Costa Rica: Officials slightly ease and extend COVID-19 restrictions through at least Oct. 31 /update 43

Costa Rica slightly eases COVID-19 restrictions, extends measures through Oct. 31. Additional changes scheduled Nov. 1.

Event

Authorities in Costa Rica have slightly eased and extended COVID-19 business and movement restrictions nationwide through at least Oct. 31. International travel restrictions remain unchanged as compared to those in place in September.

Under the new directives, the nightly ban on movement and business operations will be shortened by one hour from Oct. 16 to 22:00-05:00. Private vehicles continue to be subject to movement restrictions. The following schedule dictates which vehicles are prohibited from moving on certain days based on their license plate numbers:

Mondays: Vehicles with license plates ending in 1 or 2 are prohibited
Tuesdays: Vehicles with license plates ending in 3 or 4 are prohibited
Wednesdays: Vehicles with license plates ending in 5 or 6 are prohibited
Thursdays: Vehicles with license plates ending in 7 or 8 are prohibited
Fridays: Vehicles with license plates ending in 9 or 0 are prohibited
Saturdays, Oct. 16 and Oct. 30: Vehicles with license plates ending in 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 are prohibited
Sundays, Oct. 17 and Oct. 31: Vehicles with license plates ending in 2, 4, 6, 8, and 0 are prohibited
Saturday, Oct. 23: Vehicles with license plates ending in 2, 4, 6, 8, and 0 are prohibited
Sunday, Oct. 24: Vehicles with license plates ending in 1,3, 5, 7, and 9 are prohibited

Effective Nov. 1, authorities plan to shorten the nightly ban on movement by one additional hour, with the ban starting at 23:00, and plan to allow all vehicles to circulate from Monday to Friday 05:00-23:00, except within an area of downtown San Jose.

Hotels with more than 100 rooms may continue operating at up to 75-percent capacity; hotels will be permitted to operate at up to 100-percent capacity starting Nov. 1. Restaurants, grocery stores, bars, and all other businesses allowed to operate may continue doing so at up to 50-percent capacity.

International Travel Restrictions
All travelers, including nonresident foreign nationals, can enter Costa Rica by air regardless of their country of origin. Foreign travelers are not required to provide a negative result from a COVID-19 test before entering the country. Nevertheless, they must complete the required health affidavit (i.e., Health Pass) and have sufficient insurance to cover lodging and health expenses. Individuals may enter Costa Rica without the requisite health insurance if they provide proof of having been fully vaccinated at least 14 days before arrival.

All land borders have reopened to nonresident foreign nationals. Visitors traveling by land must also complete the government Health Pass and have sufficient insurance to cover any potential health expenses. The country's maritime borders remain mostly closed to visitors, although certain private boats can enter.

Authorities could reimpose, extend, further ease, or otherwise amend any restrictions with little-to-no notice, depending on disease activity over the coming weeks.