Latest Travel Update on Covid-19 in Costa Rica

UPDATED October 22nd, 2020

ALL TOURISTS WILL NO LONGER NEED TO TAKE COVID-19 TESTS starting October 26th.

ALL U.S. STATES TO BE ALLOWED IN STARTING NOVEMBER 1ST. Florida, Georgia, and Texas citizens were allowed in starting October 15th.

Recently the number of Covid-19 cases in Costa Rica has increased to 99,425 (updated on October 22nd). Tourists from these states may now enter Costa Rica: Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming. And on October 1st, California and Ohio were authorized to enter.

This list will be updated every two weeks so check back to this page soon. To prove their state of residency, U.S. tourists will be allowed to use a State ID card or their driver’s license. This requirement is waived for minors traveling with a parent.

They are already letting in tourists from the countries below, which started August 1st. Here is the list of countries:

1. Australia
2. Canada
3. Swiss Confederation
4. Vatican State
5. Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
6. Ireland
7. Japan
8. New Zealand
9. Principality of Liechtenstein
10. Principality of Monaco
11. Kingdom Belgium
12. Kingdom of Denmark
13. Kingdom of Spain
14. Kingdom of the Netherlands
15. Kingdom of Norway
16. Kingdom of Sweden
17. Kingdom of Thailand
18. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
19. Czech Republic
20. Cypriot Republic
21. Republic of Austria
22. Republic of Bulgaria
23. Republic of Korea
24. Republic of Croatia
25. Republic of Slovenia
26. Republic of Estonia
27. Republic of Finland
28. Republic of Hungary
29. Republic of Iceland
30. Republic of Latvia
31. Republic of Lithuania
32. Republic of Malta
33. Republic of Poland
34. Republic of San Marino
35. Republic of Singapore
36. Slovak Republic
37. Federal Republic of Germany
38. French Republic
39. Hellenic Republic (Greece)
40. Italian Republic
41. Republic of Uruguay
42. People’s Republic of China
43. Portuguese Republic
44. Romania
45. Mexico (October 1st)
46. Jamaica (October 1st)

This list of authorized countries will also be reevaluated every two weeks. The government has clarified that travelers without a passport from one of these countries can enter Costa Rica through a flight from a permitted country under certain circumstances. Specifically, the travelers must quarantine in the permitted country for at least 14 days, without showing symptoms, before departing for Costa Rica. Upon arriving in Costa Rica the immigration official will ensure that the passenger did not only make a stopover in the permitted country.

For tourists, there are TWO requirements:

1. Travel insurance that covers medical expenses at a minimum of $50,000 and lodging costs of at least $2,000. This insurance must cover medical expenses associated with COVID-19 and may be purchased through Costa Rica’s national insurance program or through a private provider as long as it includes this coverage. Click here to purchase the INS travel insurance plan. There is also a private company in Costa Rica called Sagicor offering insurance. And you can get a quote for US Citizens through our partners at Travel Insured here, and at Travel Guard here.
2. Complete the digital epidemiological form called “Pase de Salud.” (salud.go.cr) Here you can upload your driver’s license and proof of insurance. You complete this between 12-48 hours before your flight. Note that tourists must submit their insurance policy number and upload the result of their negative coronavirus test (as a PDF or JPG) as part of the epidemiological form.
3. A negative coronavirus test using the PCR test. The sample for the test must be taken 72 hours (maximum) before the passenger departs for Costa Rica. And starting next month, visitors can arrive via a flight with a layover in a non-authorized location. (so a passenger can from Virginia to Miami, and from there to San Jose as long as they do not leave the airport) *no longer needed after 10/26/20

Costa Ricans and residents only need to complete the “Pase de Salud” online form. They do not need to purchase insurance or show proof of a negative coronavirus test; however, a 14-day home isolation order will be enforced. They will also undergo a medical check at the airport.

The INS plan varies in cost based on the age of the tourist and their length-of-stay in the country. Here is a breakdown of the costs for a week. (Two months cost $797.64) * These prices have dropped due to criticism by the tourism office.

If Costa Rica allows travelers to purchase their own policies, just be sure it has $50,000 in medical expense coverage and $2,000 in lodging coverage. You can get a quote for US Citizens through our partners at Travel Insured here, Travel Guard here. If you are from outside of the United States, find a quote from our partner World Nomads.

There will continue to be driving restrictions during the week and weekend, but rental vehicles are exempt from these rules. Here are the exact guidelines of driving a vehicle in Costa Rica (if you own it). “Daily vehicle restrictions based on license plate numbers remain in effect. In yellow alert zones, driving is permitted Monday through Friday from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and from 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m on weekends. Most of the Greater Metropolitan Area (GMA) to include San Jose remains under an Orange Alert.  In areas under an Orange Alert, daytime driving is allowed from 5:00am to 5:00pm Monday through Sunday.” Public transportation has resumed normal operations nationwide. Food delivery services are allowed to operate as well. 

Costa Rica also will keep the beaches open from 5 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily (8:00 p.m. on the weekends) unless it is under an ORANGE alert, and then it will only stay open until 9:30 a.m. Tours that take place outdoors will be permitted in social bubbles. Examples include hiking, zip lining, rafting, surf lessons, and horseback tours.

• A special note from Travel Insured: Travel Insured treats COVID like any other illness and also offers coverage for Trip Cancellation and Interruption due to quarantine. While a Travel Protection plan offers extensive benefits to help protect you and your travel investment, please ensure that you have met the requirements for entry to Costa Rica. I encourage all travelers to read the plan document carefully for a list of covered reasons, benefits, and exclusions.