Tourist and Resident Frequent QuestionsFirst, please take a quick read of
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Do I need a passport to go to Costa Rica?
Do I need a visa to go to Costa Rica?
Can I enter Costa Rica with a one way ticket?
Do I need an international drivers license to drive a car in Costa Rica?
How can I get married in Costa Rica? What documents do I need?
What is the difference between the rain forest and the cloud forest?
Is the water safe to drink in Costa Rica?
What is the currency in Costa Rica?
Are credit cards accepted in Costa Rica?
What kind of inoculations or shots do I have to take to Costa Rica?
Do I need an electric adapter for a hair drier? What is the voltage in Costa Rica?
What documents are required to bring my pet to Costa Rica?
Is there and exit or departure tax in Costa Rica? If so, how much is it?
How can I get a visa so I can work in Costa Rica?
How can I apply for legal residency in Costa Rica?
Are the national parks and other tourist areas wheel chair accessible?
Is there a tour operator offering special tours for handicapped people?
Is there an American Legion in Costa Rica?
If I decide to stay longer, can I get a visa while I am there?
What should I bring when going to the rain forest?
Are there domestic airlines that travel within Costa Rica?
What is the sales tax in Costa Rica?
What number should I dial in case of emergency?
Are there English language newspapers?
Where can I do some white water rafting in Costa Rica?
Where can the famous turtles be seen?
Which countries border Costa Rica's?
How is Costa Rica divided? Are there states?
What sort of Clubs, Groups, Social associations are there in Costa Rica?
What is the attitude towards Gays and Lesbians in Costa Rica? Do I need a passport to go to Costa Rica? A valid passport is mandatory to enter Costa Rica. All passengers need a passport and there must be at least six months remaining before the passport expires. In addition, make sue your passport is in good physical condition. It is not uncommon to be refused entry to Costa Rica if you arrive with a damaged passport. Here is one woman's story. TOP Do I need a visa to go to Costa Rica?Depending on your country of origin you may enter Costa Rica without a visa. USA, Canada and most European countries have this privilege. Actually, the stamp you receive in your passport as you pass through immigration IS your visa and expires based on what country you are from. US and Canadian citizens have 90 days. Please check Entry to Costa Rica for more information. TOP Can I enter Costa Rica with a one way ticket? In general, the answer is no. Most airlines will not sell them, but this is changing and I understand that some airlines will do this. Some require proof that you will be applying for residency. As this seem to vary by airline, you should contact them directly. See Entry to Costa Rica. TOP Do I need an international drivers license to drive a car in Costa Rica?No. An International license is not required. You are allowed to drive with your normal drivers license for whatever is the term of your visa. See Driving in Costa Rica or Renting a Car in Costa Rica for more information. TOP How can I get married in Costa Rica? What documents do I need? (Also read this)Foreigners can get married in Costa Rica. The documents needed are: - original birth certificate - affidavit of single status - police record - valid passport - divorce decree (if applicable) - These documents need to follow the authentication procedure before being taken to Costa Rica. This means you must take or send these documents to a Costa Rica Embassy in your country BEFORE you come. They will attach tax stamps (timbres) and return the documents to you. The current price is about $40.00 per document. I would urge you to check with the Association of Residents of Costa Rica to get up to date information. TOP What is the difference between the rain forest and the cloud forest?Mainly the altitude and the temperature. The rain forests are very hot and humid while the cloud forest are humid and moist. The species of flora and fauna are significantly different. TOP Is the water safe to drink in Costa Rica? The water is fine in nearly all locations. When in very remote or rural areas, you may wish to drink bottled water. Also, if you have a very sensitive stomach, bottled water may be better, but I have lived here for years and I never drink the bottled stuff. Recently (Spring, 2005) a University of Costa Rica study indicated problems with the water in San José and parts of Heredia. Of course the water department said nonsense. Your call. Oh... and did you know that Evian spelled backwards is Naive? Maybe the French are trying to tell us something! TOP What is the currency in Costa Rica? The Costa Rican currency is called Colon. US dollars may or may not be accepted. Do NOT count on it. Major tourist areas accept dollars, as do most hotels and travel related businesses, but a lot of small (and excellent) restaurants as well as almost all the non-commercial artisan shops (not in a tourist trap area) will accept neither dollars nor credit cards. For more information, see Money and Banking. TOP Are credit cards accepted in Costa Rica?In the major tourist areas, yes. However, many locations do not accept credit cards, especially those great places where you actually see the artist creating something. Also, if ANYTHING is priced in dollars, you are VERY likely over paying! Carry some colones and use any you have left over to pay your Departure Tax. TOP What kind of inoculations do I have to take to Costa Rica? No vaccines are required to enter Costa Rica but for detailed information, see Disease in Costa Rica. No matter where you travel though, a tetanus shot (or booster) is always a good idea. TOP Do I need an electric adapter for a hair drier?
That depends on the voltage in your home country. Outlets here are 110 V, with standard US two prong plugs (or three prong if grounded). Your hair blower, curling iron and all other appliances will work fine. Those of you from Europe will need the adapters thingys, impossible to find easily in Costa Rica. Bring yours!
