GoCosta Rica Visa Requirements

Visa Entry

On October 6, 2023, the Costa Rican Immigration Department issued a new version of the General Provisions for Non Resident Entry and Stay Visa, No. DG-30-10-2023-AJ. The visa procedures for Chinese citizens to travel to Colombia are classified as "Category 3", which requires a consular visa for entry (citizens of "Category 1" and "Category 2" countries can enter Colombia visa free, with differences in the maximum stay time and the shortest passport validity period between the two. Please refer to the classification list for details https://www.migracion.go.cr/Paginas/Visas.aspx ）The specific regulations are as follows:

Individuals planning to travel to Colombia must provide: 1) a valid passport or travel document with a validity period of no less than 6 months; 2) Visa (as needed); 3) Proof of economic solvency, with funds of at least $100 per month or less during the legal stay in Colombia; 4) Tickets, tickets, or passes for returning to the country of origin or traveling to the next destination country, or displaying the sailing plan for the destination port; 5) A valid certificate of no criminal record must be translated into Spanish.

Chinese citizens who meet the following conditions are exempt from applying for a tourist consular visa:

-Holding multiple valid visas or multiple entry legal residence permits issued by the United States or Canada, except for C1, C2, and C3 transit visas issued by the United States. The passport is valid for no less than 6 months from the date of entry into the country; The remaining validity period of the visa or residence permit shall be calculated from the date of entry into the country and shall not be less than 1 day.

-Hold a multiple entry legal residence permit valid for at least 90 days issued by Scotland, Wales, England, Northern Ireland, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and EU countries (excluding refugees and asylum categories, with 90 days counted from the date of entry into Colombia). The passport is valid for no less than 6 months from the date of entry into the country.

-Holding a multiple valid Schengen C or D visa. The passport is valid for no less than 6 months from the date of entry into the country; The remaining validity period of the visa shall be calculated from the date of entry and shall not be less than 1 day.

The Schengen Area countries include Germany, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Slovenia, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, Sweden, and Switzerland.

-Hong Kong citizens holding valid British National Overseas/BNO passports and Macau citizens holding valid Portuguese Overseas/BNO passports are eligible for visa free entry into Costa Rica, with the same visa policy as the first category national citizen visa. They can stay for up to 180 days after entry (only visas with a total stay of no more than 90 days can be extended for up to 90 days). The passport is valid for no less than 6 months from the date of entry into the country. Hong Kong citizens or Macao citizens who do not hold such passports need to apply for consular visas, and the application requirements and procedures are the same as those for Chinese Mainland citizens.

-Hold a valid Chinese diplomatic passport, official passport, and official ordinary passport. The passport is valid for no less than 6 months from the date of entry, and can be held for a maximum of 30 days after entry.

The visa application of Chinese underage citizens will be reviewed by the Restrictive Visa Committee (Comisi ó n de Visas Restringidas). This type of application can only be for family reunion, and the application should be submitted and processed by the parents of the minor or the legal guardian who has guardianship, upbringing, and education rights over the minor. The application procedures and approval procedures shall be carried out in accordance with Article 125 and the following provisions of Chapter 6 of Decree No. 36626-G. For details, please refer to https://www.pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/Normas/nrm_texto_completo.aspx?param1=NRTC&nValor1=1&nValor2=70502&nValor3=85108&strTipM=TC The relevant provisions regarding exemption from applying for tourist consular visas mentioned above apply to Chinese underage citizens.

The above-mentioned valid residence permit or visa must be certified as genuine by the Colombian Immigration Administration and must have anti-counterfeiting markings that comply with the International Civil Aviation Organization (OACI) standards. It cannot be a seal, handwritten document, scattered paper, document proving that the residence is being processed, or modified document. A valid residence permit or visa that is not in Spanish or English must be accompanied by a translation in either language. When the passport information does not match the valid residence permit or visa information, the immigration administration has the right to request the presentation of other identification documents such as marriage certificate, naturalization certificate, etc.

In any case, whether entry is allowed and the final duration of stay after entry are determined by immigration officials at the time of entry.

