Below is a copy of the US State Department of State Information Update for Costa Rica. It is now officially confirmed that Costa Rica is enforcing, although somewhat selectively, their policy against perpetual tourists. Also, before coming to Costa Rica, check with your airline regarding their enforcement policy of scannable passports. If you have an older type of passport that cannot be scanned, you may be denied departure from the United States, especailly if you are a tourist traveling through a US airport on your way to Costa Rica from another country. Although a visa may be acceptable to Costa Rica, it may not be acceptable at a US airport for security reasons.

U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs Washington, DC 20520 Consular Information Sheet

Costa Rica

January 29, 2003

COUNTRY DESCRIPTION: Costa Rica is a middle-income, developing country with a strong democratic tradition. Tourist facilities are extensive and generally adequate. The capital is San Jose. English is widely spoken.

ENTRY AND EXIT REQUIREMENTS: Effective December 9, 2003, the Government of Costa Rica will require that all U.S. citizens present passports valid for at least ninety days in order to enter Costa Rica. The Government of Costa Rica has advised that, until that date, U.S. citizens will be permitted to enter Costa Rica upon presentation of a photo identification card/driver's license or state I.D. card issued by a state’s department of motor vehicles (DMV), along with an original or certified copy of the birth certificate.

The State Department strongly recommends that every U.S. citizen travel on a valid U.S. passport even though lesser documentation may be required by the country of destination. Entry procedures in Costa Rica are currently in flux, and some U.S. citizens who have tried to enter Costa Rica without valid passports have been denied entry and returned to the United States.

U.S. citizens are generally permitted to stay up to ninety days; to stay legally beyond that period, travelers will need to submit an application for an extension to the Office of Temporary Permits in the Costa Rican Department of Immigration. Tourist visas are usually not extended except under special circumstances, such as academic, employment, or medical grounds. Extension requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Americans should always be prepared to present to Costa Rican authorities proof of their legal entry and stay in Costa Rica via their appropriately stamped passport (or, until December 9, 2003, their tourist card). Under Costa Rican law, a photocopy alone of the U.S. passport and entry stamps (or tourist card) is not sufficient to demonstrate proof of status. In recent times, Americans have been detained, deported, and fined due to their failure to demonstrate legal status in Costa Rica.

There is a departure tax for short-term visitors. Tourists who stay over ninety days without receiving a formal extension can expect to pay a higher departure tax at the airport or land border. Persons who have overstayed previous visas may be denied entry to Costa Rica.