If you’ve never visited Costa Rica before, this post will tell you exactly what to expect when going through customs and immigration in San Jose International Airport and Guanacaste Airport.
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What to Know About Going Through Customs and Immigration in San Jose International Airport and Guanacaste Airport
Costa Rica has 2 international airports: San Jose International Airport in Alajuela (near San Jose) and Guanacaste Airport (formerly named Liberia International Airport) in Liberia, Guanacaste.
It doesn’t matter which one you’re flying into, the process for immigration and customs in San Jose International Airport and Guanacaste Airport are exactly the same.
This post will tell you what it’s like to go through immigration and customs at both airports so you know what to expect.
Also remember that immigration is for people, customs is for luggage.
Flying Into Costa Rica
Things have gotten very easy when it comes to immigration and customs in Costa Rica. They no longer give out forms for customs and immigration.
After deplaning, you will first go through immigration and then customs.
Going Through Immigration in San Jose International Airport and Guanacaste Airport in Costa Rica
Once you get off the plane, follow the markers to immigration which you will go through first (foreign passports).
Just a side note, there is a bathroom in the immigration area with 4 stalls and immigration has air conditioning. There are also bathrooms in baggage claim and in the main terminal of the airports on either end.
Families go through immigration together. Spouses go together and if you’re traveling with friends, normally they will ask each adult to go separately.
When your turn is called, go up to the desk to go through immigration.
What the Officer Will Ask You
First, hand your passport to the immigration officer. They will scan it and look at your picture.
Then they will ask you for the following:
Your passport. Must be valid, original and not expiring during your time in Costa Rica.
Your lodging information. Usually they want to know your first destination and your first hotel you’re staying at. If you’re staying at an Airbnb, tell them the location and that it’s an Airbnb.
Your return itinerary out of Costa Rica. You must present proof of exit within 180 days if you are in Group 1 (and if you want a 180 day tourist visa). Immigration is getting more strict so have this ready to show. This is your airplane ticket (best proof) out of Costa Rica. You can print it out or show it to them on your phone.
If you do not show a plane ticket out of Costa Rica in 180 days, the officer may give you 90 days or even for the number of days until your flight out. Even though the tourist visa for Group 1 countries is valid for up to 180 days, it is at the discretion of the officer for how many days they want to give you.
You can answer in English. All officers speak basic English and are very used to tourists.
Tourist Visas
***Some officers do not stamp passports anymore…but if you are renting a car, you will need the stamp to show as a tourist visa and for how many days you are valid to be in the country. If the officer doesn’t stamp your passport for some reason, ask them to and make sure they also write how many days your tourist stamp is valid for. Foreigners can only legally drive for however many days their tourist visa is valid for (how many days written in your passport).****
After they’ve asked you all the questions, the officer will stamp your passport. In the stamp, they will write how many days your tourist visa is valid for.
This is equal to how many days you can legally stay in Costa Rica. They’ll hand your passport back to you and you’re clear with immigration.
Tip: I like to check my immigration stamp when I’m waiting for my luggage. One time, my immigration officer forgot to write in how many days my visa was valid for because she was on the phone and I had to go back to immigration in order for her to fill it in. Luckily I checked it while I was in baggage claim.
Now you need to pick up your luggage if you have any checked luggage and clear customs.
Baggage Claim and Customs
After you finish immigration, you will go to baggage claim which are through the double doors. There aren’t that many carousels so you’ll easily be able to find yours.
Pick up all your luggage (they have free carts if you need them) and take them to the luggage scanners which is the customs.
Now you will go through customs. Go to any line and put ALL your luggage, backpacks, bags, purses and carry ons to be scanned.
Everything you are carrying needs to be put in the scanner except for duty free bags if you just purchased anything in the Costa Rican duty free store after immigration.
Go around the other side, pick up your luggage and then you’re free! If you happen to get stopped by the custom officer, pick up your luggage and bring it over to the side where they can examine it.
