Costa Rica
Switzerland
Switzerland visa for Costa Rican citizens
Entry requirement
Costa Rican citizens can visit Switzerland without a visa for 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 eda.admin.ch
For longer stays: study, work and residence
Switzerland: visa decisions in Costa Rica
| Year | Applications | Visas issued | Refused | Refusal rate | Multiple-entry share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 40 | 37 | 0 | 0.0% | 51.4% |
| 2024 | 29 | 28 | 1 | 3.4% | 53.6% |
| 2025 | 27 | 27 | 0 | 0.0% | 48.1% |
In 2025, Switzerland’s embassy and consulates in Costa Rica (San José) received 27 applications for short-stay Schengen visas and issued 27. 0.0% of applications were refused. In 2024 it had been 3.4%: the rate fell by 3.4 points. Applications fell by 7% compared with 2024 (29).
For comparison, all Schengen states together refused 0.2% of the applications lodged in Costa Rica that year. Switzerland’s consulates worldwide refused 12.5%. Switzerland was the 4th 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
Swiss citizens travelling to Costa Rica
SwitzerlandCosta Rica Visa-free, 180 days Costa Rica visa for citizens of Switzerland
Travel advice for Switzerland
- US State Department Level 1: Exercise normal precautions
- 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.
Before travelling from Costa Rica to Switzerland, it helps to know the official travel advice: the US State Department rates Switzerland at Level 1, exercise normal precautions (updated 13 August 2026), the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office does not advise against travel to Switzerland (updated 11 August 2026) and the German Foreign Office has no travel warning for Switzerland (updated 13 October 2026).
Good to know
How long Costa Rican citizens can stay in Switzerland
Costa Rican citizens may stay in Switzerland for up to 90 days. Days in Switzerland count towards the Schengen limit of 90 days in any 180-day period across all member states.
Switzerland and the Schengen area
Visa-free stays of Costa Rican citizens in Switzerland count towards the Schengen limit of 90 days in any 180-day period, shared with every other member state.
Switzerland’s neighbours for Costa Rican citizens
Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, France and Austria admit Costa Rican citizens visa-free.
Swiss citizens travelling to Costa Rica
Swiss 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 Switzerland.
Frequently asked questions
Do Costa Rican citizens need a visa for Switzerland?
Costa Rican citizens can visit Switzerland without a visa for up to 90 days.
How long can Costa Rican citizens stay in Switzerland?
Costa Rican citizens can stay in Switzerland for up to 90 days, within the Schengen limit of 90 days in any 180.
Do Swiss citizens need a visa for Costa Rica?
Swiss citizens can visit Costa Rica without a visa for up to 180 days.
Can Costa Rican citizens enter Switzerland visa-free?
Yes, Costa Rican citizens can enter Switzerland 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.