Vietnam to Costa Rica visa requirements

Yes, a Vietnam ordinary passport holder needs a visa for Costa Rica. Vietnam is in Costa Rica's Group 3 (restricted nationality), so a consular visa must be obtained and approved by the Commission for Restricted Visas before travel. The main exception: you may enter without a Costa Rican visa if you hold a valid US or Canadian multiple-entry visa/residence, or a qualifying Schengen C/D multiple-entry visa. As of June 2026, Costa Rica classifies Vietnamese ordinary passport holders in Group 3 (restricted nationalities). This means a consular visa is required and must be pre-approved by Costa Rica's Commission for Restricted Visas (Comision de Visas Restringidas) before travel; it is not granted on arrival. The application is filed at a Costa Rican embassy/consulate (there is no Costa Rican mission in Vietnam, so applicants typically use the nearest accredited mission, e.g. Beijing/Tokyo, or apply through a residence country). Approval can take several weeks to a few months because the file is reviewed by immigration authorities in San Jose. A November 2025 resolution (published 21 Nov 2025) kept the four-group system but confirmed a key shortcut for Group 3 nationals: they may enter visa-free if they hold a valid US or Canadian multiple-entry visa or residence, or a Schengen Category C/D multiple-entry visa (issued for no more than 90 days, valid on the entry date) - though the authorized stay then cannot exceed the remaining validity of that document. Holders of Vietnamese diplomatic/official passports are visa-exempt for up to 90 days, but this does NOT apply to ordinary passports. Standard tourist stay once admitted is up to 30 days, extendable. Note: Costa Rica is not in the Schengen area, so the Schengen 90/180 rule and ETIAS do not apply to entry into Costa Rica itself.