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Is a passport required to enter Costa Rica?

by William
(Petal, MS 39465)

Question: Does a natural-born U.S. citizen need a passport to enter Costa Rica? What is the nearest office that can provide me with a passport?

Answer: For entry into Costa Rica, you must present a valid passport that will not expire for at least the duration of your stay and a roundtrip/outbound ticket. Click the link below for a complete list of requirements.

New Passport Requirements

You can apply at a passport application acceptance facility in Petal. The only one listed is located at the post office. Call for visiting since some facilities require an appointment.

Petal Post Office
121 Morris Street
Petal, MS 39465
(601)5823618

Standard processing takes 4-5 weeks to complete. You can request expedited service and pay the additional fee in order to obtain your passport in up to 3 weeks.

For faster service, you can schedule an appointment at a regional agency. The closest one is located in New Orleans. Click the link below for more information.

New Orleans Passport Agency

You can employ the services of a registered expediter if you are unable to travel to New Orleans. It will be necessary to visit the local application acceptance facility in order to have your application adjudicated if you choose to submit it through an expediting service. Instead of mailing the sealed envelope to the processing center, you will send it to the expediter. Click the link below for apply online for expedited passport service.

Expedited Passport Service

Comments for Is a passport required to enter Costa Rica?

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question
by: Anonymous

Question: I am taking my boys to Costa Rica by the end of November-- I have a current passport. I am going this week and expedite and get them on but it will be under the 90-day window requirement. Is that a problem traveling with them?

Answer: It's not a problem. The children may travel as soon as they receive their passports.

Travel to Costa Rica
by: Larry

Question: Is a passport card valid for travel to Costa Rica, or is a book required?

Answer: Yes, a passport book is required to enter Costa Rica.

Permanent resident
by: is

Question: What about a permanent resident looking to go to Costa Rica in a few months from now, what would I need? Is the green card enough?

Answer: In order to visit Costa Rica, you need a valid passport from your country of citizenship. The passport must be valid for at least 3 months beyond your stay. A visa to Costa Rica may be required. Finally, you should take your green card. You will need to present it upon your return to the United States.

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About the Author: For over 20 years, the U.S. Passport Service Guide team has helped hundreds of thousands of travelers with their travel document questions and shared advice about how to make traveling abroad simpler, safer, and more enjoyable.

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