Costa Rica
Spain
Spain visa for Costa Rican citizens
Entry requirement
Spain 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 31 October 2026 · Passport Index · Confirm at exteriores.gob.es
For longer stays: study, work and residence
Spain: visa decisions in Costa Rica
| Year | Applications | Visas issued | Refused | Refusal rate | Multiple-entry share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 204 | 190 | 1 | 0.5% | 32.1% |
| 2024 | 292 | 272 | 1 | 0.4% | 34.6% |
| 2025 | 338 | 321 | 0 | 0.0% | 30.5% |
In 2025, Spain’s embassy and consulates in Costa Rica (San José) received 338 applications for short-stay Schengen visas and issued 321. The refusal rate was 0.0%. That is barely different from 2024 (0.4%). Applications rose by 16% compared with 2024 (292).
For comparison, all Schengen states together refused 0.2% of the applications lodged in Costa Rica that year. Spain’s consulates worldwide refused 14.6%. Spain was the 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
Spanish citizens travelling to Costa Rica
SpainCosta Rica Visa-free, 180 days Costa Rica visa for citizens of Spain
Travel advice for Spain
- 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 Spain, the published travel advice reads as follows: the US State Department rates Spain at Level 2, exercise increased caution (updated 31 July 2026), the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office does not advise against travel to Spain (updated 28 October 2026) and the German Foreign Office has no travel warning for Spain (updated 2 November 2026). The advice is aimed at each government’s own nationals.
Good to know
How long Costa Rican citizens can stay in Spain
Costa Rican citizens may stay in Spain for up to 90 days. Days in Spain count towards the Schengen limit of 90 days in any 180-day period across all member states.
Spain and the Schengen area
Visa-free stays of Costa Rican citizens in Spain count towards the Schengen limit of 90 days in any 180-day period, shared with every other member state.
Spain’s neighbours for Costa Rican citizens
Andorra, Portugal and France admit Costa Rican citizens visa-free. Morocco requires Costa Rican citizens to obtain a visa in advance.
Spanish citizens travelling to Costa Rica
Spanish citizens can visit Costa Rica without a visa for up to 180 days. The rule is the same in both directions between Costa Rica and Spain.
Frequently asked questions
Do Costa Rican citizens need a visa for Spain?
Spain admits Costa Rican citizens without a visa for stays of up to 90 days.
How long can Costa Rican citizens stay in Spain?
Costa Rican citizens can stay in Spain for up to 90 days, within the Schengen limit of 90 days in any 180.
Do Spanish citizens need a visa for Costa Rica?
Spanish citizens can visit Costa Rica without a visa for up to 180 days.
Can Costa Rican citizens enter Spain visa-free?
Yes, Costa Rican citizens can enter Spain without a visa and stay for up to 90 days.
Visa data: Passport Index via passport-index-data, as of 31 October 2026. Rules change, sometimes overnight. Confirm with the embassy or the official government portal before you book.