3 Easy Steps to obtaining Costa Rica e-Visa

If you do not satisfy the requirements for applying ETA online, please apply through a travel agent, airline, or a Costa Rica visa office. If you are not available for an ETA VISA, you can still apply for another electronic visiting visa.

It is important that you are very careful when you enter your personal details. You will have an opportunity to review all the details you have provided and can change the details at any time until you confirm all details as correct.

If you have made an error, it is important that you correct it before proceeding. Once you have confirmed the details, your credit card will be debited for the non-refundable service charge.

If you find out later that you have made a mistake, you will need to make a new application (and incur another service charge). We cannot change the details on an ETA once it has been issued.

Note: If your ETA details do not match your passport details you might experience delays when boarding your aircraft or be refused entry into Costa Rica.

No. You do not need to arrange your transportation into the country before applying for an ETA. Whether you are traveling by boat or plane, it’s okay to apply for your ETA anytime before or after your confirmed ticket.

The highland range from 1,000 to 2,000 meters, or 3,000 to 6,000 feet, above sea level. Costa Rica has mountain several ranges: Cordillera de Guanacaste, Cordillera Central, and Cordillera de Talamanca. The active volcanoes gracing the lands are the Peas Volcano, Adrenal, Riau, Rincon de la Viejas and Turrialba volcanoes that also produce much visited hot springs.

Costa Rica is 6 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time, which is equivalent to Central Standard Time (CST) in North America for half of the year. Costa Rica does not change clocks for daylight savings time, so from April through December local time is one hour ahead of CST, or Mountain Time.

Exchange US Dollars – Exchanging money is possible at higher-end hotels and also at banks. Banks are likely to offer you a better deal. You can also simply get colons from the many ATMs you can find around the country, but make sure you are aware of the exchange rate. US dollars are accepted in the touristic areas but make sure to bring colons when going off the beaten path.  Credit Cards – Credit cards are widely accepted by most businesses in Costa Rica. Most vendors give discounts for using cash, as a credit card merchant companies charge high percentages on transactions here.

The Costa Rica currency is the Colon, and the exchange rate varies on a daily basis.

No. If you have a family member, you will have to apply each for an application. Even if your child is traveling under your passport, they will need their own application.

Yes, kindly use his/her ID information alongside your personal information when completing the online application form. Please use your child’s (dependants) identification data requested at the time of completion when adding another traveler to your application. There are no exceptions regarding age.

Depending on your country of origin, you may enter Costa Rica without a visa. USA, Canada and most European countries enjoy this privilege.

Costa Rica is a small Central American country bordered to the north by Nicaragua and to the south by Panama. To the east, you’ll find the Atlantic or Caribbean Coast, and to the west, you’ll find the Pacific Ocean.  This small peaceful country is approximately 9 degrees north of the equator. Due to its geographical position, it serves as part of the Central American isthmus between the North and South American continents and the bridge between the northern and southern hemispheres.

Costa Rica’s weather is temperate all year, so any time is a great time to travel to Costa Rica! The coastal breezes cool down the warmer beach areas. Temperatures in the mountains are pleasantly warm during the day and get cooler at night, making each-each morning refreshing and bright.

Many people ask about the general time periods of the high and low seasons, which typically corresponds to the dry/green season months. The dry season usually begins in late November and continues through mid-April. The rainy season here starts in May and grows heavy in August, September, and October. August and September can be pretty rainy. But you should also note that the green season brings with it the lushest and beautiful nature.

Despite the perception of Latin American countries being dangerous, Costa Rica remains a very safe, stable country.  The most common crimes against tourists are pickpocketing and breaking into rental cars. You can certainly avoid being the victim of such crimes by not putting yourself in high-risk situations.