Costa Rica: Officials ease domestic COVID-19 restrictions effective early November; additional changes scheduled for Dec. 1 /update 44

Costa Rica eases domestic COVID-19 restrictions effective early November. Further easing planned for Dec. 1. Travel restrictions unchanged.

Event

Authorities in Costa Rica have issued orders to ease several domestic COVID-19 movement restrictions Nov. 1 and Nov. 6, and plan to change business restrictions effective Dec. 1. International travel restrictions remain unchanged.

Domestic Restrictions
Under the new directives, the nightly ban on movement and business operations will be shortened by one additional hour effective Nov. 1, to 23:00-05:00. Additionally, on Nov. 1, restrictions on the use of private vehicles will be lifted nationwide, except in the area within the Anillo de Circunvalacion in San Jose (an area that covers approximately downtown San Jose).

The following schedule dictates which vehicles are prohibited from moving within the Anillo de Circunvalacion, 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

Effective Nov. 6, restrictions on the use of private vehicles 05:00-23:00 over weekends will be lifted, including within the Anillo de Circunvalacion area.

Authorities have also announced that starting Dec. 1, all businesses will be allowed to open without capacity limits, if they require customers to show proof of being fully vaccinated. Businesses that do not wish to require vaccine certificates from customers, can open at 50-percent capacity. However, starting Jan. 8 2022, all businesses must require customers to show proof of being fully vaccinated.

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.