Starting August 1, commercial flights with passengers may arrive in Costa Rica from the following countries*:

Germany · France · Norway · Austria · Greece · Netherlands · Belgium · Hungary Poland· Canada · Iceland · Portugal· Denmark · Italy · United Kingdom· Slovakia Latvia · Czech Republic· Slovenia · Liechtenstein · Sweden  Spain · Lithuania · Switzerland· Estonia · Luxembourg· Finland · Malta

*Please note as of August 1, only flights from Spain and Germany are scheduled to fly to San Jose, and only five flights per week will be permitted initially. Flights may also be allowed from other countries on the list above in the coming months. The Government of Costa Rica will review the COVID-19 international epidemiological situation every two weeks to assess the list of countries and territories from which flights will be allowed. Please check with the individual airlines and the Costa Rican Ministry of Health regarding any future plans to conduct flights to Costa Rica. Costa Rica’s Ministry of Health can be reached by following this link www.ministeriodesalud.go.cr

Yes, repatriation flights will continue to be carried out from any other country that is not on the list of countries that will have commercial flights. Some of the countries from which repatriation flights are most frequently conducted are the U.S. and other countries in Central America.

A passenger may do that if he/she stays in the authorized country (Canada or Germany for example) for at least 14 days and does not develop symptoms before taking the flight to Costa Rica. The passenger will not be able to make only a stopover in the authorized country and then fly to Costa Rica. This will be reviewed by the Migration Officer and if it is determined that the passenger only made a stopover, the Migration Officer may reject the passenger and the passenger will have to return to his/her country.

The opening is for residents of the authorized countries. In other words, those living in one of the listed countries would be allowed to enter. Entry will also be allowed to people who show that they have remained in one of the listed countries in the last 14 days and have no symptoms of the disease (even if they normally live in another country).

The passenger may enter Costa Rica if the individual:

• Has the necessary documentation to leave that country, for example, a valid passport.
• Meets the requirements established in Costa Rica’s immigration regulations according to their nationality, for example, a visa.
• Evidence that he/she has remained for the last 14 days in the country to which Costa Rica has opened air borders.

No, that passenger would not be allowed to enter. Current flights from the U.S. are only authorized as repatriation flights, on which Costa Ricans (and family members) and residents of Costa Rica will be allowed to travel. It is not possible for a Canadian, or individuals of other nationalities, to enter by that route since it would be tourist travel.

The passenger will be allowed to enter only if they can show that they stayed in Canada 14 days prior to the flight to Costa Rica. It is not valid for the passenger to transit only through the countries authorized to reach Costa Rica.

No, the general restriction of national and international migration services is maintained and is in force until September 18th. Those who require a visa or special entry document will not be able to enter the country. Only those travelers with group I and II nationality of the entry guidelines (and their exceptions) will be permitted to enter.

Yes, private flights from authorized countries with residents of these countries can arrive in the country. Likewise, private flights can arrive from authorized countries with residents of other countries if passengers remained in the authorized country the last 14 days before the trip to Costa Rica.

Only charter private/charter (non-commercial) flights that are Costa Rican and Costa Rican resident repatriation flights may enter the country from unauthorized destinations. Currently, private flights from the USA can only enter the country with Costa Rican or resident of Costa Rica passengers.

They may enter only if it is clear that the passengers have stayed for the last 14 days in the authorized country. This will be reviewed by the Migration Officer, and if it is determined that passengers only made a stopover in the authorized country, the Migration Officer may reject the passengers and they will have to return to their country.

Yes, a Costa Rican citizen or resident may hire a private flight to an unauthorized destination, there are no restrictions on the departure from the country as long as these individuals are not currently complying with home isolation. When returning to the country, they must do so by air, presenting their current identification document and other travel documents. Upon return, they will complete the health form (Pase de Salud) and receive a health order for home isolation. They will not be able to enter Costa Rica by land or sea.

It is possible to do this as long as passengers are residents in Canada or show that they have remained in that country for the last 14 days prior to the trip to Costa Rica

For tourists there are three requirements:
(a) Travel insurance covering medical expenses of at least $20,000 (twenty thousand U.S. dollars) and isolation (hosting) expenses for at least $4,000 (four thousand U.S. dollars). This insurance must cover medical expenses generated by COVID-19 illness and must be purchased from an insurer in Costa Rica.
b) Negative COVID-19 test. The sample for the test must be taken up to 48 hours before the passenger flies to Costa Rica.
c) Fill out the digital health form (Pase de Salud). The form will be available at the following address beginning on August 1: https://salud.go.cr

Costa Ricans and residents of Costa Rica should only complete the health form (Pase de Salud).

