NOTE: By presidential decree Costa Rican hotels, restaurants, adventure tours and other non-essential businesses have the option of requiring all guests 12 years and older show proof of vaccination or enforcing distancing and operating at 50% capacity starting Dec 1, 2021.
Starting Jan 8, 2022 only vaccinated clients will be permitted to enter non essential businesses
Children 12-17 are now exempt from vaccine requirements until Feb 1, 2022. (see vaccine requirement FAQs for more details)
The “transition period” for vaccination requirements from Dec 1, 2021 through Jan 7, 2022 will allow businesses to choose whether to continue to operate at limited capacity without checking vaccine status OR to operate at full capacity for only fully vaccinated patrons.
WHAT THIS MEANS – Some international tourism related business may choose to take advantage of the transition period without vaccination requirements. However, rapidly growing demand from fully vaccinated travelers means especially the popular resorts, lodges and attractions can operate at 100% capacity without admitting anyone unvaccinated.
After the periodo de transicion a ingreso, starting January 8, 2022 proof of Covid 19 vaccination will be required for everyone (including tourists) to participate in adventure tours, or enter hot springs, restaurants, bars, hotels and all other lodging,.
There is no current or proposed requirement to be vaccinated prior to entering Costa Rica and visitors who choose not to get the shot may still purchase Covid health and quarantine insurance for immigration purposes.
There is a “news” article in AM Costa Rica that incorrectly states that vaccines will be required for entry. We confirmed with the ministers of health and immigration that this is false.
Proof of Vaccination
Costa Ricans currently obtain a certificate of vaccination automatically or by using this Ministry of Health link. Starting the first of November this certificate will be updated to a secure QR code using a validation app borrowed from Europe.
It was recently made official that the QR code that foreigners receive by filling out the “pase de salud” and uploading proof of vaccination will be used for the entry requirements.
Acceptable documents depend on travelers home country and are the same as the requirements for proof to eliminate the travel insurance requirement.
U.S. travelers will need their CDC COVID 19 vaccination record card.
From the UK the NHS Covid pass, Europe is an EU Digital COVID Certificate, Canada is still working on consolidating the provincial certificates into a universal one but when it’s available it should show up at ArriveCAN
Eventually foreign visitors will be required to submit proof of vaccination via the app to obtain a new QR code that can be used to enter businesses.