Countries › Costa Rica › Guide › 8. Immigration › Business visitors and visa free entry to Costa Rica: the four visa groups, the 180 day limit and when a visitor needs a permit

Business visitors and visa free entry to Costa Rica: the four visa groups, the 180 day limit and when a visitor needs a permit

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Last verified: 2026-10-29 · Status: Stable

DGME's visa directives (resolution AJ-484-11-2025, in force 17 November 2025) split nationalities into four groups: the first group, which includes the United States, Canada, the EU states, the United Kingdom, Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Mexico, enters without a visa for up to 180 days. Tourists may attend business meetings but may not earn pay or profit in Costa Rica. Longer business trips, intracompany transfers and after sales technicians use special categories that cost US$200.

Colón figures use the Banco Central de Costa Rica reference selling rate of ₡454.82 per US dollar published for 29 October 2026 (indicator 318 on bccr.fi.cr), which is also the rate Ley 8764 tells payers to use for fees set in dollars. Fines set in salarios base use the 2026 salario base of ₡462,200 (Circular 246-2025 of the Consejo Superior del Poder Judicial, under Ley 7337 art. 2).

Key facts

Maximum visa free stay, first group nationals	180 daysDGME resolution AJ-484-11-2025, as of 2025-11-17 · in force
Proof of funds required at entry, per month of stay	100 USDDGME resolution AJ-484-11-2025 Primero(4), as of 2025-11-17 · in force
Fee for extending a non resident stay	100 USDLey 8764 art. 256, as of 2010-03-01 · in force

The rule

1. The visa directives divide countries into four groups: group one enters without a visa for a maximum of 180 calendar days; group two without a visa for up to 30 days; group three needs a consular visa; group four needs a restricted visa approved by the Comisión de Visas Restringidas. Nationalities not listed fall in the restricted visa group.DGME resolution AJ-484-11-2025, Directrices generales de visas de ingreso y permanencia para no residentes, Considerando III, Segundo and Octavo(2), 2025-11-17 official text · verified 2026-10-29 · changed: New directives published in La Gaceta 216, Alcance 148 of 17 November 2025, repealing circular DG-30-10-2023-AJ.

2. Group one stays are not extendable, except that a person granted fewer than 90 days may be extended up to a maximum of 90 days; the passport only needs to be valid for the days granted.DGME resolution AJ-484-11-2025, Segundo, I, 2025-11-17 official text · verified 2026-10-29

3. Tourists may only engage in rest, recreation or leisure, business or professional activities that do not involve pay or profit inside Costa Rica, and may apply for a change of category.DGME resolution AJ-484-11-2025, Primero(3), 2025-11-17 official text · verified 2026-10-29

4. Entry requires a machine readable passport, a visa where applicable, proof of funds of at least US$100 per month or fraction of stay, and a return or onward ticket.
Example: Three month trip: US$300, about ₡136,446. / US$300DGME resolution AJ-484-11-2025, Primero(4), 2025-11-17 official text · verified 2026-10-29

5. Business agents, travelling salespeople and commercial delegates may hold a stay to attend to their companies' business if they are not paid salaries or fees in Costa Rica and do not need to reside here.Ley 8764, art. 88(2), 2009-08-19 official text · verified 2026-10-29

6. A business visitor (buying or selling goods or services, negotiating contracts, meeting colleagues) may stay for double the tourist visa period; intracompany transfer covers managerial, executive or specialised knowledge staff of the company or an affiliate; after sales staff repair, maintain or supervise installation of equipment under a sale, lease, warranty or service contract.Ley 8764, art. 100 and art. 101, 2009-08-19 official text · verified 2026-10-29

7. Business visitor, transferee and after sales applications need a signed application, fiscal stamps of ₡125 plus ₡2.50 per page, two photos, certified passport copies, a letter from the represented company and US$200 under art. 89; after sales staff add a certified copy of the service contract. These requests must be filed before the authorised stay ends and are decided within five business days.
Cost to do it: US$200 (₡90,964) plus stampsDecreto Ejecutivo 37112-G, art. 29 and art. 119 to 123, 2012-03-21 official text · verified 2026-10-29

8. A non resident tourist may request an extension of stay (where allowed) before the original term ends, at a cost of US$100.
Cost to do it: US$100 (₡45,482)Ley 8764, art. 90 and art. 256, 2009-08-19 official text · verified 2026-10-29

Group	Visa	Maximum stay	Minimum passport validity
First	None	Up to 180 days, not extendable (extension to 90 days only if fewer than 90 were granted)	One day
Second	None	Up to 30 days, extendable to 90	90 days
Third	Consular visa	Up to 30 days, extendable to 90	180 days
Fourth	Restricted visa	Up to 30 days, as set by the Commission	180 days

Visa groups under resolution AJ-484-11-2025

Worked example

A sales director from a first group country visits for 10 days to negotiate a distribution contract: no visa, but must show at least US$100 (₡45,482) of funds and an onward ticket, and must not be paid by the Costa Rican side.
An after sales engineer staying to commission a production line under a supply contract files as after sales staff: US$200 (₡90,964) plus stamps, decided within five business days.

Step by step

Check the traveller's nationality group in the directives before booking.
Keep invoicing and pay outside Costa Rica for short business trips.
For technicians or transferees, file the special category request before the entry stamp expires, with a company letter and the contract.
If the assignment turns into a local job, move to temporary residence through the employer.

Common traps

The 180 day stay is a ceiling: the officer at entry decides the actual days.
Being paid locally, or invoicing a Costa Rican client for work done here, falls outside tourism and outside the business visitor definition.
Holders of some United States or Canadian visas and residences from visa nationalities have specific exceptions in the directives; check the exact visa type listed.
Overstaying triggers a fine of US$100 per month or a re entry ban (Ley 8764 art. 33(3)).

Sources

← Visas and residence in Costa Rica: the three migration categories, who may work and how long each status lastsWork residence for executives, managers and specialised staff in Costa Rica: the 25% salary premium, documents and employer checks →

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