A return flight ticket is needed when entering Costa Rica. The immigration officer will ask for it upon your arrival. It is advisable to make a photocopy or take a picture of your passport with the entry stamp to carry at all times during your stay.
- Your country of origin determines the amount of days available to stay in Costa Rica as a tourist.
- In some cases, the Immigration official may request you show economic solvency for your stay in the country
- Even with a 90-day tourist visa, the immigration official determines the duration of your stay as allowed by your passport.
Visitors to Costa Rica must have a valid passport as well as proof of their intent to exit the country before their visa or entry stamp expires, usually within 90 days.
All non-resident travelers must possess a return ticket or a ticket as proof of when they intend to exit the country, commonly referred to as an outbound exit or onward ticket. An onward ticket is required of non-residents who are:
- Traveling on a one-way ticket
- Entering the country with a return ticket dated more than 90 days after arrival
- Flying into Costa Rica and flying out of another country
By law, an onward ticket includes any of the following on approved, commercial transport:
- A pre-purchased bus ticket out of the country
- A pre-purchased flight out of the country
- Proof of passage on a cruise ship
Once you arrive or depart from an airport in Costa Rica, remember if you carry an amount equal to or greater than US$10,000 or its equivalent in other currencies, cash or securities, you must declare it before the Customs Authority in the baggage area, through the form provided for this purpose, stated by Costa Rican law (No. 8204, article 35).
What inoculations do I need before entering Costa Rica?
Starting on July 30, 2007, all travelers coming from the following countries must possess a yellow fever vaccination certificate before entry into Costa Rica will be allowed: 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.
American citizens/USA Passport holders do not need a visa to enter Costa Rica. However, they must have a current valid passport and show proof of a return ticket to exit Costa Rica. Please carry a copy of your return itinerary with you in case the customs agent asks to see it, as they often do.
Remember that while in Costa Rica, you are subject to local law. Showing contempt to a Costa Rica government official at the port of entry or elsewhere, is a serious offense.
Arrival in Costa Rica
Upon arrival at the international airport, you will of course have to go through immigration and customs. Once you have collected your baggage and are leaving the cordoned area into the public area, an AEA representative will be waiting for you. They will be holding a placard with your university name, and the paging board will have the easily recognizable AEA logo.