Do Australian passport holders need a visa for Costa Rica?
Covers 11 passports and 80 destinations. Rules older than 30 days are flagged for re-check.
How this tool works
We read the official notice for each pair and record the date. Nothing here is generated; a pair with no written check is not shown.
How we checkNo visa. Australian passport holders visit Costa Rica visa-free for less than 90 days.
Smartraveller says you do not need a visa for a tourist visit of less than 90 days on an Australian passport, and you might be refused entry if you cannot show that you will return home or travel onwards. A departure tax must be paid to leave. Other governments cite up to 180 days for UK, Canadian, German and Spanish passports, so do not plan on the longer figure.
Source: Smartraveller, Australian Government. Checked Oct 3, 2026See the source
- Maximum stay
- Less than 90 days
- Smartraveller's wording; the officer sets the days at entry.
- Passport validity
- 6 months advised
- Smartraveller's general advice; Costa Rica's own rule is not stated on the page.
- Onward travel
- Show you will leave
- You might be refused entry without proof of return or onward travel.
- Departure tax
- Pay to leave
- May be in your airline ticket; at airports pay in US dollars or colones, cash or card.