Traveling to Costa Rica? The documents you need depend on your nationality, your purpose, and whether you'll drive. Do you need a visa for Costa Rica? US citizens visit visa-free up to 90 days. A digital nomad visa is available for longer stays. Requirements, types, and how to apply. If you plan to drive, you may need an International Driving Document. If you're moving for work or study, you need a permit from the official authority — and supporting documents we can help with.
Written by Expedify Editorial Team, Travel document specialists with 20+ years of combined experience across 6 countries and 190+ destinations Reviewed by Expedify Compliance Review Last verified
Scope: This page covers the travel and supporting documents for entry, driving, work, and study in Costa Rica. Work and study permits are issued by the official authority — we help with the documents those permits require. Confirm current rules with the official authority before you apply.
By Expedify Editorial Team · Fact-checked by Expedify Compliance Review on August 12, 2026.
Methodology: Reviewed by: Expedify Compliance Review · Verified: 2026-08-12 · Sources checked: the official Costa Rica visa and immigration authority.
Every document a Costa Rica trip can call for — and where to start on each.
Entry, driving, work, and study — how the Costa Rica paperwork differs by why you're going.
Whether you need a visa for Costa Rica depends on your passport. Do you need a visa for Costa Rica? US citizens visit visa-free up to 90 days. A digital nomad visa is available for longer stays. Requirements, types, and how to apply. Stays are typically up to 90 days. A visa does not guarantee entry — border officials decide at the port of entry.
Check the official Costa Rica visa-exemption list for your nationality, or use the checker below for your passport.
Do you need a visa for Costa Rica? US citizens visit visa-free up to 90 days. A digital nomad visa is available for longer stays. Requirements, types, and how to apply. Most visitors plan around their nationality's entry rules.
Business visitors usually use the short-stay visa or entry authorization for Costa Rica. For longer or paid work, a work permit is required — a visitor visa is not a work permit.
Your work permit is issued by the official authority — not by Expedify. A work permit, not a visitor visa, authorizes paid employment.
Confirm your exact permit pathway with the official authority before applying.
Your study permit is issued by the official authority — not by Expedify. International students need a study permit (and often an entry visa or eTA).
Confirm your study path with the official authority and your institution before applying.
Driving in Costa Rica with a foreign licence may require an International Driving Document. Requirements vary by region and stay length. Check your licence country and destination before you drive.
Your passport is the anchor document for every step. For entry it must be valid with blank pages. Civil records — birth certificates, marriage or single status affidavits, background checks — are often required for work, study, residency, or family sponsorship. Documents issued outside Costa Rica usually need an apostille or legalization.
Cost of living, housing, healthcare, banking, and tax vary across Central America. Eligibility depends on your status. We don't invent figures here — confirm specifics with the official federal and regional sources.
Costa Rica travel documents, answered.
A full index of every Costa Rica travel-document page — pick the one that matches your situation.
Every Expedify service has two costs, both shown before you start.
Government fees are set by the government and passed through at cost, no markup. Fee amounts can change — confirm the current fee with the official authority.
Apply direct through the official authority, or chat with Expedify and let an expert prepare, review, and file it.
the official authority sets processing times. We show the official ETA as a fact and track every step for you. No delivery-date promise.
Government fees and processing times are set by the authority — the same either way.
Last verified Reviewed by Expedify Compliance Review
Expedify is a private application-assistance service, not a government agency, embassy, or consulate. Visas are granted solely by the destination country's authorities, and no third party can influence or guarantee a decision. Our agency fee covers preparation, review, and tracking of your application, and is separate from any consular fee. The information on this page is general guidance, not legal or immigration advice — requirements change and vary by nationality. Always confirm with the official embassy or consulate of the country you're visiting.
Reviewed by: Expedify Compliance Review · Verified: 2026-08-12 · Sources checked: the official Costa Rica visa and immigration authority.
Fees, visa types, processing times, and document requirements were verified on the date above against official sources. Immigration and travel rules change — always confirm current requirements with the relevant authority before you apply.
Chat with us and a dedicated expert will confirm the exact documents for your nationality, purpose, and travel plans. Government fee shown next to ours — passed through at cost, no markup. Track every step until your documents are in hand.
