There are so many people that want to travel to Costa Rica every year, but almost every single one of them wonders, “Do you need a passport to go to Costa Rica?”. This is understandable, because it seems like a destination that you could easily reach with no problem. And, Costa Rica vacations always seem to be thrilling adventures that thousands of travelers are enjoying every single year, so everyone thinks that there must not be much preparation to enjoy it all.
When it comes to where to fly in Costa Rica, only two of the four airports are considered international airports at the moment. Those two airports are the Juan Santamaria International Airport and the Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport. This right here should tell you that you will definitely need a passport to travel to Costa Rica.
As soon as you know that you are going to Costa Rica, you must make sure that your passport is valid. While many countries have a rule that a passport must be valid for six months past your departure date, Costa Rica only requires your passport to be valid for three months after your departure. In some cases, you may be able to get away with your passport’s validity being only a day after you leave the country, but that is rare.
When you arrive in Costa Rica, you must have more than your passport ready to show the customs agent. You will also need to show your return flight ticket and an approved tourist visa. It is important to note that while you may have received a ninety-day visa, the customs agent has the final say of how long you can be in the country. Therefore, if you are supposed to stay for thirty days and the customs agent says that you must leave by day twenty-eight, you must change your flight to leave by that time. This very rarely happens, but it helps to be prepared for the possibility.
While many people fly to Costa Rica, you can also get there via cruise. It is still necessary that you have a passport for this mode of travel, even though you may think that you can use your driver’s license and birth certificate. Those documents are not going to be enough when you are visiting this country, even if you are not planning on getting off the ship. Plus, you will want your passport in case you need to change your plans and return home using another mode of transportation.
When you are planning your vacation in Costa Rica, there are a few things that you must be aware of, besides the passport rules. First, the Costa Rica official language is Spanish, and while you do not need to know the language to visit, it will be handy if you know some of the basic words and phrases. When it comes to the Costa Rica landmarks, you will have many to choose from. Therefore, I recommend doing a little research and seeing which ones you want to see more than the others. This will ensure that you can create an itinerary that will allow you to experience as much of this beautiful area as possible during your stay.
The answer to the question, “Do you need a passport to go to Costa Rica?”, is a definite yes. This is one of the many international countries that require passports, as well as visas, for everyone to enter. While you may think that you can sidestep this process by taking a cruise there, you probably will not be as successful as you think.
