Costa Rica entry requirements for UK citizens

How long you can stay

Up to 180 days per visit.

What you need

• Valid machine-readable passport (valid at least 1 day on entry; your stay cannot exceed its expiry)
• Return or onward ticket (or navigation plan naming the destination port)
• Proof of funds: at least US$100 per month or part-month of stay
• Customs traveller declaration (Declaración de Viajero) on arrival

Good to know

Costa Rica's current visa directive (AJ-484-11-2025, in force since publication 17 Nov 2025; it repealed the Oct 2023 directive DG-30-10-2023-AJ) lists the United Kingdom (including England, Wales and Scotland; British dependencies on a British passport get the same treatment) in the FIRST GROUP: 'INGRESO SIN VISA. PERMANENCIA MÁXIMA: HASTA 180 DÍAS NATURALES NO PRORROGABLES. (Únicamente se prorrogará a quienes se le otorguen menos de 90 días y hasta por un máximo de 90 días). VIGENCIA MÍNIMA DE PASAPORTE: HASTA UN DÍA (el plazo de permanencia otorgado por el oficial de control migratorio, no será mayor al de la vigencia del pasaporte).' So: no visa; the border officer decides the stay, up to 180 calendar days counted from entry (per entry — the directive sets no cumulative cap across trips), and never beyond the passport's expiry; your passport only needs to be valid on the day of entry, but a longer validity buys a longer stay. The stay cannot be extended unless the officer granted fewer than 90 days, in which case an extension of up to 90 days can be requested (the text does not say whether 90 is the extra time or the total). Check the stamp: the days granted are what count, not the 180-day ceiling. 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. Cross-check: GOV.UK Costa Rica entry requirements (FCDO) says British citizens can visit without a visa 'for up to 180 days under a tourist visa waiver. The exact period is at the discretion of the immigration officer on arrival', and that the passport must have an expiry date at least 1 day after the day you plan to leave.

Source Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería, 'Directrices Generales de Visas de Ingreso y Permanencia para No Residentes' AJ-484-11-2025, Alcance N° 148 a La Gaceta N° 216 (17 Nov 2025) — official Imprenta Nacional gazette edition (copy hosted on icoder.go.cr; the migracion.go.cr copy is Cloudflare-blocked)Checked against the source on 2026-10-09