJ that details the countries in the first, second, third and fourth groups is available at:
https://migracion.go.cr/Documentos%20compartidos/Circulares%20y%20Directrices/2021/DIRECTRICES%20GENERALES%20DE%20INGRESO%20Circular%20DG-004-2021-UI-AJFEB%202021.pdf
In the framework of the pandemic, the following requirements were also established:
1. Complete the digital form called HEALTH PASS, available at https://salud.go.cr
The Health Pass can only be completed within 72 hours prior to arrival in the country. It must be accessed via updated browsers with the exception of Internet Explorer.
One form must be completed per person, including minors.
All tourists must complete the Health Pass.
2. Travel Policy
Tourists who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and individuals aged 18 and younger (even if unvaccinated) can enter the country without a travel policy. The last dose of the vaccine must have been applied at least 14 days prior to arrival in Costa Rica.
The list of authorized vaccines include:AstraZeneca: Covishield, Vaxzervia, AXD1222, ChAdOx1, ChAdOx1_nCoV19 IndiaJanssen: COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen, Johnson & Johnson y Ad26.COV2.SModerna: Spikevax, mRNA-1273Pfizer-BioNTech: Comirnaty, BNT162b2 y TozinameranSinovac: COVID-19 Vaccine (vero cell), Coronavac ™Sinopharm: SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine (vero cell), Inactivated (InCoV)Covaxin: BBV152, Bharat Biotech’s COVID-19 vaccine
Vaccinated tourists must attach their vaccination certificate to the Health Pass.
As proof, vaccination certificates and vaccination cards that contain at least the following information will be accepted:
- Name of the individual who received the vaccine
- Date of each dose
- Pharmaceutical site
In the case of U.S. travelers, the “COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card” will be accepted.
Documentation must be submitted in English or Spanish. Submitting documentation in a different language will prevent it from being reviewed.The Ministry of Health and the Costa Rican Tourism Institute are exempt from any responsibility in the event that a traveler submits information in a language other than English or Spanish.
Unvaccinated individuals aged 18 and older must purchase a travel policy with a duration equal to the period of stay in the country, with the exception of passengers in transit, whose minimum validity is five days that covers, at least, medical expenses generated by Covid-19 and lodging expenses due to quarantine.
International Policies
Tourists can select any international insurance company that meets the following requirements:
1. Valid during the entire stay in Costa Rica (coverage dates)
2. $50,000 for medical expenses, including COVID-19 infection
3. $2,000 for lodging expenses in the event of COVID-19 quarantine
Travelers must ask their insurance company for a certificate/letter in English or Spanish stating the following information:
1. Name of the individual traveling
2. Validity of the effective policy during the Costa Rica visit (travel dates)
3. Guaranteed coverage for medical expenses in the event of COVID-19 in Costa Rica, valued at least $50,000
4. Minimum coverage of $2,000 for lodging expenses for quarantine or trip interruption for this same amount
This certificate must specify that the policy covers COVID-19 and must be uploaded to the HEALTH PASS to be reviewed and approved by Costa Rican authorities.
IMPORTANT: Insurance cards are not accepted. The document must include the verification of the coverage mentioned.
Costa Rican Policies
Tourists can also select any of the following Costa Rican insurance companies, which sell products registered and authorized by the General Superintendency of Insurance of Costa Rica.
INS: https://www.grupoins.com/seguros-para-viajero/seguro-viajero-ingreso-costa-rica/
Sagicor: https://tiendasagicor.com/en/
BlueCross BlueShield: https://www.bluecrossblueshieldcr.com/rod
IMPORTANT: The minimum coverage is set at $50,000 for international policies, while the minimum coverage for policies sold by Costa Rican insurers is set at $20,000.
Foreigners in the immigration category with a permanent or temporary residence, or a special category in the latter case (with the exception of the Student Subcategory), must demonstrate the assurance by the Costa Rican Social Security Fund, which is in force and can be verified at the following link: https://sfa.ccss.sa.cr/servMedicos/validarDerechos.do
Tourists who are in transit through the country must purchase insurance with a minimum coverage of five days.
Costa Rican citizens do not require health insurance.
Tourists are requested and warned not to attach unsolicited personal documents, such as copies of credit cards, keys or private passwords or other information in the Health Pass: https://salud.go.cr nor in emails to seguros@ict.go.cr. Only a copy of the insurance policy should be attached.
Questions
Entry by air or land – By land, the country admits tourists from groups one and two included in the general guidelines for entry and stay visas for non-residents who do not require a visa. Tourists can email seguros@ict.go.cr if they have any questions or concerns about medical insurance requirements.
Entry by sea – On Sept. 1, Costa Rica reactivated cruise tourism for the 2021-2022 season. As a requirement, vessels must guarantee complete vaccination schedules against the COVID-19 virus in all crew members and 95% of passengers who are of age to be vaccinated.
Yacht and sailboat passengers and crew members can email seguros.marinas@ict.go.cr if they have any questions or concerns about medical insurance requirements.
Those who fail to comply with these requirements will not be permitted to enter the country.