Lupe L. Says:
I enjoyed your article about how Mike Huard lives six months of the year in Costa Rica. That is my dream as well.
My questions are, what kind of visa does someone use to stay in Costa Rica for six months only? Can tourist visas be extended from the regular 90 days?
IL Costa Rica Correspondent Bekah Bottone Says:
Hi Lupe,
The great news is that, thanks to a recent change in Costa Rican law, people from the US and Canada can stay in Costa Rica for up to 180 days—so very close to six months—on a tourist visa.
This is a game changer for part-time expats like Mike (or you, when you become one) because it means they can spend more than three consecutive months in the country without leaving or doing a border run.
Jimena García Aguilar, from Themis Legal, shares, “As amended by Executive Decree No. 44187 dated June 15th, 2023, Article 1 stipulates that people who, given their nationality, can enter Costa Rica without requiring a visa will have a maximum legal stay determined by the competent official of the General Directorate of Immigration, responsible for controlling the entry into the country. This period shall not exceed 180 consecutive calendar days from the entry date.”
So, no need to extend your tourist visa or deal with any other bureaucracy.
At this time, if you stay in Costa Rica for 180 days, the foreign license will only be valid for the first three months (90 days). However, an initiative reformed article 91 of la Ley de Tránsito por Vías Públicas Terrestres y Seguridad Vial. With the approved initiative, people with a valid foreign license who are in the country as tourists or in transit will be able to drive the same type of vehicle and for the same period that their license and visa allow. We are waiting for this to go into effect, which will happen once it is announced in La Gaceta.
But, as Mike’s story showed, you don’t always need a car in Costa Rica, depending on where you choose to spend your time.
Read more about visas and residency in Costa Rica on the IL website.
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