PASSPORT REQUIREMENTS

A valid passport is mandatory to enter Costa Rica. It should be valid during the following 6 months from the entry date to Costa Rica. While in Costa Rica passport issues may be resolved at the U.S. Embassy.

 

Depending on your country of origin you may enter Costa Rica without a visa. USA, Canada and most European countries have this privilege.

 

For U.S. Citizens a visa is not needed unless you stay in Costa Rica for more than 90 days. Other countries have different requirements so if you are not a U.S. citizen visit the Embassy of Costa Rica.

 

A Ticket (plane, bus, etc.) for return or continued travel is necessary, either to return to your home or to go to another country.

 

Note: The government of Costa Rica after November 17, 2003 announced they will NOT accept U.S. driver licenses/IDs and U.S. birth/naturalization certificates as entry documents.

 

You can file for a stay extension at the Immigration Department of Costa Rica. Or, you may exit Costa Rica and re-enter. Most tourists visit Nicaragua or Panama — Costa Rica's neighbor countries — for 72 hours and come back into Costa Rica.

 

Travelers must be at the airport two hours before departure. There is a departure tax of U.S. $26.00.

 

You do not need to apply for a visa or an endorsement by a visa officer for travel in Costa Rica. Your up to date Passport will be sufficient but it must be valid for six months after your return trip (Costa Rica does not want your passport expiring while you are visiting) otherwise you may not be allowed into Costa Rica at that time. (Also please note that a 'visa' is a certificate of identity which indicates that at the time of issue the holder of the passport or certificate of identity should be granted entry. This is distinct from the use of the "Visa" credit card which is accepted in many locations in Costa Rica.)

 

$15 Airfare Tax Approved Nov. 22, 2008 Inside Costa Rica

Tourists flying into Costa Rica will have to now pay a $15 tax on their airline ticket, replacing the 3% tax on hotel rooms. Legislators approved the bill in second reading this week, converting it into law.

 

The 3% tax applied to all hotel rooms occupied by visitors or nationals. However, with the growth in condominium and other private rentals, the government saw a drop in tax revenue and decided to apply a one time tax on all airfares for flights into Costa Rica instead.

 

Tourism in Costa Rica is a multi billion dollar industry. Visitor number 2.000.000 for 2009 did come across the San Jose airport in the first week in December, a cause of celebration, as Costa Rica reaches a new tourism high. For 2009 tourism has been off an average of 20%, meaning better travel experiences and lower prices for you!  

 

 

 Customs 

There are no customs duties charged on personal luggage, which includes items for personal and professional use, as long as they do not appear in such quantities that suggest commercial intent. Costa Rican law requires ALL baggage to be examined thoroughly and that travelers submit to customs regulations listing all articles entering Costa Rica including fruit, vegetables, meat, meat products, biological products such as vaccinations, serums, etc. In the case of ones family, one declaration may be filled out by the head of household.

Tighter Security Controls At Costa Rica's Airports For US Bound Flights
Jan 7, 2010 Inside Costa Rica
At the request of the United States the Dirección General de Aviación Civil (DGAC) has tightened its security protocols at the Juan Santamaría (San José) and Daniel Oduber (Libera) international airports on flights to the US. The measure follows the attempted terrorist attack on Christmas day on a flight from Amsterdam to Detroit, Michigan.

Among the changes are that passengers will not be able to carry on their carry on any powdered substance. Items like coffee, sugar, salt, cacao or powdered milk are a no on, unless they are purchased within the terminal's retail stores.

Jorge Fernández, director of Aviación Civil, is emphatic that passengers travelling to the US should buy items like coffee only from stores in the airport terminal - these are the stores beyond the security checks, near the boarding gates.

The only exception to the rule, according to Fernández are prescribed medical items and infant formula and milk. However, these items will be closely inspected by the Policía Aeroportuaria (airport police) before boarding.
The restrictions on liquids, like gels, creams, toothpaste, etc, continues if they are in packaging over 100ml.
Also xray machines and metal detectors will continue to inspect carry on luggage.

