Costa Rica e-Visa
Everything you need to apply for your Costa Rica e-Visa: the requirements, the documents, and the steps from start to approval.
Official Costa Rica government portalOverview
The Costa Rica e-Visa is the entry authorisation for nationals who must arrange a visa before they travel for tourism or a short visit. Costa Rica admits visitors for stays of up to 90 days, and a 2025 immigration resolution raised the permitted stay for many nationalities to 180 days, so most short trips fit comfortably within a single authorised period. The right route depends on your nationality: many passport holders, including those from the European Union, the United States, Canada and Australia, enter without a visa, while others must obtain one ahead of travel.
When a visa is required, your application is prepared and reviewed in your own language so it reaches the authority complete and consistent. The authorisation covers tourism and short visits only; it does not permit paid work, study toward a degree or long-term residence, which require the corresponding visa applied for at a Costa Rican consulate. Whether or not a visa is needed, every traveller still has to satisfy Costa Rica's entry conditions at the border, and an entry-readiness check helps you arrive with the right documents in hand.
You travel on the passport used for the application, and each traveller, including children, is handled as a separate case. The closing step is always one clear, all-inclusive price covering the government fee and the service fee, with the government portion itemised on your receipt.
Requirements in detail
A Costa Rica e-Visa asks for less than a full residence application, but gather these before you begin so every detail matches your passport. You need a valid passport, the same document you will travel on, valid for the whole of your stay with a comfortable margin beyond your return date, since passports close to expiry are a frequent reason for being turned away. Have its number and its issue and expiry dates in front of you.
You also need proof of onward or return travel, normally a booked flight leaving the country rather than a one-way ticket, evidence of sufficient funds for the trip, and details of where you will stay, such as a hotel booking or a host address. The application asks for your passport data, your trip dates and these supporting documents, and the consular tourist visa is issued for a single trip. A working email address receives the decision, and a payment card covers the single all-inclusive price, with the government fee itemised on your receipt.
Every traveller, including each child, needs their own application, so prepare one set of details for each person.
What you'll need
Have these ready before you begin your application. Requirements can vary by nationality and trip purpose.
- Passport with at least six months validity
- Recent digital passport photograph
- Confirmed return or onward flight booking
- Costa Rican accommodation address or host invitation
- Email address for e-Visa delivery
- Payment method (one all-inclusive price)
How to apply
Applying for a Costa Rica e-Visa starts by confirming your route, because entry is nationality-based: many passport holders, including those from the European Union, the United States, Canada and Australia, enter without a visa, while others must obtain one before travel. First, enter your nationality and trip details so the right route is confirmed for your passport. Second, have your passport, your onward or return flight, your proof of funds and your accommodation details ready.
Third, complete the guided form in your own language, checking the spelling of your name and every digit of your passport number against the passport itself. Fourth, review the single all-inclusive price and pay; the application is checked for completeness and consistency before it reaches the Costa Rican authority. Finally, you receive a tracking code and your confirmation by email, and you travel on the same passport used for the application.
On arrival
Arriving in Costa Rica is mainly about being ready for the border check rather than carrying a printout. Immigration officers commonly ask to see a return or onward ticket, proof that you can support yourself during the stay, and where you will be staying, so keep these to hand as you land. Travel on the same passport used for your application, since that is what is checked against your records.
The officer makes the final decision on admission and sets the length of stay stamped in your passport, which may be shorter than the maximum, so be ready to explain your plans briefly and clearly. If you obtained a visa before travelling, have it available with your passport. Saving your booking confirmations and accommodation details on your phone, with a printed copy as a backup, makes the arrival quick and avoids needless questions.
Government processing time
What the issuing authority typically takes once the application is submitted.
Government processing: Costa Rica Direccion General de Migracion y Extranjeria decides in 1 to 7 business days for nationalities that need a visa before travel. When to apply: submit as soon as your trip is booked rather than waiting until the last week, because a request still in review cannot be sped up once your departure date is close and a consular appointment may be needed. VisitPass review: Standard under 24h, Priority under 6h, Urgent under 30 min.
The application is checked for completeness, submitted to the authority, and the confirmation issued by email once the decision is made.
At a glance
- Validity
- Up to 90 days
- Maximum stay
- 90 days
- Entry type
- Single
Who can apply
Costa Rica uses a nationality-based entry system: some travellers enter visa-free, while others must arrange an e-Visa before they fly. Confirm the route for your passport before you apply so you arrive with the right documents either way. EU, US, Canadian, Australian and most Latin American travellers are visa-exempt for stays up to 90 days, while restricted-nationality travellers obtain the e-Visa before departure.
Each traveller, including children, needs their own application.
Is this the official application?
VisitPass is an independent travel-document service, not a government website and not affiliated with the Costa Rican authority. When a visa is required for your nationality, your application is prepared, reviewed for completeness and consistency, and submitted to the official Costa Rican system; the government fee is paid in full to the issuing authority and itemised on your receipt, while the service fee covers preparing the application, reviewing it before submission and email support. You can always apply directly on the official government portal yourself; many travellers choose a guided form to complete it in their own language and have it checked before it is sent.
The decision rests solely with the Costa Rican government.
Costa Rica help desk
Have questions about your e-Visa? Email the Costa Rica desk and we reply within 24 hours.
costarica@visitpass-online.comVisitPass is an independent visa-application service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by any government. Government fees go directly to the issuing authority and are listed separately in your receipt.