TOP What documents are required to bring my pet to Costa Rica?
Dogs and cats entering Costa Rica must have a health certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian, endorsed by a veterinarian service (VS) veterinarian. The examination for the certificate must be conducted within the two weeks prior to traveling to Costa Rica. The required vaccinations are: distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus and rabies (for animals 4 months or older). Rules change. Check ARCR and See this.
TOP Is there and exit or departure tax in Costa Rica? If so, how much is it?
Departure tax is $26, can be paid in US Dollars, colones or with a Visa card. This must be paid at the point of exit. See Entry to Costa Rica. TOP How can I get a visa so I can work in Costa Rica? In general, you cannot. Costa Rica protects its labor force. There are exceptions. See Working in Costa Rica for details. Also see Residency. TOP How can I apply for legal residency in Costa Rica? Costa Rica offers different ways to legalize your status. See Residency in Costa Rica. TOP Are the national parks and other tourist areas wheel chair accessible? Also read this page.In general, Costa Rica is not wheelchair friendly. This IS getting better though. The Poas Volcano National Park is the one that offers access for wheel chairs. Some of the newer and more modern hotels now offer wheel chair access for the disabled.  Another notable location is INBioparque, a wonderful place located in Santo Domingo de Heredia. See map at right. Click to enlarge. It is an amazing theme park offering interactive experiences with Nature. INBioparque offers daily round-trip shuttle service from most hotels in the San Jose area but it is unclear whether these shuttles are wheelchair equipped. Once you get to the park, you will find it is 100% wheelchair (and stroller) friendly! There are tours, a farm, a lagoon, an aquarium and other attractions (like the ANTS!). Price $15 adults, $8 kids. Open Tuesday through Sunday 8AM to 6 PM, but admissions closes at 4 PM.
TOP Is there a tour operator offering special tours for handicapped people? This one offers wheel chair tours. Also, Gray Line has handicapped equipped bus tours. In general, Costa Rica is moving slowly toward providing tourist services for the disabled, but they ARE making progress. Recently the Sala IV constitutional court ordered all buses to be wheelchair equipped. Many of the better hotels now offer ramps. Check before you book your reservation to avoid surprises. TOP Is there an American Legion in Costa Rica?
There is an American Legion for people who were in the army. American Legion Post 10 in Escazu tel:2 228-1740. You can also contact The Association of Residents at (506)2233-8068 or at Association of Costa Rica Residents (ARCR) See also Clubs and organizations. TOP If I decide to stay longer, can I get a visa while I am there? When you enter Costa Rica, your passport will be stamped and that is your visa to be here. The length of time depends on your country of origin. Your visa CAN be renewed if you leave the country for 72 hours. This cannot be done forever, but 2-3 times is probably not a problem. Short trips to Panama, Nicaragua, or San Andres are cheap and available. When you return, your visa will be renewed automatically for 90 more days if you are from the USA. If you are not from the USA or Canada, check here as the rules are different for other countries. TOP What should I bring when going to the rain forest?All you need is insect repellent, a rain coat with a hood and hiking boots. I also suggest a good deodorant unless you are traveling alone! For what to bring in general, look here. TOP Are there domestic airlines that travel within Costa Rica?
Yes. SANSA at www.flysansa.com (506)2221-9414 or Nature Air at www.natureair.net (506) 2220-3054. Both have scheduled flights within Costa Rica and Nature Air offers will charter a plane in Costa Rica for private use. Also see this link. TOP What is the sales tax in Costa Rica? Sales tax is 13% but some other travel related taxes are 17% TOP What number should I dial in case of emergency? Dial 911. Do not expect the operator to speak English. TOP Are there English written newspapers?
The Tico Times. www.ticotimes.net (506)2258-1558 is published weekly on Fridays. Also see here for all newspapers here and click here to see today's live new feeds. TOP Where can I do some white water rafting in Costa Rica? On the rivers: Pacuare, Reventazon, Corobici, Sarapiqui, Naranjo or Savagre. There are a ton of tour operators here offering rafting on rivers from class 2 to class 5. Also see TOURS. TOP Where can the famous turtles be seen?You can go to Tortuguero National Park in the Caribbean or to Las Baulas National Park in the Pacific coast. TOP What are Costa Rica's natural boundaries?North: Nicaragua - South: Panama - East: The Caribbean Sea - West: The Pacific Ocean. For more geography, click here. TOP How is Costa Rica divided? Are there states?Costa Rica is comprised of seven provinces: San José, Heredia, Alajuela, Cartago, Limon, Puntarenas and Guanacaste. For more information see The Provinces. Click Maps of Costa Rica to see where they are. TOP What sort of Clubs, Groups, Social associations are there in Costa Rica?Here are the most popular, but their are many others. Click Here What is the attitude towards Gays and Lesbians in Costa Rica?
In general, Gays and Lesbians are well tolerated in Costa Rica so long as they tend to keep a low profile. Few incidents of harassment are reported. One recent gay magazine described Costa Rica as being at about the stage of the US in the late 60's. Read more about Gay and Lesbian travel here. Now, be sure to click here to see Things Your Travel Agent Didn't Tell You. TOP | 
