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Nothing has to be bought before a Costa Rican flies to Dubai. Costa Rica is on the UAE foreign ministry's visa free list. Emirates spells out what that means at the desk: a free visit visa on arrival, usable several times, running 6 months, capped at 90 days in total.
At the airport
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Advance visa | No |
| Price | Free |
| Entries | Several |
| Validity | 6 months |
| Days allowed | 90 in total |
Read on the MOFA and Emirates pages listed at the end, .
Ties between the two countries
The UAE foreign ministry reported on that the UAE ambassador, Omar Al Neyadi, presented his credentials to the Costa Rican president in San Jose. The report is about diplomatic relations and says nothing on visas. Costa Rica also has an embassy in Abu Dhabi according to press and search results, but its website was under maintenance when we looked, so we leave its services out.
What the free permit does not do
It covers a visit. It is not a work permit, and it does not lead to residence on its own. If you plan to take a job or open a business, the next step is a separate file, so ask us before you sign a contract.
What we could not confirm
We found no Costa Rican government page on UAE entry, so the entry rule above rests on the UAE and airline pages only. Press and search results also mention a UAE visa exemption agreement between the two countries, but we did not read the agreement text. Check dates and conditions on the UAE list before you travel.
When we step in
- Longer stays. Read the extension guide and tell us your entry date.
- Relatives on other passports. Check Dubai visa requirements and send us their passport pages.
- Work or residence. Different routes from a visit; ask us in what order to file.
How it works with us
Send your passport page and dates on WhatsApp. An adviser tells you if the free arrival is all you need, and quotes one total before any payment. We are a private visa service. GDRFA or ICP makes the call on each file, not us.
After a refusal the authorities keep their fees. The adviser writes down for you, before you pay, what share of our own fee would be returned, if any.
More pages
Dubai visa by nationality, processing times, and the other direction, Costa Rica visa for UAE residents.
Official sources
- UAE MOFA visa exemptions: Costa Rica listed as visa free
- UAE MOFA news on the Costa Rica ambassador: credentials, August
