No visa needed

Do citizens of the United Kingdom need a visa for Costa Rica?

Citizens of the United Kingdom don’t need a visa for Costa Rica and can stay up to 180 days. You need a valid passport; border officers may ask for a return ticket and accommodation. For a longer stay you need a visa or an extension.

For citizens of the United Kingdom: the passport opens 115 countries visa-free; London — San José: ≈ 8,730 km, about 11.5 hours of flying.

Checked by visa analyst Albert Brown, 13 years of experience · September 26, 2026

At a glance

No visa needed

Stay: 180 days

Can I travel to Costa Rica without a visa on a United Kingdom passport?

Yes, citizens of the United Kingdom don’t need a visa for Costa Rica for up to 180 days. A valid passport is enough.

Costa Rica visa rules at a glance

With a United Kingdom passport you can visit 115 countries visa-free, 32 with a visa on arrival and 32 with an e-visa; 19 more require an embassy visa.
By the number of visa-free destinations, the United Kingdom passport ranks 34th of 199.
United Kingdom passport: visa-free access to 115 countries; Costa Rica passport: 90.
Citizens of the United Kingdom and Costa Rica can travel together visa-free to 87 countries, for example: Belgium, France, Netherlands, Ireland, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, Denmark, Andorra, Monaco, Czech Republic, Norway, Slovenia, and Austria.
Citizens of Costa Rica, in turn, need an e-visa to travel to the United Kingdom. United Kingdom visa for citizens of Costa Rica

Travelling to Costa Rica: good to know

London — San José: about 8,730 km in a straight line; a direct flight takes roughly 11.5 hours.
Time difference with your country’s capital: −7 hours.
Local time: London 12:00 — San José 05:00.
Local currency: Costa Rican Colón.
Languages: Spanish.
Exchange rate: $1.00 ≈ CRC 454.
Costa Rica is the 151st closest of 197 destinations open to citizens of the United Kingdom.