India to Costa Rica visa requirements

Yes, Indian ordinary passport holders need a consular visa to visit Costa Rica for tourism. India is in Costa Rica's "prior consular authorization" group, so you must apply at a Costa Rican consulate before travel. The key exception: if you hold a valid multiple-entry US or Canadian visa/residence, or a Schengen Category C/D visa with at least 90 days validity, you can enter visa-free for the remaining validity of that document (up to 30/90 days). Costa Rica classifies India in its visa group requiring prior consular authorization, so Indian ordinary passport holders generally must obtain a tourist (consular) visa before arrival, granting up to 30 days of stay (extendable). However, under a long-standing substitute-document rule reinforced by Costa Rica's November 17, 2025 migration directive, Indian nationals can enter WITHOUT a Costa Rican visa if they hold: (1) a valid multiple-entry US visa (B1/B2, C1/D) or US residence; (2) a valid multiple-entry Canada visa or Canadian residence; (3) a Schengen Category C or D visa with at least 90 days remaining validity; or (4) legal residence in the EU, UK, Switzerland, Norway, or Iceland. For US/Canada documents the document need only be valid at arrival, but the authorized Costa Rica stay cannot exceed the remaining validity of that visa/residence. Schengen visas taking effect after the planned arrival date are not accepted. Without one of these qualifying documents, a consular visa must be applied for at the Costa Rican consulate in New Delhi (often via VFS), with passports for India routed through the Restricted Visa Commission, making processing slower (commonly several weeks to up to ~90 working days). Travelers must hold a passport valid at least 6 months with 2 blank pages, confirmed return tickets, and accommodation proof. Be conservative and confirm current rules with the Costa Rican consulate before booking.