Customs epidemic prevention and control

1、 According to the regulations of the Costa Rican health department, anyone who has been in specific Africa, South America Caribbean countries or regions (including Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, C ô te d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, the Republic of South Sudan, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Bolivia, Brazil, Guyana, French Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela, parts of Colombia, parts of Ecuador, parts of Paraguay, parts of Peru, parts of Trinidad and Tobago, specifically See https://www.ministeriodesalud.go.cr/index.php/noticias/noticias-2019/20-zonas-geograficas-en-riesgo-de-transmision-de-fiebre-amarila ）To stay, proof of yellow fever vaccination must be presented upon entry into Costa Rica.

2、 The Costa Rican quarantine department prohibits passengers from bringing animals and plants that have not obtained quarantine permits into the country. The Costa Rican customs require passengers to declare cash or securities worth $10000 or more.

3、 Starting from April 1, 2022, the temporary measures for entry related to epidemic prevention have been lifted, which means that there is no need to fill out a health pass, and unvaccinated inbound personnel do not need to pay medical insurance.

Residency and Naturalization

1、 Residence

（1） According to Costa Rican immigration laws, legal residency can be obtained through family reunification, investment, work, and other means.

（2） The applicant should go to the Chinese Embassy in Costa Rica to handle "Consular Registration/Overseas Chinese Registration" within the validity period of Costa Rica's entry seal. When applying for registration, it is necessary to provide: a completed Consular Registration Form, the original passport, and copies of the passport information page, visa page, and entry seal page. After registration, the application can be submitted to the Costa Rican Immigration Department and payment can be made at designated banks.

（3） The Immigration Department under the Ministry of Public Security and Interior of Costa Rica is the competent authority for processing residency.

For more specific information about residency, please refer to the Colombian website: https://www.migracion.go.cr/Paginas/Categor%C3%ADa%20Migratorias%20 (Extranjer%C3%ADa)/Personas-Extranjeras.aspx， And the explanation provided by Ge Fang shall prevail.

2、 Naturalization

（1） Costa Rica recognizes dual citizenship. If the parents of a newborn born in Colombia are foreigners, they can register for naturalization according to the wishes of either parent when he or she is a minor or by himself or herself before the age of 25. Chinese citizens who have resided in Colombia for at least 20 years or have resided continuously for at least 7 years, or who have been married to a citizen of Colombia for at least 2 years and have resided in Colombia during this period, may also apply for Colombian citizenship.

（2） Individuals who obtain citizenship through residential means are required to take language and sociology exams.

（3） The Costa Rican Civil Registry is the competent authority for naturalization.

For more specific information about naturalization, please refer to the Colombian website: https://www.tse.go.cr/servicios.htm And subject to the explanation provided by Ge Fang.

Costa Rica's risk level is blue (low risk)

public security

In recent years, the number of criminal activities and homicides related to drug trafficking in Costa Rica has significantly increased. In 2023, there were a total of 906 homicide cases in Colombia, with 17.2 cases per 100000 residents, exceeding the 654 cases in 2022. The provinces of San Jose and Limon, where the capital is located, have the highest homicide rates, accounting for half of the total number of homicides.

Drug trafficking has become one of the most serious security issues in Costa Rica. In recent years, the Colombian police have seized a large amount of cocaine in export containers from Caribbean ports to Europe.

natural disaster

Costa Rica is a country with frequent earthquakes and volcanoes, but there are not many earthquakes that cause serious disasters, and most residential buildings are low rise, light roofed, with good seismic performance. It is recommended to choose low rise buildings that are far away from mountains and have higher terrain when choosing hotels.

FDA

1、 Costa Rica values environmental protection, food safety, and sustainability, making it safe to consume with peace of mind.

2、 The water quality in the capital city of San Jose is poor, and the groundwater in the Kanias area of Guanacaste province in the north is severely contaminated with heavy metals. Please do not drink tap water directly.

3、 Ge has a rich variety of seafood products. When consuming seafood and sashimi, pay attention to food hygiene to avoid food poisoning and diarrhea.

Infectious disease prevention and control

The tropical climate in Costa Rica is conducive to the breeding of insect borne infectious diseases. Common infectious diseases include dengue fever, leishmaniasis, Zika disease, malaria, chikungunya disease, and South American trypanosomiasis.

