Costa Rica entry requirements for British passport holders (2026): visa and passport validity
Passport validity (FCDO rule): At least 1 day after the day you leave
Visa (FCDO): Read the official visa text below
Official source: GOV.UK – Costa Rica travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO) · page last updated 19 May 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
Whether you need a visa and how long your British passport must be valid to enter Costa Rica, as published by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), quoted word for word, with a checker for your dates.
Other passports: Canadian passport · Australian passport · Italian citizens: documenti per italiani
Do I need a visa for Costa Rica with a British passport?
We quote the FCDO text word for word and do not summarise it: its first sentence has conditions or a wording we do not turn into a one-line answer.
You can visit Costa Rica without a visa for up to 180 days under a tourist visa waiver. The exact period is at the discretion of the immigration officer on arrival.
For more information on requirements or if you plan to work, or stay for a longer period, check with the Costa Rican Embassy in the UK.
If you overstay, the immigration authorities can fine you 100 US dollars for each month and refuse future applications to enter Costa Rica.
Official source: GOV.UK – Costa Rica travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO), section “Visa requirements” · page last updated 19 May 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
Passport validity: official text “Passport validity requirements”
Your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 1 day after the day you plan to leave Costa Rica.
Official source: GOV.UK – Costa Rica travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO) · page last updated 19 May 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
Check your passport for Costa Rica
Schengen rules count your whole trip in the Schengen area: if you visit several Schengen countries, enter the day you first enter the area and the day you leave the last Schengen country.
The check runs in your browser: your dates are not sent anywhere. It applies the FCDO sentence literally (for example “6 months” is counted as the same day of the month 6 months later).
For British passport holders only. These are the rules published by the UK government (FCDO) for British citizens. If you hold another passport, check your own government's advice. The airline and the border officials of the destination decide whether you can travel or enter: this site is information, not legal advice.
Recent FCDO updates to the entry requirements
- 19 May 2026: “Updated information on customs rules; gang-related violence; fines for unauthorised entry into restricted conservation areas and earthquakes and recent volcanic activity ('Entry requirements' and 'Safety and security' pages).”
- 10 December 2025: “New information about dual nationals returning to the UK (‘Entry requirements’ page).”
- 20 September 2023: “Updated information on visas ('Entry requirements' page).”
- 8 September 2023: “Removal of COVID-19 restrictions ('Summary', 'Coronavirus' and 'Entry requirements' pages).”
- 5 April 2022: “Update to information on entry rules following changes on 1 April ('Entry requirements' page)”
Read the full FCDO travel advice for Costa Rica (safety, visas, health) before you travel.
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