Frequently Asked Questions

The Costa Rica Embassy in India issues visa for business and tourist visits to Costa Rica. The Embassy is located at the below address:

New address is: C2/ 16, Street C2, Block C, Vasant Vihar,
New Delhi, India 110057.

Their email id is - concr-in@rree.go.cr
Face book page - https://www.facebook.com/Embajada.CostaRica.India/
Phone: 011-4108 0810

The visas processed at the Consulate General are tourist visas (same for business trips), valid for 60 days after being stamped in the passport. The tourist can stay for a period not exceeding 30 calendar days.

Please refer the below link from Embassy FB page which provides the list of documents to apply for visa.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/Embajada.CostaRica.India/notes/?ref=page_internal

Please always consult the Costa Rica Embassy at New Delhi before requesting visa as rules are updated from time to time. One can also enter Costa Rica with a valid stamped US visa.

Both tourists and legal residents are eligible to obtain a Costa Rican driver’s license. Following documents are required:

• Current passport with entry stamp of no more than 90 days OR residency cedula OR any other document that proves legal residency or temporary residence permit.
• Current foreign driver’s license and a copy of the same. Indian license in English and card format is accepted by cosevi. One must get the Spanish translated document from a lawyer.
• Medical exam- Dictamen´s letter to confirm eye sight visibility.

You will need to get an online appointment for driving license with local cosevi.

As a visitor, you are permitted to drive in Costa Rica using a valid license from your home country for the duration of your entry stamp. If your passport entry stamp reads 90 days, youmay legally drive on your foreign license for that time period.

After 90 days, you must either leave the country to renew your entry stamp or obtain a Costa Rican driver’s license.

One can be a temporary resident for three years before you can apply for permanent residency. Permanent residency comes with more benefits than temporary residency. For example, with permanent residency, you have all the rights of a citizen (except voting) and can work legallyin Costa Rica.

Temporary residents can own/run a business, but must hire employees to do any labor. It is suggested to consult an immigration lawyer or firm to file request for Permanent Residency as all documents from home country must be apostilled since they are valid for just six months.

The first step is to be clear with your objective on moving to Costa Rica. If you are going to move to Costa Rica on work visa then your Company will take care of immigration requirements. You can contact CRIA through our webpage and facebook page for any specific support. We always recommend to be part of CRIA once you relocate to Costa Rica.

If you have not made your decision then visit this beautiful country and live here for some time. This will give you a flavor of everyday life in Costa Rica. Once you make your decision, you can consult Immigration lawyers/firms to process your residency request.

The Balance of Trade between India Costa Rica is around $200 million annually. This is primarily driven by exports of Teak wood from Costa Rica. Indigo Glory, Rio Trading are some of the big names in teak business.

Some of the other popular Indian business houses in Costa Rica are:

Infosys

UPL Costa Rica

LTIMindtree

Feuji

First step is to do your research. It is always advisable to visit the country and perform your groundwork before taking the plunge. You will need a lawyer to get the required license and permits. CRIA team can help here.

MNCs can approach CINDE Costa Rica at

https://www.cinde.org/en

CINDE offers a single source of window to set up business

centres within Free Trade Zone areas within Costa Rica.

Costa Rica is one of the safest countries in Central America. However, some of the areas to watch out for are mostly in the form of pickpockets and petty theft. A good rule of thumb is not to leave anything exposed that you aren’t comfortable losing.

Please refer to the below link from Indian Embassy, Panama official page.

https://www.indianembassyinpanama.com/pages.php?id=23

This link explains the process and documents required along with the subsequent cost. There is no Embassy office at Costa Rica. The Office at Panama takes care of Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua. The official site for Indian Embassy, Panama is:

https://www.indianembassyinpanama.com/

Costa Rica being a tourist destination has a good demand for Indian cuisine. There are more than twelve Indian restaurants covering the landscape of this country. You can find delicious indian food and excellent Indian hospitality at these restaurants. Some of the popular Indian restaurants are listed in no particular order:

Taj Mahal
Naans & Curries
Taste of India 506
Zaika
Rasoi
Curry Kingdom
Indian Palace
Masala
Hola India
Little India
Avatar
Sunny's Indian Restaurant
India Curry House
Namaste
Love Indian
Each of these restaurants have their own website or Facebook page.

There are no Indian Grocery stores in Costa Rica, however some people buy and sell few Indian items from time to time from locations like US and Panama. One can easily find basic Indian spices like coriander, cumin, turmeric powders and also some whole spices at local places like Mercado Central in San Jose. There are no branded Indian spices found here.

The first step is to do your research for the right business investment in India. Make in India Campaign promotes business startup in India. You can reach out to Indian Embassy, Panama for support. The official website with contact details is –

https://www.indianembassyinpanama.com/

Simultaneously, feel free to reach out to CRIA for support and guidance.

Costa Rica has some very good colleges under various category of studies. Some of the popular International colleges are:

1. University for Peace (UPEACE) - Created by UN General Assembly, The University for Peace (UPEACE) is an institution of higher education dedicated to the study of peace.

2. EARTH University - EARTH is a private, non-profit university that offers an undergraduate degree in Agricultural Sciences.

3. INCAE Business School – Management studies