Fernández said that in addition to all of this, passengers on US bound flights will have to submit to a final boarding inspection, this being done by the airlines, independent of the security checks and controsl of the DGAC.

Although the tightened security measures are geared towards US bound flights, Copa airlines,  Continental airlines, said it would be adhering to the US security measures though Copa has no direct flights to the US from Costa Rica.

The director of the Policía de Vigilancia Aérea stationed at the Santamaría and Oduber airports, Glen Pacheco, said that passengers can expect more exhaustive checks to impede passengers from boarding with any dangerous substance or material.

Air Travel Special Deals:

More Flights, Lower Fares  Costa Rica

Jeanne Leblanc| February 26th, 2010  

American Airlines will add flights in April between New York and three destinations: San Jose, Costa Rica; Madrid; and Manchester, England.

I see some pretty good fares this spring on all three of those routes, which is probably not a coincidence. Any increase in supply can push prices down in the ultra-competitive airline business.

So fares are running at $339 between JFK and San Jose on American, round-trip, all taxes and fees included, through March and April.
Delta has the same fare between Newark and San Jose on Delta.
Mexicana and TACA are even lower, at $313 and $276, respectively, both out of JFK. And they’re all undercutting ultra-no-frills Spirit Airlines, which flies to San Jose out of LaGuardia, at this point with a bottom fare of $367.

American Adds Daily Flight New York To San José

Feb. 20, 2010 Inside Costa Rica
American Airlines is expanding its coverage in Costa Rica with an additional flight between New York's JFK International airport and San José's Juan Santamaría International airport beginning on April 6th, the airline announced.
The San José flights will be available five days a week, departing the Big Apple at 3:35pm everyday except Friday and Sunday, landing in Costa Rica at 7:15pm. The return flight leaves at 8:25am and arrives at JFK at 3:40pm, every day except Saturday and Monday.
American currently has four daily flights to San José from Dallas, Miami and New York. 

Airlines traveling regularly to Costa Rica: Offering non-stop flights from various locations, United Airlines, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, Mexicana de Aviación, Copa Airlines, Aviateca, Martinair, American West, US Airways.  TACA and LACSA are Costa Rican carriers, and some of the others also offer nonstops.
Yes, there is a departure tax for all foreigners, $26 accepted in U.S. dollars, colones, Euros, credit cards ....

 Costa Rica has always been a popular spot for North American travelers, and with airline and hotel specials overflowing the web, it has reached another level of accessibility.
Costa Rica's proximity to major hubs in the United States and the multitude of flight options makes it easy for travelers to vacation there. It is a two and half hour flight from Miami, a five-hour flight from New York, a four-hour flight from Dallas and a six-hour flight from Los Angeles.
(http://news.cheapflights.com)

  Buying Tickets?

www.Kayak.com ? I find that to be a great site for finding low fares. 

Also try Yapta.com; we've had good luck with this site.
These days, just Google it!

There's now FREE WiFi/Wireless Internet throughout the Juan Santamaria Airport!!

Seniors (each airline has a different starting age for what
constitutes a Senior) are able to go to the head of the line in
security, immigration and customs. 
   
I find ITA software the best for finding times to travel, connection times, etc.., although there are other sites that are helpful for other things like FareCompare.com.

 ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE INFO:
www.alterra.co.cr/FIWS/index.aspx 

FLIGHT AND AIRLINE INFORMATION: 
AUTOMATED FLIGHT INFO: 2437-2626 - English-9 Arrival-1 Departures-2 

GENERAL AIRPORT INFO - Client Services: 2443-1737 / 2443-1244-fax (5am-10pm)  (they speak GOOD English & are REALLY helpful with ANY questions you have!!)

AIRPORT TAXI: www.TaxiAeroPuerto.com

 Domestic airlines that travel within the country
Contact SANSA at www.flysansa.com (506)2221-9414 or Nature Air at www.natureair.net (506) 2220-3054.