I have been stopped three times. Once when I brought down two computer towers, another time they confiscated some food (I had leftover dried fruit from the flight) and another time when I brought down some shower heads which they didn’t confiscate.
If you’re moving here or if you live here: I’ve brought down a ton of stuff to Costa Rica including Roombas, dog treats, dog toys, cameras, drones, faucets, shower heads, laptops, car side view mirrors, and all sorts of stuff. Make sure you pack them without tags and wrap them carefully with clothes.
Exit
You’ll exit through a pair of swinging doors (the ones that say, no going back beyond this point) and be out in the airport.
At San Jose International Airport, you will exit to the outside. You will see all the drivers, taxis, tour companies and guides waiting to your right. You may need to walk down the sidewalk a bit to find your person.
At Guanacaste Airport, you will exit into the actual airport terminal. Mostly everyone is waiting outside straight ahead.
How Long Does it Take to Go Through Customs and Immigration in San Jose Airport and Liberia Airport?
How long it takes for you to go through customs and immigration in San Jose Airport and Guanacaste Airport depends on when you are flying into Costa Rica and the time you land.
San Jose International Airport takes much longer than Guanacaste Airport, especially if you are landing during the day on Friday-Monday during high season (December through April. July is also very busy).
Pack your patience because it may take at least an hour or so to get through the lines, could be even more in February and March.
Noon to mid afternoon is the busiest time at the airports as multiple flights land at the same time.
For Guanacaste Airport, it’s always been faster because there aren’t as many flights. However, it can still take 30 minutes to an hour if you are landing during the high tourism months anytime from 11 AM to 2 PM as many flights arrive between those hours.
Pack your patience if you are landing at either airports during Christmas, New Years, Spring Break, Holy Week or North American summer vacation months.
To see what it’s like to go through customs and immigration in San Jose and Guanacaste Airport, you can watch the following Youtube videos. These videos are for our Costa Rica car rental discount so you’ll see where to meet the Adobe Car rental agent.
San Jose International Airport
Money Exchange, Duty Free, Car Rentals, Etc.
You can find money exchanges and duty free at both airports after immigration. Below is the money exchange and duty free at Guanacaste Airport. Still open at 730 PM.
Hint: we do not recommend exchanging money at the airport. They give an extremely poor rate. You can use your credit card and USD until you can go to a bank to exchange money which will give the best rates.
If you really want to get some local currency right away, just exchange a little amount like $20 USD or so first until you can go to the bank. You can also get local currency at supermarkets if you pay in USD – they will give change back in CRC.
Read more about handling money in Costa Rica here.
The money exchange, SIM card stand and duty free are in baggage claim at San Jose International Airport. SIM card stand by baggage claim 5 at SJO Airport.
You will also see car rental companies at baggage claim at both airports. This is where you check in, if you already have a reservation with them.
Learn about car rentals at Guanacaste Airport.
And that’s it! See, isn’t that easy? Nothing to worry about! That is all you need to know about going through customs and immigration in San Jose Airport and Liberia Airport for a stress free arrival.
Read more Costa Rica travel tips below!
What to know about grocery shopping in Costa Rica
15 things to know about Costa Rica before you visit
10 mistakes to avoid in Costa Rica
Common scams and how to avoid them in Costa Rica
Costa Rica Vacation Checklist
- First time to Costa Rica? Read our First Time in Costa Rica guide.
- Not sure how to move around Costa Rica? Read our How to Get Around Costa Rica guide to find the best transportation method for you.
- Click the link to get our detailed Costa Rica Packing List so you know what essential items to bring.
- Check our Costa Rica destinations map and Costa Rica restaurant map
- Do not forget to purchase Travel Insurance for your trip to Costa Rica.
- Stay connected by purchasing a prepaid SIM Card in Costa Rica.
- Save money with Mytanfeet Deals for tours and hotels and our Costa Rica Car Rental Discount.
