No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeNewsCosta RicaCosta Rica extends coronavirus border restrictions until June 30

Costa Rica extends coronavirus border restrictions until June 30

Costa Rica has extended its entry restrictions in response to the coronavirus pandemic until June 30.

Until at least that date, Costa Rica will deny entry to tourists and non-resident foreigners, the Health Ministry announced Friday. The restriction applies to the country’s ports of entry via land, air and sea.

Exceptions may be made for “humanitarian cases,” Public Security Minister Michael Soto has said previously, but those instances must be approved by the Immigration Administration, the Health Ministry and the Foreign Ministry.

Costa Rica’s partial border shutdown began March 19.

Citizens, residents and tourists are all still allowed to leave Costa Rica. However, foreign residents who leave or left the country on March 24 or later are unable to re-enter Costa Rica until further notice.

Anyone caught entering the country illegally will have his or her residency status revoked.

In addition, citizens and residents entering Costa Rica will be assigned a mandatory 14-day quarantine by Immigration Police.

The Immigration Administration has announced that tourists and others who overstay their visas due to the coronavirus crisis will not be fined when they next try to exit Costa Rica.

Foreigners who entered Costa Rica on a tourist visa after December 17, 2019, can legally remain in Costa Rica until August 18, 2020 without lapsing into an irregular immigration status.

Costa Rica has also extended driving allowances for tourists using foreign licenses.

Commercial flights between the United States and Costa Rica have resumed in very limited capacity; United Airlines began serving the country with a direct flight from Houston in May. The availability of flights does not supersede Costa Rica’s entry restrictions.

The Health Ministry continues to ask citizens and residents to avoid nonessential travel and to stay home when possible.

Trending Now

Major Cocaine Seizure in Costa Rica’s South Highlights Ongoing Cartel Fight

Costa Rican police pulled off a big win against drug traffickers this Sunday, seizing over a ton of cocaine hidden in a tourism minibus...

Costa Rica Anglers Catch Rare Orange and Albino Nurse Shark

Anglers on a fishing trip off Costa Rica's Caribbean coast caught a nurse shark unlike any seen before: bright orange skin and stark white...

The Most Clueless Gringo in Costa Rica: A Satirical Take on Expat Life

If part of your online day includes mindless scrolling through reels, you’ve probably seen the Dos Equis beer parody commercials. The original ads featured the...

Nicaragua Hosts Historic 2025 AmeriCup Basketball Tournament

The 2025 AmeriCup, the men’s basketball Copa América, tips off this Friday in Nicaragua, marking the most significant international sporting event in the country’s...

Panama Union Files Lawsuits Against Chiquita Over Mass Layoffs

Panama’s President, José Raúl Mulino, will meet in Brazil with U.S. banana company Chiquita Brands in search of an agreement for the company to...

Fan Violence in Latin American Football Spurs Debate on Security and Culture

Images of a fan jumping from the stands to escape a beating as bottles, rocks and seats fly through the air at a game...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica