Visit — consular visa (Non-Resident, Tourism): Colombian citizen in Colombia → Costa Rica
Colombian citizens are in Costa Rica's third entry group and need a consular visa — issued by a Costa Rican consul abroad — before travelling, unless they hold a qualifying US/Canada visa or residence, an EU/UK residence, or a multiple-entry Schengen C/D visa. The consular fee is US$30 and the visa is single-entry.
Costa Rica's short-visit consular visa for third-group nationalities, issued by a Costa Rican consul abroad under the Non-Resident category, Tourism subcategory.
- Validity
- Single entry: valid to use for 60 calendar days once stamped, and must be stamped within three months of authorisation.
- Entries
- Single entry
- Max stay per visit
- up to 30 calendar days, extendable in-country up to 90 days (Colombian nationals may be admitted for up to 90 days under Costa Rica's specific Colombia regulation)
When to start
Start 15–30 days before your travel date.
Costa Rica's official visa Directrices place Colombia in the THIRD entry group: its nationals require a consular visa — the authorisation issued by a Costa Rican consular officer to enter Costa Rica. Check the exemptions first: regardless of nationality you can skip the consular visa if you already hold a qualifying multiple-entry visa or residence of the United States or Canada, a residence of the UK nations / Iceland / Norway / Switzerland / an EU country, or a multiple-entry Schengen C or D visa.
If you hold a multiple-entry visa or residence of the United States or Canada valid at least 1 day (US C1/C2/C3 transit visas are not accepted), a residence of Scotland, Wales, England, Northern Ireland, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland or an EU country (multiple-entry, or valid at least 90 days, refugee/asylum excluded), or a multiple-entry Schengen category C or D visa valid up to 90 days, you may enter Costa Rica WITHOUT a consular visa. Otherwise, continue to the consular application.
Apply in person at the Costa Rican consulate accredited for your place of residence. The consul (acting as a migration agent) can issue tourism and provisional visas to any nationality in the consular-visa group, following the Reglamento para el Otorgamiento de Visas de Ingreso a Costa Rica. Documents not issued in the country where you apply must be apostilled or legalised.
The consular visa fee is US$30 under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' official consular tariff. A visa that must be referred to and authorised by the immigration directorate costs US$50, and a multiple visa (when granted) US$100.
If the visa is authorised, the consul stamps it in your passport. You have three non-extendable months to get it stamped once notified of the authorisation, and once stamped it is valid to use for 60 calendar days. The consular visa is for a SINGLE entry.
At the border every visitor must show a valid, machine-readable or biometric passport (ICAO standard) valid at least 180 days, the consular visa, proof of economic solvency of at least US$100 per month (or fraction) of stay, and a return or onward ticket. Admission is under the Non-Resident category, Tourism subcategory: rest, recreation, business or professional activities are allowed, but NOT paid work in Costa Rica. The stay granted is up to 30 calendar days, extendable in-country up to 90 days (Colombian nationals may be admitted for up to 90 days under Costa Rica's specific Colombia regulation).
What you'll need
- Valid passport (machine-readable or biometric) — Only machine-readable or biometric passports meeting ICAO standards are accepted. For the consular-visa group the passport must be valid for at least 180 calendar days. ✓ verified
- Consular visa application to the Costa Rican consul — A tourism (or provisional) visa application processed by the Costa Rican consul under the Reglamento para el Otorgamiento de Visas de Ingreso a Costa Rica; documents not issued in the country where you apply must be apostilled or legalised. ✓ verified
- Proof of economic solvency — Proof of economic solvency of at least US$100 per month (or fraction of a month) of legal stay in Costa Rica. ✓ verified
- Return or onward ticket — A return ticket to your country of origin, an onward ticket, or a navigation plan showing the port of destination. ✓ verified
Where you'll apply
You apply in person at the Costa Rican consulate accredited for your place of residence — the consular visa is processed and authorised by a Costa Rican consul abroad acting as a migration agent. Find your consulate in the official directory on rree.go.cr.
Fees
| Consular visa | USD 30 |
Gotchas to watch
- The consular visa is for a SINGLE entry only — you must apply again for a second trip (consuls may issue two consular visas where a double entry is justified).
- Once authorised, you have three non-extendable months to get the visa stamped, and once stamped it must be used within 60 working days.
- Your passport must be valid for at least 180 calendar days and be machine-readable or biometric (ICAO standard).
- Visa-free entry does NOT apply — but you can skip the consular visa entirely if you hold a qualifying US/Canada visa or residence, an EU/UK/Iceland/Norway/Switzerland residence, or a multiple-entry Schengen C or D visa.
- US C1, C2 and C3 visas are transit visas and are NOT accepted for the US-visa exemption.
- The visa does not guarantee entry — the immigration officer makes the final decision and sets the exact stay at the border.
