Are you ready to go on vacation but you are afraid of a possible Covid-19 Travel Ban at your planned destination? Well, do not be, Costa Rica is the place to visit!
Costa Rica has no Covid-19 Travel Bans in place
Although Costa Rica responsibly closed the land & air borders during the beginning of pandemic last year, right now the airports are fully opened to all nationalities and no Covid-19 Travel Bans have been considered by our authorities!
These measures are possible since Costa Rica has a strong public health care system and this has helped to a dramatic decrease in the number of new cases, ICU users and deaths associated to Covid-19. The curve of new infections has fortunately dropped in the last four weeks. Other than that, the vaccination campaign is in place for all population, starting with elderly and medic personnel. Costa Rica was the 10th country in the world to receive the first vaccines!
Costa Rica Covid-19 strategy
The Government has promoted a strategy based on shared management involving the general population, social actors, businesses and of course the health care system. The country intends to continue with the normal activities as much as possible. We have implemented strict hygiene protocols and promote the mandatory use of masks in public places, social distancing and continuous hand wash and sanitation.
As quoted by the Tico Times, the Tourism Minister, Gustavo Segura, indicated – at a press conference on January 18th – that the country will maintain its current entry requirements.
“In pandemic times, all of our measures are permanently being analyzed,” Segura said. “In this moment, it’s not on the discussion table to retake the requirement that Costa Rica impose on international travelers the presentation of a negative test.”
Official entry requirements to Costa Rica
Many countries are currently closed to USA travelers, but Costa Rica is opened to all nationalities arriving on international flights.
These are the official entry requirements in place in Costa Rica:
- Fill out the electronic epidemiological HEALTH PASS form, available at https://salud.go.cr. This should be completed in the 48 hours before boarding for Costa Rica. It generates a QR code that you must show upon arrival; some airlines ask for it at check-in.
- Purchase Traveler’s Medical Insurance: This can be either from an international company, or purchased through the National Insurance Institute (INS) or Sagicor of Costa Rica, covering the duration of your stay in Costa Rica.
INS and Sagicor policies are pre-approved and guaranteed to be accepted by Costa Rican authorities. However, many visitors choose international policies because they are often cheaper.
Tourists who opt to purchase an international policy must bring a letter demonstrating:
- Guaranteed coverage of medical expenses in the event of becoming ill with COVID-19 while in Costa Rica, for at least $50,000 USD.
- Minimum coverage of $2,000 USD for lodging expenses issued because of the pandemic.
- Validity of the insurance policy throughout the planned stay in Costa Rica.
In addition to the coronavirus-related measures, tourists must also meet Costa Rica’s general visa requirements; visitors must have a valid passport and proof of intent to exit the country (an outbound ticket) within 90 days.
Click here to visit the official website.
Covid-19 tests in Costa Rica
For those travelers, whose countries require a Covid-19 negative test 72 hours before arriving back in their countries, Costa Rica offers a good number of certified labs that provide the test. Rates for tests are $100.00 in San Jose Metro area. Most important, Costa Rica Expeditions will help organizing your itinerary in the most efficient way, so that you can get tested before leaving the country. Our seamless trip logistics will let you enjoy the wonders of this country the best possible way! We will also assist you with all the necessary arrangements for your testing.
We, at Costa Rica Expeditions has earned the Safe travel seal from the ICT, and this ensures that our clients are met and served with the highest level of safety during their vacations.
One thing we have learned through the Pandemic is that you can have fun and be safe at the same time during your dreamed vacation. In any case, this is a practice our company has had in place since 1978!
If you want to live a fun and safe vacation, please contact us at [email protected] or fill out our unique vacation tool below