No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsLatin AmericaNew Costa Rica Visa Requirements for Venezuelans

New Costa Rica Visa Requirements for Venezuelans

It just got more difficult to get into Costa Rica, especially for Venezuelans. Starting next week on February 21st anyone from Venezuela will need a entry visa before being able to enter into Costa Rica.

The only exception for Venezuelans is in case of an emergency or an unavoidable catastrophe such as an armed conflict or natural disaster.

According to a statement put out by the migration office: “Changes in migration policy worldwide have caused differences in the mobility dynamics of these nationalities … for which other countries have adopted the visa application”

A large part of the reason for this change seems to stem from the large amount of Venezuelans who have been coming into Costa Rica recently due to the humanitarian crisis that is taking place there.

Their also is pressure being applied from the United States on Costa Rica as well as the other Central American countries, in order to try to ease the flow of Venezuelans ( and other nationalities) that are trying to cross over from the Mexican border.

For those Venezuelans who have already made plans to travel to Costa Rica, their seems to be no reprieve and a they will need to get a visa before being able to enter the country.

In addition, if you are from either Cuba or Nicaragua and are stopping in Costa Rica via air on your way to another country, transit visas will now be required.

For more information you can go to their website – (in Spanish)

Trending Now

Novak Djokovic Advances to Australian Open Semifinals After Musetti Retires

Novak Djokovic reached the semifinals of the Australian Open on January 27, 2026, when Lorenzo Musetti retired from their quarterfinal match. The Serbian trailed...

Panama Cancels Canal Concession as China Vows to Protect Firms

Panama’s Supreme Court on Thursday annulled the concession under which the Hong Kong company CK Hutchison operated two ports on the Panama Canal, a...

Can a New Supermax Prison Slow Costa Rica’s Gang Violence

Last year I wrote an article suggesting that Costa Rica build a maximum security prison like the one in El Salvador. The idea was...

Canatur and FECOP Urge Coastal Costa Ricans to Vote in New Turnout Drive

Canatur and the Costa Rican Federation of Sport Fishing, FECOP, have launched a joint campaign aimed at boosting voter turnout in Costa Rica’s coastal...

Junior Tennis Stars Shine as Copa del Café 2026 Concludes

The 61st edition of the Copa del Café wrapped up on January 24 at the Costa Rica Country Club in Escazú, where young tennis...

Winter Storm Triggers Flight Cancellations at Liberia Airport in Costa Rica

Flight disruptions hit Guanacaste Airport hard this week as a winter storm sweeps across the United States and Canada. Officials at Daniel Oduber Quirós...
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica