Costa Rica
How long you can stay in Costa Rica without a visa, by passport.
Checked November 7, 2026 against the sources listed below.
Short stays
| Passport | Entry | How long | Before you go | Longer stays |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | No visa | 180 days per visit Group 1 nationality: up to 180 calendar days from entry. 180 is a ceiling; the immigration officer stamps the number of days granted, which may be fewer. | No visa or online form identified. Passport machine-readable (Group 1 minimum validity: 1 day per DGME directive). Return or onward ticket (bus, flight or cruise) required, and proof of at least US$100 per month of stay may be requested. | No extension |
| Canada | No visa | 180 days per visit Group 1 nationality: up to 180 calendar days from entry, at the officer's discretion (days stamped may be fewer). | No visa or online form identified. Machine-readable passport, return/onward ticket, proof of US$100 per month may be requested. | No extension |
| United Kingdom | No visa | 180 days per visit Group 1 nationality: up to 180 calendar days from entry, at the officer's discretion (days stamped may be fewer). | No visa or online form identified. Machine-readable passport, return/onward ticket, proof of US$100 per month may be requested. | No extension |
| EU country | No visa | 180 days per visit Group 1 nationality: up to 180 calendar days from entry, at the officer's discretion (days stamped may be fewer). | No visa or online form identified. Machine-readable passport, return/onward ticket, proof of US$100 per month may be requested. | No extension |
| Australia | No visa | 180 days per visit Group 1 nationality: up to 180 calendar days from entry, at the officer's discretion (days stamped may be fewer). | No visa or online form identified. Machine-readable passport, return/onward ticket, proof of US$100 per month may be requested. | No extension |
Digital nomad visa
Digital nomad stay (remote workers)
Official name: Estancia para Trabajadores y Prestadores Remotos de Servicios de Carácter Internacional
| Length | 1 year |
|---|---|
| Renewal | Limited renewal. Renewable for one additional year. |
| Income | $3,000 a month Minimum stable income earned from outside Costa Rica for remote services; US$4,000/month if applying with dependents; converted at the Central Bank of Costa Rica sale rate |
| Where to apply | online (Trámite Ya platform, tramiteya.go.cr/dgme) or in person at DGME central/regional offices |
| Who can apply | all (nationality may affect entry requirements under Executive Decree 36626-G and the General Visa Guidelines) |
| Taxes | Official tourism board states digital nomads are exempt from Costa Rican income tax. |
Sources: Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (Visit Costa Rica), Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (Visit Costa Rica)
What we couldn't confirm
- migracion.go.cr could not be fetched. The 180-day Group 1 limit comes from the official tourism board (ICT) and is corroborated by a UCR guide and Tico Times reporting on the DGME update published 17 Nov 2025 (Alcance 148, La Gaceta 216).
- Group membership of US/CA/GB/EU/AU is confirmed from DGME directive DG-55-03-2023 (which then set a 90-day limit, later raised to 180); the full current group list from the Nov 2025 directive was not fetched directly.
- Digital nomad stay length is given as 'a full year' on the ICT page, which also contains outdated wording about a 90-day tourist visa; the DGME's own nomad page was not fetched.
- Eligible nationalities for the nomad stay are not listed on the official page fetched.
Sources
- Entry requirements, Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (Visit Costa Rica)
- Directrices generales de visas de ingreso y permanencia para no residentes DG-55-03-2023, Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (via UNED)
- Información de visas de ingreso y permanencia para no residentes en Costa Rica (current to 26 Nov 2025), Universidad de Costa Rica, OAICE (unofficial, used only to corroborate)
- Costa Rica updates visa requirements for foreign visitors (24 Nov 2025), The Tico Times (unofficial, used only to corroborate)
- Digital nomads - requirements, Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (Visit Costa Rica)
- Digital nomads, Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (Visit Costa Rica)
Thinking of staying in Costa Rica longer?
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