All three requirements are considered necessary travel documents, like a passport, and must be presented in order to enter the country. If a tourist does not present the required documents, they will be denied entry by the Migration Officer and will be returned to their country. According to the Constitution, Costa Ricans and residents of Costa Rica cannot be refused entry into the country. If they do not present the health form, they may still enter the country.

No, for the time being only travel insurance offered by the National Insurance Institute (INS) covering, among other things, medical expenses due to COVID-19 will be accepted up to US$20,000 (twenty thousand U.S. dollars) and isolation expenses up to $4,000 (four thousand U.S. dollars).

That travel insurance probably does not include medical expenses for COVID-19, so the tourist will still need to buy insurance from the National Insurance Institute (INS) in order to comply with the requirement.

The price of the National Insurance Institute (INS) travel insurance varies according to the characteristics of the passenger (e.g. age), the number of days you will be in the country, and whether you are purchasing individual insurance or insurance that covers a family. As an example, travel insurance for a 30-year-old passenger who will visit Costa Rica for two weeks costs approximately US$280.00 (two hundred and eighty U.S. dollars).

Tourists: When the passenger is completing the heath form (Pase de Salud), a question will request that they indicate the insurance policy number. This question also offers the option to buy the insurance at that time and redirects the passenger to the website of the National Insurance Institute for purchase. After making the purchase, the passenger must enter or paste the policy number of the insurance in the corresponding box of the heath form (Pase de Salud).

Costa Ricans and residents of Costa Rica should not purchase travel insurance.

Tourists: The test result must be uploaded into the health form (Pase de Salud). When the passenger is filling out the form, they will find a question asking them to upload the test result. The result can be in PDF format or it can be a photograph (JPG format).  Costa Ricans and residents of Costa Rica should not submit test results.

If a couple returns to Costa Rica on a repatriation flight, the same requirements apply to both people: they will not have to present the insurance or COVID-19 test results, but they will have to complete the health form (Pase de Salud) and both individuals will have to comply with the home isolation health order.

If the couple visits the country but does not live in Costa Rica (for example, Italian husband of a Costa Rican who lives with her in Italy), he must provide the requirements as if he were a tourist: complete the health form (Pase de Salud), negative COVID-19 test and purchase travel insurance.

Yes, the health form will ask the passenger “Do you live in Costa Rica?” If the answer is no, it is assumed that the passenger is a tourist and will open the questions that apply to tourists. If the answer is yes, it is assumed that the passenger is Costa Rican or a resident of Costa Rica, and the questions that have been built for Costa Ricans and residents will follow.

Tourists who successfully complete the health form will receive a green check and an alpha number code (composed of numbers and letters). Tourists who do not complete the health form will not get the green check nor the code. Without that code, the Migration Officer will not be able to search for them in the system.

Costa Ricans and residents of Costa Rica who complete the form will get one of the following results:

•  Green: form completed and has no symptoms related to COVID-19.
•  Yellow: form completed but some answers indicate that the passenger may have been exposed to COVID-19.
• Red: form completed and presents symptoms related to COVID-19.

All Costa Ricans and residents of Costa Rica will be subject to a medical assessment upon arrival in the country, regardless of whether their result is green, yellow or red.

If the tourist does not complete the health form in advance, they can complete it at the airport upon arrival but for this they must have purchased the insurance online and must have the negative COVID-19 results. The passenger must have the results at hand in order to complete the form. If the test was not completed before boarding the flight, the passenger will not be allowed to enter the country.

Costa Ricans and residents of Costa Rica: If the person did not complete the form in advance, they can complete it at the airport upon arrival.

The data for each health form is not deleted. For example, a person may view information previously completed in April.

The health form has both options: it can be completed as a household or can be completed individually. If completed as a family, some information is filled in only once and applies to everyone in the group, such as flight details.

The person who has not completed the health form will be able to do so while at the airport, but for this they must purchase the insurance online and must have the negative COVID-19 results. The passenger must have the results at hand in order to complete the form. If the test was not completed before boarding the flight, the passenger will not be able to enter the country: they will be rejected by the Migration Officer and they will have to return to the originating country.

The person who did not complete the health form will be able to do so while at the airport.

The sample for the test should be taken a maximum of 48 hours before the flight to Costa Rica. That is, if the flight is on August 5 at 2:00 p.m., the passenger would have to take the test from August 3 at 2:00 p.m. or later.

The test must be done in a laboratory approved by the health authority of the country in which the passenger is located. For example, if the passenger lives in Germany and his/her flight leaves Germany, he/she will have to submit the test result from a laboratory authorized by the health authority in Germany.

The only test that is accepted is the real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction test, also called RT-PCR for COVID-19. The results of rapid tests, serological tests or immunity tests will not be accepted as valid.

