Tamarindo Costa Rica Travel Guide

Since Nov. 1, Costa Rica has allowed all countries in the world to enter by air, as long as they meet the country’s visa and COVID-19 entry requirements.

The Government of the Republic has facilitated the entry of international tourists, and since Oct. 26, eliminated the requirement of RT-PCR tests for the detection of the coronavirus. Neither Costa Ricans nor foreigners will be issued sanitary confinement (or quarantine) orders when entering the country by air. These measures are subject to change and dependent on the evolution of the pandemic both in Costa Rica and around the world.

Tourists visiting Costa Rica are asked to abide by the sanitary protocols implemented for carrying out all tourist activities in the country.

Entry requirements for the country

For information on visas, refer to the General Directorate of Migration and Foreigners: https://www.migracion.go.cr/Paginas/Visas.aspx

The following requirements remain during the pandemic:

1. Complete the digital form called HEALTH PASS and available at https://salud.go.cr
   • This pass will be available 48 hours before boarding. It must be accessed in an updated browser (except for Internet Explorer). An individual form must be completed for every person, including minors.
2. Purchase health insurance
   • It is mandatory that tourists purchase travel insurance, covering their accommodations in case of quarantine and medical expenses due to COVID-19 illness. An explanation of one’s travel insurance coverage, addressing Costa Rica’s requirements, must be uploaded or entered into the HEALTH PASS in order to be reviewed and approved by the Costa Rican authorities. If more information on international insurance is needed, the Costa Rican authorities will contact the passenger at the email address indicated in the HEALTH PASS.
   • In the case of international insurance, the tourist must request from their insurer a certification issued in English or Spanish, noting at least three conditions, without forgetting to add it to the HEALTH PASS:
     1. Validity of the effective policy during the visit in Costa Rica.
     2. Guarantee of coverage for medical expenses in cases of pandemic disease COVID 19 in Costa Rica, for at least US $50,000 (fifty thousand dollars of the United States of America).
     3. Minimum coverage of US $2,000 for extended lodging expenses due to pandemic illness or trip interruption/cancellation due to illness, which covers the extra cost of the passenger due to quarantine.
   • If you do not have international insurance, it is possible to opt for travel insurance from Costa Rican companies approved by SUGESE (General Superintendency of Insurance of Costa Rica), which offer their services at Juan Santamaría international airports (city of San José) and Daniel Oduber Quirós (city of Liberia).
   • National insurances meet all the requirements to have coverage of medical expenses for illness, including COVID-19, for a minimum amount of $20,000 and coverage for extended lodging expenses or quarantine, due to pandemic illness, for a minimum amount of $2,000.
   • Local insurance authorized for travelers can be valued at the following links. If you have doubts or queries about the requirements or conditions of the insurance, please email seguros@ict.go.cr
     • https://www.grupoins.com/seguroparaviajeros
     • https://tiendasagicor.com/en/
   • Foreigners with temporary or permanent residence or temporary category who return to Costa Rica, and who are not up to date with the corresponding payments with the Costa Rican Social Security Fund, must purchase a temporary local insurance for 22 days or bring an international insurance that complies with the requirements of a foreign tourist.
   • In the case of foreigners with the migratory category of permanent or temporary resident, or special category in the latter case, with the exception of the Student Subcategory, they must demonstrate the insurance by the Costa Rican social security, which can be verified at https://sfa.ccss.sa.cr/servMedicos/validarDerechos.do

If these requirements are not met, the passenger will not be able to enter the country.

Private flights

From Sept. 1, private flights from the United States of America are allowed to enter the country. For passengers on private flights, the same requirements already described apply.

Maritime entry

Passengers and crew of yachts and sailboats must meet the same sanitary entry requirements that the country requires of those who enter by air.

In addition to the aforementioned requirements, tourists coming from yachts or sailboats must also hand over to the immigration authorities the document “International Ship Sailing and Dock” in authorized marinas.

In case of doubts with the medical insurance, the passengers and crew of yachts or sailboats can write to the email seguros.marinas@ict.go.cr.