Donna Ashizawa says
How I wish I saw your blog BEFORE arriving here! Thank you for all your hard work putting this large website of information together. I will certainly try to support you via your company links.
But I had to laugh when I saw your photo of the immigration room because a security person told a woman she could not take photos there. 🙂
Also, I was wondering if you could simply remove that rude commenter (and other replies to him) since your site is so positive and it sort of puts a taint on it.
Sammi says
Hi Donna! I’m glad that you like the blog and is helpful. Haha yes, I sneakily took that photo in immigration. I think they saw me because I was near the front of the line but I got away with it.
Thank you for the suggestion, I removed his comment. My only intention for this blog and posts I write is to help people, not stir up something and I know a lot of people had questions about going through immigration and customs. It is too bad that he didn’t see it that way :/
Peter says
Gee Robert, your article says a lot about you (are you a monkey). You are obviously not well schooled and don’t travel very much which is probably not your fault, let’s blame your parents. Strange how the United States is such a great nation and one of the best places to live when we are all so stupid!! Oh, and are you referring to Americans from north, central or south America???
Jeremy says
Hello! What’s the scoop on bringing in a Vitamix or an Omega juicer in your checked luggage? Would customs catch that on the X-ray? Also, what would the fees be? Thnx!
Sammi says
Hi Jeremy, I think you can probably bring it but make sure you take it out of the box and don’t bring the manuals. Pretty much don’t make it look like new or else customs will tax you on it because it’s a new item or they may think you’re trying to sell it. If they happen to ask you, if you say it’s your personal blender (not for sale) and that it’s old, it’ll be fine.
nat t says
how does it work with deprature tax? how do i know if included in ticket or not?
Sammi says
Most airlines include the departure tax now but there will be a board in the airport at arrivals that will say which tickets don’t include the departure tax.
Vivian says
Do you know what is meant by fresh food. Can you bring cheese for instance, or bacon.
Sammi says
You can’t take fresh fruit, vegetables or meat through customs. You can bring cheese I believe if it’s in your checked in luggage but I am not positive. I did have a friend who brought packaged cheese in her check in and if you bring food, it needs to have the US FDA (or any country’s food administration seal of approval in English). I tried to bring rice from Thailand and even though it was sealed, packaged and bought from a grocery store, they took it away from me because the labeling was in Thai and the Costa Rican officers couldn’t read it so they couldn’t verify if it was legit or not. They told me that if it had an English label, I could keep it but it didn’t.
Lori apfel says
What about the sloths? Any on the pacific side?
Sammi says
Hi Lori, yes you can see sloths on the Pacific side, mostly in the South Pacific. You can read more about where to see sloths here: sloths in Costa Rica
Sammi says
They are asking about chemical weapons when they ask about chemical agents.
Darcy says
You mentioned the custom form asking about chemicals… so if I’m bringing lots of bug spray do I have to mention that?
Kay says
Hi Sammi,
Great site! Thanks for the useful tips, especially on the Custom’s question regarding have you been out of CR for more than 3 days. I can see how that can be confusing. 🙂
May I ask…
1) Is it best to buy the SIM card at the airport or wait until you get to the city?
2) How much is the cost of a SIM card and the cost of a data plan?
Thank you!
Sammi says
Hi Kay, I wrote a post about getting pre-paid sim cards in Costa Rica here: Costa Rica pre-paid sim cards but I recommend getting it at the airport because then you’ll have to spend some time to find a computer store in the area you’re going to. The card costs about 2000 colones and then you can put however much credit you want on it. The post has all the information about how to get a sim card, cost of data/minutes, different phone providers and how to recharge it.
Joe says
If this is the attitude that the local Costa Ricans have toward Americans, I think I will take my money to Belize instead
Sammi says
That guy is definitely not Costa Rican! Ticos are very laid back people and they welcome everybody. If you talk to the locals, they are super happy people visit their country and want more people to experience and enjoy Costa Rica.