 | | | | | | |  |
COSTA RICA EMIGRATION REQUIREMENTS
IMMIGRATION INFORMATION
| One of the most important things for any travellers and yet forgotten by thousands of ardent travellers every year your passport is one thing you simply can’t leave home without. As well as remembering to take it with you, however, you also need to ensure that your current passport is valid for at least six months beyond the date of your return to your home country. You should also take at least two photocopies of the pages containing your photo and any other important information. Carry one on your person and one somewhere safe or if you’re really clever you could e-mail a copy to yourself or save it onto a floppy disk so you can access it at any time.
Furthermore, in order to get into many countries on the stay abroad you will require a visa of some type, even if you are just visiting. This is usually an insert, stamp or sticker which is placed in your passport and the duration of its validity varies from place to place. If you do intend to work or study in the country to which you are traveling, however, you should organize your visa even further in advance as this can take longer to process.
As well as your passport you should ensure that you have at least one other form of identification with you. This may be a driver’s license, birth certificate or any other form of ID which is acceptable worldwide. As with passports, bring at least two copies of all forms of identification in case of loss or theft.
You should also find out where your embassy is in the country to which you are travelling as this will come in very handy for genuine emergencies. For example if you need to return home urgently or lose important documents or passports, your embassy should be able to help you out pretty quickly. 
| VISA APPLICATIONS AND PASSPORTS | | | | | Passports | | Passport valid for at least 6 months at date of entry required by all, except 1. Canadian and US citizens with proof of identity, eg a Certified Birth Certificate and official ID containing a photograph. Tourist Cards will be issued to these nationals either at a Costa Rican Consulate or at any airline office at the airports of: Amsterdam, Aruba, Barranquilla, Caracas, Curaçao, Panama and Port of Spain for approximately US$2. | | | Visas | | Required by all except the following:
(a) 2. nationals of the UK and its dependencies for stays of up to 90 days;
(c) 3. nationals of Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea (Rep. of), Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, USA and Uruguay for a stay of up to 90 days;
(d) 4. nationals of Antigua & Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Dominica, El Salvador, France, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Iceland, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Kuwait, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Oman, Philippines, Qatar, Russian Federation, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & The Grenadines, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovak Republic, South Africa*, Surinam, Taiwan (China), Trinidad & Tobago, UAE, Vatican City and Venezuela for a period of 30 days.
(e) transit passengers continuing their journey to a third country by the same or first connecting flight within 48 hours, provided holding confirmed onward tickets and not leaving the airport (except nationals of China (PR) who do need a transit visa authorised by the Immigration Department in San José). | | | Note | | (a) *Persons holding passports issued by the former homelands of Transkei and Venda do need a visa authorised by the Immigration Department in San José. (b) Nationals of countries listed above must obtain an exit visa from the Immigration Department in San José at least 3 days before leaving Costa Rica. Those who stay for less than 30 days are exempt if in possession of a disembarkation card. (c) All other nationals require a visa. In some cases an authorisation from the Immigration Department in San José is also necessary. Temporary visitors must hold return or onward tickets, except those holding a visa showing an exit ticket is not required. | | | Types of visa and cost | | Tourist and Business. Visas cost approximately $20. All passengers requiring a visa must hold documents required for the next destination. | | | Validity | | Visas are valid for 1 month or 90 days. Contact the Immigration Department in Costa Rica for renewal or information on the extension procedure. | | | Application to | | Consulate (or Consular section of Embassy; see address section). | | | Application requirements | | (a) Completed application form. (b) 2 passport-size photos. (c) Passport valid for 6 months at time of entry. (d) Proof of sufficient funds to cover duration of stay. (e) Return or onward ticket. | | | Working days required | | 1 day to 2 weeks, depending on nationality of applicant. Some visas need the authorisation of the Immigration Department in Costa Rica (ask the Consulate or Consular section of Embassy for details). | | | Temporary residence | | A signed contract with the prospective employer is needed. For residence as a senior citizen, only those with a minimum monthly income of US$600 will be considered. | | | Addresses | | Instituto Costarricense de Turismo | | (Costa Rica Tourist Board)
Street address: Edificio Genaro Valverde, Calles 5 y 7, Avenida 4, San José
Postal address: Apartado 777, 1000 San José
Tel: 223 1733 or (800) 343 6332 (toll free USA and Canada only). Fax: 223 5452 or 255 4997.
