Canada visa for Costa Rican passport holders

Yes, with one important qualification. Costa Rica is on the Canadian list of countries whose citizens need a visitor visa, but the entry carries a note saying some of its citizens may be eligible for an electronic travel authorization instead if they meet certain requirements. So the default is a visa, and the eTA is a conditional alternative rather than a free choice.

Quick facts

Visa required

Visa required: Yes, by default
Conditional eTA: Possible for some citizens who meet IRCC requirements
Who decides: IRCC, by its published conditions
Where you apply: Online, before travelling
Biometrics: Usually required for the visa route
Arriving by land or sea: The visa route still applies

Entry requirements

A valid Costa Rican passport.
Either an approved Canadian visitor visa, or an eTA if you meet the specific conditions IRCC publishes for the conditional route.
Biometrics, normally collected in person at a visa application centre as part of the application. The eTA route, where it applies, does not work this way.
Evidence of the purpose of the visit, of funds and of ties supporting your return.
A decision made before booking, because the two routes have very different lead times.

Check which route you are on before applying

Read the note on the Canadian list rather than the headline. Costa Rica sits among the countries whose citizens need a visa, and the accompanying note says some citizens may be eligible for an eTA if they meet certain requirements. Those are two different processes with different costs and timelines.

The conditions for the conditional eTA are published by IRCC and are about the traveller rather than the passport, typically turning on recent travel history or an existing United States visa. Check them against your own documents before choosing a route, and do not assume eligibility.

If the conditions do not apply, the visitor visa is the route, applied for online with biometrics given in person. Either way the authorisation permits travel to a port of entry, and a border services officer decides admission.

Good to know

Costa Rica sits on the visa-required side of the Canadian list with a note attached: some of its citizens may be eligible for an electronic travel authorization if they meet IRCC’s requirements. The note is the whole story here, because without it the answer would simply be a visitor visa, and with it a large share of Costa Rican travellers take a much shorter route.
Costa Ricans travel widely without visas, which makes it tempting to assume Canada follows suit and apply for the eTA on spec. It is not a free choice: an eTA sought without meeting the published conditions is refused and the fee is gone, and the visitor visa then has to be started from scratch with the trip closer.
The distinction is visible on the Canadian list itself. Entries either side of Costa Rica differ in whether they carry the note, which is exactly why advice copied from a neighbouring country is unreliable here.
If the conditional route does not apply to you, budget for biometrics in person. San José has a visa application centre, so the appointment is local rather than regional, but availability still sets the timeline rather than how quickly the form is completed.

Frequently asked questions

Do Costa Rican citizens need a visa for Canada?

By default yes. The country appears on the Canadian list of nationalities that need a visitor visa, but the entry carries a note that some citizens may be eligible for an eTA if they meet certain requirements.

Who qualifies for the conditional eTA?

IRCC publishes the conditions, and they turn on the traveller rather than the passport. Check them against your own documents rather than assuming eligibility.

What happens if I apply for an eTA and do not qualify?

The application is refused and the fee is not recovered. Confirm the conditions before applying on that route.

Is the visa route slower?

Usually, because it involves an online application and biometrics given in person. That is why establishing which route applies to you is worth doing first.

Does either route guarantee entry?

No. Both authorise travel to a port of entry. A border services officer decides admission and the length of stay.

Related pages

Other passports for Canada

Sources

Every fact on this page was checked against the official sources below on 8 September 2026.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, "Find out if you need a visa to travel to Canada": Costa Rica appears under the heading "Travellers who need a visa" with the accompanying note that some of its citizens may be eligible for an electronic travel authorization if they meet certain requirements. Read 2026-09-08. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/entry-requirements-country.html
IRCC, eTA eligibility: the eTA is the authorisation used by visa-exempt travellers; a separate conditional route exists for certain nationals of some visa-required countries. Read 2026-09-08. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/eta/eligibility.html

Entry rules change without notice and the official source is always the authority. Confirm with the embassy or immigration portal before you book.

Do Costa Rican passport holders need a visa for Canada?