  
AIRPORT PARKING (at terminal): $11/day / 890 colones/hour (2440-6700 /2437-2400)

INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES  at SJO JuanSantamaria Int'l
Air Canada - 2441-8025-English-9 8am-1pm Mon.-Sat. / 0800-052-1988  / www.AirCanada.ca
Air Comet - 2291-0684 / www.AirComet.com
Air France - 2220-4119 / www.AirFrance.com/cr
Air Madrid - 2296-4559 / www.AirMadrid.com
Air Panama / Air Costa Rica - 2296-8592 / www.FlyAirPanama.com
Air Transat - 2441-9444 / www.AirTransat.com
America West - 2430-6690 / 0800-0110888 / www.AmericaWest.com American - 2442-8800 / 257-1266 / www.AA.com
Continental - 2442-1904 / 0800 044 0005 / www.Continental.com
Condor - 2430-4787 (air panama) / 2441-9444 / www.Condor.com
Copa - 2441-4742 / 2223-2672 / www.CopaAir.com
Cubana - 2430-4787 / 2221-6918 / www.Cubana.cu
Delta - 2440-4805 / 0800-056-2002 / www.Delta.com
Iberia - 2441-5635 / 2257-8266 / www.Iberia.com
KLM - 2220-4111 / www.KLM.com
LACSA - 2443-3555 / www.TACA.com
MartinAir - 2440-8848 / 2232-3246 / www.MartinAir.com
Mexicana - 2441-9377 / 2295-6969 / www.Mexicana.com
Nature Air - Pavas Airport-2299-6070 / Res-2299-6000 / www.NatureAir.com
SANSA - 2221-9414 / www.Flysansa.com
Spirit Airlines - 800-756-7117 / www.SpiritAir.com
TACA - 2443-3555 / 2296-9533 / www.TACA.com
United - 0-8000-521-243 / www.United.co.cr
USAir - 2430-6690 / 2520-0593 / www.USAirways.com
West Carribean - 2291-0580 / www.WCA.com.co
www.alterra.co.cr/FIWS/contactAerolinea.aspx 

 

No vaccines are required to enter Costa Rica.

One of the great things about Costa Rica are the many pharmacies, that do not require a prescription for most medicines.  And they will sell you a couple of pills instead of having to buy an entire box.  Some pharmacies will even give you shots. The idea is that the pharmacists are very well trained and this helps to take pressure off the overextended socialized Costa Rican medical system.

Yes you can buy those little blue pills without a prescription, ahem,

I've been told!

The Costa Rican currency is called Colon, however the plural (colones) is usually used and pronounced "co-LO-ness" . One thousand colones equals about $2.

Central Bank Reference Rate  Feb. 20, 2010 BUY ₡ 550.20 SELL ₡ 560.21

This means to buy ₡ 1000 equals $1.81
To buy 1 dollar costs (₡ 560.2) $1. 78                     

YOU WILL ALWAYS NEED TO BRING YOUR PASSPORT TO CONVERT U.S. DOLLARS into Colones, even $10. Don't even bother trying to argue, it won't do any good.

US dollars are accepted in most tourist places only and $100 bills are not easy to cash,  thanks to counterfeiting.

Major credit cards are widely accepted,  VISA the most, then Mastercard, occasionally American Express.  Alternatively, many simply use their bank debit cards. If your card says "PLUS" or "CIRRUS" on the back, your card should work fine with many of the automatic tellers in the country. Major banks such as Scotiabank, Interfin, Banco Uno and others have tellers available. Also, the country is dotted with "ATH" cash machines (stands for: A Toda Hora or "at all hours"). These tellers accept international credit cards.

Some persons bring travelers checks as a protection against theft. Be aware, some small establishments do not accept travelers checks and it would be wise to change the checks at your hotel or at a bank before you go to remote places in Costa Rica. They will charge you for cashing your travelers checks.

Almost ideal year-round, the climate is a moderate 72 degrees in the highlands, while the lowlands and coastal areas range from the low 70's to the high 90's. Evenings in San Jose are free of humid heat, and beaches are cooled by ocean breezes. Rainy season occurs from the end of May to November, with the heaviest rainfall in October. The Atlantic or Caribbean side is driest from February thru April, with a short "summer" in June and July, and the wettest months from November thru January. However, you should be prepared for rain at any time during the year in this part of the country. The Pacific side and central parts of the country are driest from January through March.

