Costa Rican Consulate in Nicaragua resumes visa appointments

Following the April 5 reopening of Costa Rica’s land borders to tourists, the Costa Rican Consulates in Managua and Chinandega, Nicaragua, have resumed visa appointments.

Visa appointments had been suspended since March 2020 in context of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Due to the gradual reopening of the land border for the entry of tourists, the General Consulate in Managua and the Consulate in Chinandega inform that as of April 7, the reactivation of appointment requests for consular visas is enabled,” the statement reads.

Appointments should be made via the call center at +505 7833-5400.

Tourists entering via Costa Rica’s land borders must also meet coronavirus entry requirements, comprising the Health Pass and health insurance.

Currently, Costa Rica’s incoming land borders are open to individuals of nationalities that do not require an additional visa. This includes citizens of the United States, Canada, the UK and many others.

Nicaraguans, however, must apply for visa in order to visit Costa Rica. With those services now being offered at the Consulates, citizens of Costa Rica’s northern neighbor now have a legal avenue through which to enter.

“Those people whose nationality is in the third and fourth groups and who require a visa will only be able to enter Costa Rica when the consulates of Costa Rica resume visa processing,” the Immigration Administration says.