On December 1st 2021, a vaccine passport is being introduced in Costa Rica which by January 8th 2022 will become mandatory for service at many public areas and private establishments.
Costa Rica remains open to visitors (vaccinated or not). However, after January 8th 2022, those tourists that remain unvaccinated may find themselves limited as to where they will be permitted to spend their tourist dollars.
The different phases of the COVID Certificate Regulations will be introduced starting on December 1st 2021 in order to allow as many people as possible to get vaccinated.
Phases
From December 1st 2021 to January 8th 2022, any of the 12 zones above can operate at 100% capacity if they follow the vaccination requirements.
If they don’t, then they will be restricted to 50% capacity.
However, from January 8th 2022 onwards, Costa Rica’s vaccine mandate will be in full effect for people over 12 years old.
Restricted Zones
Costa Rican President, Carlos Alvarado announced the 12 “zones” where a Costa Rican Vaccine Passport would be required. They are:
- Restaurants, cafes, and food parks (food courts or food trucks).
- Bars and casinos.
- Retail shops and shopping centers.
- Museums.
- Physical conditioning centers.
- Hotels, cabins, accommodation establishments.
- Spas.
- Activities, organizations, and congregations in places of worship.
- Event rooms for business, academic or social activities.
- Adventure tourism.
- Theaters, cinemas, art and dance academies, artistic activity establishments.
- Sports activities establishments.
Vaccine Passport/Health Pass
Alvaro explained that the purpose of the new regulation is to create “a greater economic openness and get out of the pandemic faster”. He went on to say that “those people who have not received the complete Covid 19 vaccination doses will not be allowed in certain places as each unvaccinated person puts others at risk”. Source: Covid Passport
The Vaccine Passport will be in the form of a QR code contained within the Health Pass. The code will be accessed through a mobile app (yet to launch) that will contain the persons vaccination information.
Trivia: December 1st is Costa Rica’s newest Statutory Holiday, having been declared so in May of 2020. It will celebrate the day in 1948 that President José Figueres Ferrer abolished the armed forces.
Getting your Costa Rican COVID Passport
Costa Rican Citizens will be able to download their QR code as of November 8th, 2021 from; www.usuarios.ministeriodesalud.go.cr
VISITORS TO Costa Rica
Tourists wishing to visit Costa Rica will also have to follow the COVID pass regulations and will do so by accessing the Costa Rica Health Pass system online at www.salud.go.cr and enter their vaccination details to enter the above-mentioned establishments. Tourists must also carry their COVID 19 certificate with them at all times.
Unvaccinated tourists can also enter but require the COVID-19 travel insurance with the following requirements:
Name, valid for the entirety of your stay in Costa Rica, guarantee of coverage for medical expenses in cases of contracting COVID-19 in Costa Rica, for at least USD 50,000 and a minimum coverage of USD 2,000 for extended lodging expenses due to quarantine.
(They can purchase local insurance which is being offered by authorized local insurance providers: INS Group, Sagicor or BlueCross BlueShield.
NOTE: Insurance is only needed for unvaccinated travelers over the age of 18. However, starting on January 8th 2022, they will also be barred from entering establishments that require vaccination certificates.
The four “Authorized Vaccines” and their alternative names are:
AstraZeneca/Oxford Alternative Name: Covishield, Vaxzevria, AXD1222, ChAdOx1, ChADOx1_nCoV19India
Pfizer Alternative Name: BioNTech Comirnaty, BNT162b2,Tozinameran
Moderna Alternative Name: Spikevax, mRNA 1273
Janssen/J&J Alternative Name: COVID 19 Vaccine Janssen, Johnson & Johnson, Ad26.COV2.S