Urgent Help

Country code: 00506

The fire alarm, bandit police, traffic police, and emergency hotline are all 911

24-hour Consular Protection Hotline of the Chinese Embassy in Colombia: 00506-89827147

air traffic

Juan Santa Maria International Airport in the capital city of San Jose has opened direct international flights to New York, Los Angeles, Houston in the United States, Paris, Madrid, Frankfurt, Amsterdam in Europe, and major capital cities in Latin America. There are currently no direct flights to China.
The distance from the airport to the city center is about 20 kilometers, and you can take public buses, taxis, or rent a car for self driving.

land transport

Costa Rica's land transportation is mainly by road, without intercity railways. It borders Panama and Nicaragua on land, with the Pan American Highway running north-south and tourist buses directly reaching the border between Panama and Nicaragua. Inter city buses are more convenient and can also be rented for self driving, but Chinese driver's licenses cannot be used directly and must be replaced.
Costa Rica has many mountain roads, narrow roads, and poor road conditions. Self driving should pay attention to driving safety.

water communication

Costa Rica has international cruise ships that operate around the Caribbean region, traveling between the main port cities of Limon and Puntarenas.

Urban transportation

Costa Rica's urban transportation is underdeveloped, with no subway or light rail, mainly relying on buses and taxis. Due to the large number of one-way routes, the bus stops for boarding and alighting are often not on the same street or even far apart, so it is necessary to understand the route in advance.

major city

San Jos é, the capital of Colombia, is the political, economic, cultural, and educational center of the country.
Other important cities include the former capital city of Cartago, the port cities of Limon, and Puntarenas.

Commodity prices

Costa Rica is rich in bananas, pineapples, and coffee, with relatively diverse fruit varieties and moderate prices. As a developing country, the overall price level is relatively high, especially for water, electricity, rice, and meat prices that are related to daily life, which are generally higher than those of neighboring countries.
The currency used in Colombia is Col ó n, with 1 US dollar equivalent to approximately 540 Col ó n. Most hotels, restaurants, and supermarkets can directly use US dollars.

Insurance Medical

Costa Rica has a relatively high level of healthcare, and some Europeans and Americans come to Costa Rica for medical treatment during their vacations.
Costa Rica has implemented a universal healthcare insurance system and established two public insurance institutions, the National Insurance Company (INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE SEGUROS) and the Costa Rican Social Insurance Company (CAJA COSTARRISENSE DE SEGURO Societal). The former is responsible for traffic and work-related accident insurance, while the latter is responsible for routine diagnosis and treatment, but must seek medical attention at designated public hospitals. Public hospitals require appointments for medical treatment, and the conditions are relatively poor. Private hospitals are expensive and not covered by social security.

Customs taboos

Costa Ricans are honest, straightforward, optimistic, friendly, humble, hospitable, and very friendly to foreign tourists.
If invited to visit a friend's house in Costa Rica, you can bring flowers, pastries, and red wine as gifts.
The taboos of Ge are similar to those in European and American countries such as Spain, where "13" and "5" are generally avoided and "3" and "7" are preferred.
Statutory holidays include New Year's Day (January 1), Holy Week (Thursdays and Fridays before Easter in March or April), National Hero Juan Santa Maria Memorial Day (April 11), Labor Day (May 1), GUANACASTE Province's annexation of Costa Rican territory commemoration day (July 25), Angel Saint Mary's Day (August 2), Mother's Day (August 15), Independence Day (September 15), Culture Day (November 12), and Christmas Day (December 25).
A certain amount of tip should be given to those who provide services or assistance.

Communications Power

1、 The telephone and Internet in Costa Rica are controlled by the Costa Rican National Electric Company (ICE). Domestic direct dialing, no city area code, international long-distance dial 00 first.
The mobile network standards are GSM, WCDMA, and LTE, and all phones that support the 850 frequency band are compatible, but the signal is poor. The Internet is relatively popular and the network speed is smooth. The internet fee varies according to the speed requirements, with an average of $35 per month for ordinary household users. Star rated hotels generally provide free internet access services.
2、 The voltage is 110 volts, and the power interface is an American standard two-phase flat socket.

contact information

1、 China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Representative Office in Costa Rica:+ 506-22965935
2、 Costa Rican Tourism Association Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT):+506-2710-7516/2711-0098
Center for Assistance:+506-800
3、 Costa Rica Immigration Department Direcci ó n General de Migraci ó n y Extranjer í a
Website:https://www.migracion.go.cr
Switchboard:+ 506-22998100
Airport Office:+506-24400504