A lot of people have a misconception of our "rainy season", imagining that it's "monsoon like" and that it never stops raining. Nothing could be further from the truth. We can normally be assured of sunny mornings followed by some rain in the afternoons or evenings, and even plenty of days without rain. The Caribbean experiences a "short summer" during this time, and their weather can be quite pleasant. Avg. highs are between 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit and avg. lows between 72-75 degrees.

Pets

Import  health requirements for dogs and cats 

Dogs and cats entering Costa Rica must have a health certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian, and endorsed by a Veterinary Service (VS) veterinarian.  The examination for the certificate must be conducted within the two weeks prior to travel to Costa Rica.

Health Certificate Statements

1. The dog/cat was examined and found to be healthy and free of any clinical signs of infectious disease.
2. The animals were vaccinated against distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis and parvovirus.

Vaccination Requirements

1. distemper
2. hepatitis
3. leptospirosis
4. parvovirus.
5. rabies – for animals 4 months or older

Requirement

1. The examination for the certificate must be conducted within the two weeks prior to travel to Costa Rica.

2. Please use a State of Federal  US Interstate and International Certificate for Small Animals.

3. Enclose rabies vaccination certificate.

Note

• The Health Certificate does NOT need to be signed by a Notary Public, nor does it have to be authenticated by the Consulate of Costa Rica.

• Animals exported in commercial lot numbers must be accompanied by an import permit.

• Goldfish are not required to have health certificates.

The majority of visitors to Costa Rica come seeking the beaches and water related sports as demonstrated by the fact that 76.6% of exiting respondents have listed that as activities they participated in during their stay.
67.3% participated in the observation of the flora and
fauna, of which we assume a majority visited one or several
national parks or reserves.
49.2% went on hikes (guided or self-guided)
47.2% listed birdwatching and or girlwatching
15.1% went rafting or kayaking
12.6% surfed
and 7.0% listed special interests.

(72.5%  Declined to state the real reason!)

 Miscellaneous Tips:

Most Banks are open from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. and do not close for lunch. Some Banks in tourist areas are open 9-6 everyday and saturdays 9-1.  Government offices are open from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Most commercial business open from 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Stores and other businesses at commercial centers from 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Most restaurants open from 10:00 am to 11:00 pm but closed between 3-5. However most Costa Ricans eat dinner after 7:00.   Hotels and some restaurants are open 24 hours. There is a 13% sales tax at hotels, restaurants and most service industries, and an additional 3% tourist tax at hotels.

WARNING: CHECK TO SEE IF YOUR RESTAURANT CHECK ALREADY HAS THE 13% TAX PLUS THE 10% TIP (SERVICE CHARGE) ADDED (99.9% OF THEM WILL). 

MANY NEW CREDIT CARD CHARGES HAVE A LINE CALLED "PROPINA" BEFORE THE SIGNATURE SPACE.  THIS IS A SNEAKY WAY TO GET FOREIGNERS TO DOUBLE TIP!  I HATE THIS, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN THE SERVICE IS USUALLY TERRIBLE, NO MATTER HOW EXPENSIVE THE RESTAURANT.

I ALSO URGE YOU TO BE GENEROUS IN TIPPING BECAUSE MOST WORKERS ONLY EARN $1 AN HOUR, $400 A MONTH WITH TIPS.  IN THE RARE CASE THAT YOU GET A GREAT WAITER/WAITRESS-

TIP WELL AND TELL THEM THAT THEIR EXCELLENT SERVICE IS THE REASON.




 

Land lines with direct-dial telephone services, fax, telex, radio (119 commercial and 17 public service institutions)

Approx. 80 TV Stations, Cable and Satellite are all available.

Bilingual operator assistance for international calls dial:116

Local information dial:113

Long distance information dial:124

Emergency dial:911

Internet cafes are available in most towns and hotels, high speed available in many locations.

National or official language: Spanish.

Literacy rate: 96% (2003).