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.
Katie Gerber says
Hi there,
Love your website! Recently, I have been travelling to and from Costa Rica for work every few weeks. Your website has given me a lot of good tips and info to prepare.
I have a sort of random question – a friend of mine in Costa Rica ordered car parts online from US and had them shipped to me in the US for me to bring down next time I go to Costa Rica. They are small little car parts that can easily fit in my luggage. Does this seem ok, or do I need to check somehow if it is permitted to bring in small car parts to Costa Rica? Any help is appreciated! Thanks, Katie
Sammi says
Hi Katie, honestly I am not really sure, I’d check the US TSA website to see if they have any information about car parts and I haven’t really heard anything about car parts entering Costa Rica, maybe as long as they aren’t like dangerous like knives/machetes level.
Karen says
Came through customs on January 2 (just after midnight) – we didn’t have to fill out any form (we’re US citizens). No lines, nice agents, got through in a couple of minutes. Took us a little longer leaving the country on January 9 (middle of the day) – lines were long, but they kept us moving so it wasn’t too bad (it took us longer to get through US customs in Miami)!
Thanks, again, for your great web site!
J says
Hey guys! Love your website! It has been super helful in planning our trip to CR and Nic. In your experience have you been asked to show an onward ticket when you arrive in CR? We arrive at SJO and are planning to take a local bus to Nicaragua about 2 weeks later. We do have a flight booked back home to Canada from Managua, would they accept that if they asked? Any tips would be helpful, thanks so much!
Sammi says
When I fly into Costa Rica and go through immigration at the airport, they will ask you how long you’re staying but I have never had to show a flight out and in all my years I’ve never been asked. But when I enter Costa Rica via land crossings, they always ask me for a flight out of CR.
Larry Hoover says
I am coming to Costa Rica next week Dec 30th from my home in Peru. I got my yellow fever shot and certificate December 21st, nine days before entry. C.R. requires ten days — I will be a few hours short of the ten days, arriving at 3 PM. Do you think that I will be turned back because of this minor discrepancy? If all else fails, is there a place to wait for a few hours in the airport before going through immigration? Perhaps I can wait till midnight. Thanks.
Sammi says
Hi Larry, I would consult the embassy of your passport country to be 100% sure since I can’t say for certain and I don’t want to say something and then it was wrong. If you have a US Passport, there is an US embassy in CR you can talk to, if you have Canadian there is only a Canadian consulate in Costa Rica.
Larry Hoover says
But is there a place to wait for a few hours in the airport before going through immigration? Thanks.
Sammi says
No, you have to go straight to immigration and customs after you deplane
Aaron says
Your website is awesome!! Such a helpful tool. I booked 1-Day Nicaragua tour, and I got an Adobe car reservation through your site. I have a flight home departing at Liberia Airport on a Monday at 11am. I’m staying in Playa del Coco, can you suggest what time I should leave Coco for airport?
Thanks so much,
-aaron
Sammi says
Hi Aaron, I’m glad the site has been helpful! It’s about a 25 minute drive to Coco with some few minutes to return the car and you should be there 2 hours early, so I would leave at 830 AM.
Larry Sy says
Update – there is no need for the customs form
I just arrived in San jose. I was still given the forms on the plane but nobody asks for it on the ground.
Sammi says
It’s actually always been like that, they always give the form but the officers hardly ask for it :X
Josh Elgeti says
Hi there, thank-you for all the very helpful information.I have a question about getting through customs at SJO. My flight is scheduled to land at 11:55am and I am wondering about the possibility of catching the final Sansa Air flight at 3:15pm to Tortuquero. Is there enough time for this to work?
Sammi says
Most likely yes, usually immigration and customs doesn’t take super crazy long (especially in low season like now until November). I think Sansa also has their own counter in the Juan Santa Maria terminal so check in should be super quick. But check to see if your flight flies out of Juan Santamaria or Tobias Bolanas, because the Tobias Bolanas airport is around 30 minutes drive away from SJO Airport with no traffic.
john says
Is the Liberia airport full of timeshare people (scammers), like in, say the Cancun airport?
Sammi says
There aren’t any timeshare people at the airport. Lots of taxis, car rentals, shuttles, etc.
Sammi says
Hi Ralph, if you plan to go out of the airport to sightsee or go somewhere, you will need to pick up your luggage and then check in again 2 hours before your flight. If you’re just connecting and your layover is very short, they should pass your luggage all the way through to the final destination but I would double check with the Southwest agent when you check in initially because it will depend on the airline. The SJO Airport is not very big and most likely you will need to re-check in at the counter again but since the airport is very small and connections are not super common, definitely ask the agent and ask again when you land at SJO. You will most likely have to do immigration but I don’t know if they have a specific “connections only” section (some airports will let you bypass checking in again and just go right into the terminal for connections).
Ralph Tognetti says
We are flying southwest to San Jose, companion pass you know, so I will land at Sjo and then connect to copa later that day to head to PTY. I assume I do everything you say and just go to the copa counter and check in again-correct? Thanks for the great article