Costa Rica
Italy
Italy visa for Costa Rican citizens
Entry requirement
Italy admits Costa Rican citizens without a visa for stays of up to 90 days.
- Maximum stay
- 90 days
- Where to apply
- Nothing to apply for in advance
Checked 7 November 2026 · Passport Index · Confirm at ambsanjose.esteri.it
For longer stays: study, work and residence
Italy: visa decisions in Costa Rica
| Year | Applications | Visas issued | Refused | Refusal rate | Multiple-entry share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 21 | 21 | 0 | 0.0% | 95.2% |
| 2024 | 19 | 17 | 2 | – | – |
| 2025 | 30 | 30 | 0 | 0.0% | 90.0% |
In 2025, Italy’s embassy and consulates in Costa Rica (San José) received 30 applications for short-stay Schengen visas and issued 30. 0.0% of applications were refused. Applications rose by 58% compared with 2024 (19).
For comparison, all Schengen states together refused 0.2% of the applications lodged in Costa Rica that year. Italy’s consulates worldwide refused 10.8%. Italy was the 2nd most applied-for Schengen state in Costa Rica.
You apply to the Schengen state that is your main destination (the longest stay or the main purpose; the state of first entry only when there is none), so a lower rate elsewhere is no reason to apply there. The figures cover applications lodged in Costa Rica, by any nationality: mostly citizens, but also residents from other countries.
Source: European Commission, Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, visa statistics for consulates 2023–2025 (© European Union, reused under CC BY 4.0). Short-stay (type C) visas. How these figures are made
Italian citizens travelling to Costa Rica
ItalyCosta Rica Visa-free, 180 days Costa Rica visa for citizens of Italy
Travel advice for Italy
- US State Department Level 2: Exercise increased caution
- UK Foreign Office (FCDO) No advice against travel
- German Foreign Office No travel warning
What the US, British and German foreign ministries tell their own citizens about travelling there, in each ministry’s own terms.
For a trip from Costa Rica to Italy, the published travel advice reads as follows: the US State Department rates Italy at Level 2, exercise increased caution (updated 9 September 2026), the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office does not advise against travel to Italy (updated 3 November 2026) and the German Foreign Office has no travel warning for Italy (updated 23 October 2026). Each ministry writes for its own citizens.
Good to know
How long Costa Rican citizens can stay in Italy
Costa Rican citizens may stay in Italy for up to 90 days. Days in Italy count towards the Schengen limit of 90 days in any 180-day period across all member states.
Italy and the Schengen area
Visa-free stays of Costa Rican citizens in Italy count towards the Schengen limit of 90 days in any 180-day period, shared with every other member state.
Italy’s neighbours for Costa Rican citizens
Switzerland, the Holy See, Slovenia, San Marino, France and Austria admit Costa Rican citizens visa-free.
Italian citizens travelling to Costa Rica
Costa Rica admits Italian citizens without a visa for stays of up to 180 days. The rule is the same in both directions between Costa Rica and Italy.
Frequently asked questions
Do Costa Rican citizens need a visa for Italy?
Italy admits Costa Rican citizens without a visa for stays of up to 90 days.
How long can Costa Rican citizens stay in Italy?
Costa Rican citizens can stay in Italy for up to 90 days, within the Schengen limit of 90 days in any 180.
Do Italian citizens need a visa for Costa Rica?
Costa Rica admits Italian citizens without a visa for stays of up to 180 days.
Can Costa Rican citizens enter Italy visa-free?
Yes, Costa Rican citizens can enter Italy without a visa and stay for up to 90 days.
Visa data: Passport Index via passport-index-data, as of 7 November 2026. Rules change, sometimes overnight. Confirm with the embassy or the official government portal before you book.