Visa and Immigration Information

A visa is “an endorsement on a passport indicating that the holder is allowed to enter, leave, or stay for a specified period of time in a country”.

For citizens of the United States planning to stay in Costa Rica for 90 days or less, a visa is not required; if you hold a United States passport, you do not need a visa for this program. You will be required, however, to show the Costa Rican border officials a return ticket to the United States. Failure to do so may result in being denied entry to the country.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are not a citizen of the United States, you may be required to obtain a visa prior to travel. CISabroad is not a visa processing centre. It is your responsibility to understand the immigration laws surrounding your country’s requirements for visiting Costa Rica. Your program manager can provide documents you may need to support your visa application.