The test result will be accepted in English or Spanish only.

During the course of travel to Costa Rica, the traveler may not pass through immigration and enter countries or territories that are not on the list of authorized countries. Currently, authorized flights do not make stopovers in countries outside the list. If this situation occurs, the traveler should remain in transit (do not pass through immigration). If this were to occur, the case would be subjected to analysis to verify the above and authorize the passenger’s entry.

No, the presentation of any document other than the result of the RT-PCR test for COVID-19 is not valid.

The RT-PCR test is a requirement for all travelers 12 years of age or older.

Yes, you may purchase travel insurance before filling out the health form.

Insurance may be purchased on the National Insurance Institute (INS) website beginning August 1: https://cotiza.ins-cr.com/frmDatosIncluir.aspx?P=431

As with all insurance, the cost varies depending on the person. For example, for a 30-year-old individual traveling for two weeks, insurance costs approximately $280 (two hundred and eighty U.S. dollars).

The Costa Rican Tourism Institute will coordinate with airlines to inform passengers of the new requirements for entry to Costa Rica.

Airlines may check that the tourist has completed the health form before boarding the flight. If the tourist did not complete it and if they also cannot meet the requirements for entry (for example, the COVID-19 test was not done), the airline must return the passenger to the country from which they originated.

Yes, all passengers (tourists, Costa Ricans and residents of Costa Rica) will have to wear a mask or face covering throughout the flight and must wear it while at the airport. Passengers will also need to review other requirements defined by the airline.

No, passengers who have symptoms should not travel. Airlines may prohibit passengers with COVID-19 symptoms from boarding the aircraft.

Tourists that fly from the countries that have been authorized will not receive a health order of isolation.  Costa Ricans and residents of Costa Rica that return to the country, no matter where they come from, do not need to provide proof of a negative COVID test or travel insurance, but they will receive a health order for their home isolation for 14 days.

Sanitary orders for home isolation will be issued to Costa Ricans and residents of Costa Rica who come on repatriation flights. If a tourist is diagnosed as positive with COVID-19 while in the country, they will receive a health order of isolation

Tourists: As there will be no requirement for home isolation, the number of days of travel in Costa Rica do not matter. If during their stay the tourist tests positive for COVID-19, they will receive a health order for 14 days of home isolation which they must complete. The cost of accommodation during the 14 days of isolation will be covered by their insurance. No tourist who has a health order for home isolation may leave the country before the end of 14 days of isolation.

Costa Ricans and residents: you will not be able to leave the country if you have not completed the home isolation that was given to you when you entered the country.

No, presenting negative results of the COVID test does not exempt Costa Ricans or residents of Costa Rica from the requirement of home isolation for 14 days. Home isolation for 14 days will be mandatory for any passenger who comes from a flight (commercial or private) of a destination to which we have not yet opened.

Costa Ricans and residents of Costa Rica who travel to these countries must complete the health form (Pase de Salud) when they return. They will not be asked for results of a COVID test, nor will they be asked to buy travel insurance, but they will be required to self-isolate at home for 14 days.

Costa Ricans and residents of Costa Rica who return to the country on repatriation or humanitarian flights will need to complete the health form (Pase de Salud). They will not be asked for results of a COVID test, nor will they be asked to buy travel insurance, but they will be required to self-isolate at home for 14 days.

No proof of a negative COVID test or insurance will be required for passengers on repatriation flights. However, all passengers on these flights must comply with home isolation for 14 days, including those passengers who receive entry based on strategic and humanitarian exceptions approved by the immigration and health authorities.

No. All Costa Ricans and residents of Costa Rica who return to the country will be required to comply with the health order for home isolation. If they wish, they can arrange for a test in one of the private laboratories authorized by the Costa Rican Ministry of Health, but they will still have to complete the home isolation even if the result is negative.

In accordance with section 378 of the General Health Law, upon non-compliance with health orders or special or general health measures issued by health authorities, a fixed fine starting at a minimum of ¢464,300.00 shall be applied. In the case of sanitary measures ordering the isolation of persons, the fine will be increased to three or five times the base amount, as provided for in Law No. 9837 of 3 April 2020.

All persons who are permanent residents and/or temporary residents of Costa Rica, who present their current DIMEX (active residence), may enter the country as long as their entry is by air from one of the authorized destinations, and as long as they have stayed in that country for at least 14 days. They will not be able to enter Costa Rica by land or sea.

All persons who are permanent residents and/or temporary residents of Costa Rica, who present their current DIMEX (active residence), may enter the country as long as their entry is by air from one of the authorized destinations, and as long as they have stayed in that country for at least 14 days. They will not be able to enter Costa Rica by land or sea.

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