This is Part 1 of a 3 part series covering everything you need to know to get ready for your trip to Costa Rica. This first part covers what's worth sorting out the moment you book: passports, visas, and travel insurance. Part 2 covers what to pack (and what to leave at home). Part 3 covers money, medications, and a few things worth knowing once you land. If you're traveling with kids or want the full rundown on the climate, check out our other blogs that focus on these topics.
We often get asked questions about passports, visas and travel insurance requirements for travel to Costa Rica so we pulled together everything we tell first-time guests into one place.
Passport validity
Technically your passport only needs to cover the length of your permitted stay, but we tell every guest to aim for at least six months of validity beyond their travel dates. This is the standard many airlines go by at the check-in counters, and we've had guests turned away before they even boarded because a passport was close to expiring. Check the expiry date for everyone in your party, including kids, their passports have a way of sneaking up on you since they expire sooner than adult passports in most countries.
Do you need a visa?
This depends entirely on your nationality, and it's worth double-checking rather than assuming, especially if anyone in your group isn't a US or Canadian passport holder. Costa Rica sorts nationalities into groups:
Group 1: no visa needed, stays up to 180 days: covers the US, Canada, the UK, the EU, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, most of South America, and a handful of countries in Asia and the Middle East.
Group 2: no visa needed, shorter stays (up to 30 days, extendable to 90): includes much of Central America and the Caribbean, plus a few other countries.
Groups 3 & 4: a visa is required before you travel: a longer list that includes China, India, and most African nations, among others.
The number of days you're given to stay in Costa Rica is decided by the immigration officer, so don't assume you'll automatically get the maximum for your group. And because this list shifts periodically, please check your own nationality against Costa Rica's official current entry requirements before you travel. The tourism board's site or your nearest Costa Rican embassy are the sources of truth, not a blog post (including this one).
Proof of onward travel and proof of funds
Immigration can ask to see proof that you're leaving the country within your permitted stay which includes a return flight, onward flight, or bus/cruise ticket out. Keep a digital and printed copy handy for check-in and the border. Officially, you should also be able to show roughly $100 USD for each month (or partial month) of your stay - cash, cards, or a bank statement all work. This is rarely asked of a normal family on vacation, but it's a real requirement, so don't be caught totally unprepared. Be ready to give immigration your first night's address too - just let us know if you need that confirmed ahead of time.
Travel insurance
Travel insurance isn't required to enter Costa Rica anymore, but we still recommend it. Healthcare here is good and far more affordable than in the US, but it isn't free for visitors, and it's a lot cheaper to insure a trip than to pay a hospital bill out of pocket. It also covers the more mundane stuff such as a change in plans, cancelled flights, lost luggage, or a rental car mishap.
We can't honestly recommend one company over another because everyone has a good story and a bad one, and you only really find out how good an insurer is when you need to make a claim. Compare a couple of providers, read their actual Google reviews, and if you're planning anything like surfing, ATVs, or horseback riding, double-check that counts as a covered activity rather than an excluded "adventure sport." For reference, we've had good experiences with World Nomads and Insubuy.
A few practical tips
- Check every passport in your group the same day you book flights - not the week before you fly!! Kids' passports especially get forgotten.
- Keep a copy of your onward ticket somewhere you can pull up offline, not just in an email you need wifi to open.
- If your nationality requires a visa, start that process early because it can take weeks.
- Buy travel insurance close to when you book, not right before you fly, so trip-cancellation coverage actually has time to kick in.
Up next: paperwork sorted? Part 2 of this series covers what to actually pack for adults and kids plus airline baggage limits and what customs will and won't let through.
Ready to book your Costa Rica trip?
Casa Roberta and Casa Daniel are ready when your paperwork is. Book direct with us and save on platform fees.
Questions about visas or entry requirements for your specific trip? Reach out, you'll get us, not a call center.