Costa Rica entry requirements for Chinese citizens

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Chinese citizens need a visa to visit Costa Rica. Your visa sets how long you can stay. The 2025 directive (AJ-484-11-2025) lists the People's Republic of China (REPÚBLICA POPULAR CHINA*) in the THIRD GROUP (consular visa): 'VIGENCIA DE LA VISA: UN ÚNICO INGRESO … PLAZO PARA ESTAMPAR LA VISA EN EL PASAPORTE: TRES MESES UNA VEZ AUTORIZADA … una vez estampada … deberá ser utilizada en un plazo máximo de sesenta días hábiles … VIGENCIA MÍNIMA DE PASAPORTE: 180 DÍAS NATURALES. PERMANENCIA MÁXIMA: HASTA 30 DÍAS NATURALES, PRORROGABLES HASTA LOS NOVENTA DÍAS NATURALES.' So a single-entry consular visa from a Costa Rican consulate is needed; the stay is up to 30 days (extendable to 90). Consular fees are set by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (not stated in the directive). Exemptions (directive QUINTO) that let a third-group national enter WITHOUT a Costa Rican visa, provided the passport meets the 180-day validity rule: (I) a multiple-entry visa or residence of the United States or Canada in any category (including refugee/asylum and US D and C1/D visas; US C1, C2, C3 transit visas are NOT accepted), valid at least 1 day from the day of entry — the stay granted cannot exceed that visa's/residence's validity; (II) a residence permit of the UK (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland), Iceland, Norway, Switzerland or an EU country, multiple-entry or valid at least 90 days from entry (refugee/asylum residence excluded); (III) a multiple-entry Schengen 'C' visa or multiple-entry 'D' visa, valid at least 1 day from entry (visas whose validity starts after the entry date are not accepted). Visas/residence documents must be ICAO-compliant cards/stickers — stamps, handwritten papers, pending-residence or extension documents are rejected — and be in Spanish or English or translated. China-specific rules (TERCERO §IV): Hong Kong and Macao nationals travelling on valid British or Portuguese passports are treated as first group (no visa, up to 180 days), otherwise they follow PRC rules; Chinese public-affairs passports need no visa; visa applications for Chinese minors are decided only by the Comisión de Visas Restringidas and must be filed by parents/legal guardians; adult PRC nationals with passports issued in Beijing or Shanghai may exceptionally enter as tourists under the 'Protocolo Temporal para la promoción de Turismo de China', staying no longer than the purchased tour and never more than 30 days, with no change of status allowed. Entry requirements for every foreigner (Directrices, PRIMERO §4, citing art. 42 Ley General de Migración y Extranjería 8764 and art. 30 Reglamento de Control Migratorio 36769-G): a valid, machine-readable/biometric passport in good condition; a visa where required; proof of funds of at least US$100 per month or part-month of authorised stay; a return or onward ticket (or a navigation plan naming the destination port); and no bar to entry. Tourist (No Residente, subcategoría Turismo) status allows leisure, business or professional activities only if they involve no pay or profit in Costa Rica. Also on arrival: a customs traveller declaration (Declaración de Viajero) is required of every arriving traveller (art. 368 Reglamento a la Ley General de Aduanas, Decreto 44051-H). Per the UK FCDO page (cross-check), a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required if you are coming from a country listed as a yellow-fever transmission risk, an air departure tax of US$29 may apply (usually included in the ticket), and overstayers can be fined US$100 per month and refused future entry; travel.gc.ca (updated 31 Aug 2026) adds that people deported for overstaying may be barred from re-entering for 5 to 10 years.

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