E-mail: info@tourism-costarica.com
Website: http://tourism-costarica.com/ | | | | Cámara Nacional de Turismo (CANATUR) | | Apartado 828, 1000 San José
Tel: 234 6222. Fax: 253 8102.
E-mail: canatour@tourism.co.cr
Website: http://costarica.tourism.co.cr/ | | |
| | | Help to Visa Application Forms.
How to find the right one(s)? Understand that we cannot provide forms, since this specific topic is too complex for a implementation in our websites.
Each country uses its own specific application formulars for tourists, residents and/or workers.
There are no general or multipurpose formulars for each country.
Anyway you may search the needed forms in the Internet by using the search engines like,
Altavista, Yahoo, Google, DMOZ, AOL, MSN, Lycos, Teoma.
Search examples:
Type your query and set - of course - for 'COUNTRY' the real country name you are looking for ...
... and good luck! Important remark: the [ + ] and [ " ] will reduce the number of the search results anyway.
Type exactly like examples below or you copy and paste the search strings: If your search was successful, visit the consulate's, governments' or embassies' websites first.
As per our investigation experiences most of the downloadable form sheets you'll find are built in PDF for Adobe's Acrobat™ Reader.
PASSPORT APPLICATIONS, RENEWALS Applying for a Passport You should apply for your passport several months in advance of your planned departure, making sure you fill in the dates of your upcoming trip in the appropriate place on the application. If you'll need visas from foreign embassies (find out by checking foreign entry requirements for the country you'll visit, allow more time. (It's very important to check those requirements. Imagine how disappointed you'd be if you were turned back on the day of your departure because your passport expires in three months and the country you're visiting requires it to be valid at least six months AFTER you return home! Also check on immunization requirements -- you may need to be inoculated before you can enter a country!) As a rule, it takes about 25 business days to process your passport application and get the document sent to you. Something to think about: Lines are longest at passport agencies from January to July, resulting in longer waiting times for applicants. You might want to avoid the crowds by applying through a nearby clerk of court or post office that accepts passport applications. Lost or Stolen Passport Losing your passport -- especially if you're in a foreign country -- can be scary. It's the most important item you carry with you, so it's best to keep it someplace secure (like in a money pouch you wear under your clothes). Another safety measure you can take is to make two photocopies of the photo ID page of your passport. Leave one at home with family or friends and keep the other in a different place from your passport, perhaps buried in the bottom of checked luggage. This could make all the difference in getting you on your flight home in the event that your passport is lost or stolen. It also makes getting it replaced much easier. Can I Have My Old Passport Back?
Yes! Most people view their passports as important memorabilia and are eager to get them back. That's why your previous passport, marked "canceled," will be returned to you with your new one.
| |  More Resources | | | Forums |  | Expats Travel Forums
First time users check out the FAQ for instructions on using this message board. You have to create an account before you can add and relpy to messages.
This is a forum which gives people the opportunity to exchange information about travelling, as well as discuss various topics of interest. | | Health | | Travel Health Care Plans - Travel safely to your favourite Destination. | | Driving Directions | | General Driving Rules - Driving Information, Restrictions and Safety. | | External Links | | Internet Cafe Directory | | Travel Resources - Provided by our visitors. | | Hotel Reservations | | Tour Bookings | | More useful Tips for Travellers | | Make sure you have a signed, valid passport and visa, if required. Also, before you go, fill in the emergency information page of your passport! Read the Consular Information Sheets (and Public Announcements or Travel Warnings, if applicable) for the countries you plan to visit. Leave copies of your itinerary, passport data page and visas with family or friends at home, so that you can be contacted in case of an emergency. Make sure you have insurance, which will cover your emergency medical needs, while you are overseas. Familiarize yourself with local laws and customs of the countries to which you are traveling. Remember, while in a foreign country, you are subject to its laws! Do not leave your luggage unattended in public areas and never accept packages from strangers. While abroad, avoid using illicit drugs or drinking excessive amounts of alcoholic beverages, and associating with people who do. Do not become a target for thieves by wearing conspicuous clothing and expensive jewelry and do not carry excessive amounts of cash or unnecessary credit cards. Deal only with authorized agents when you exchange money or purchase art or antiques in order to avoid violating local laws. When overseas, avoid demonstrations and other situations that may become unruly. |  | | Travel-Island.com 2004, 2008 . Weather Channel | | |
