If you’re a first-time traveler to Costa Rica, you might be wondering “what’s going to happen when I land?” International travelers know the basic routine regarding immigration and customs. However, if this is your first Costa Rican trip and you’re getting traveler’s anxiety–I still do–here’s the rundown.
During Your Flight to Costa Rica
First of all, sit back and enjoy your flight! The views are spectacular, and an amazing adventure awaits! If you’ve had to make a layover in your own country, the good news is you don’t need to pick up your luggage (unless you’re on more than one airline) until you get to Costa Rica.
At some point during the flight, flight attendants will pass out small immigration forms to passengers who are not Costa Rican citizens. You’ll get one form per family, or one for yourself if traveling on your own. This form is no longer used. After coming to and from Costa Rica since 1984, this was a surprise when it happened! Everything is now done with your passport, so if it’s been a while since you’ve been to Costa Rica, you’ll never have to worry about that piece of paper again.
Upon landing at SJO, I always remember the days when the entire plane would break out in applause as soon as the wheels hit Costa Rican soil, but that’s stopped for the most part. I miss it!
Getting Through Immigration/ Customs in Costa Rica
After your plane lands, you’ll proceed directly to immigration/customs. Depending on the time of day or where you sat on the plane, you may or may not be terrified when you see the line leading to immigration, but it goes fast! And yes, there are bathrooms BEFORE you get to the customs area as well as in the baggage claim.
While you’re waiting, you should be able to take advantage of SJO’s free wifi. If you need to buy a Costa Rican SIM card you can buy a Claro SIM at the baggage claim area, but for Kolbi SIMs, you’ll have to wait until you leave the airport since they, unfortunately, removed the Kolbi kiosk.
Have your passport ready and the name and address of your hotel or lodging. As you near the booths, an attendant will instruct you which line to move into. When called, move on up to the officer.
The Immigration Officer
The immigration officer will ask routine questions such as why you’re in Costa Rica, how long you plan to stay, where you are staying and most of the time, they’ll even ask you your occupation. These are all routine questions, and politeness goes a long way. You don’t need to speak Spanish, but greeting the officer with “buenos dias” or “buenas tardes” is a great start and takes very little effort.
Law also requires that you have a return ticket, or a forwarding ticket to another destination by the time your trip is up. As of this writing, I have never been asked to furnish proof of my return ticket, but it’s always handy to have either a paper copy of your return airline itinerary or have it ready on your phone.
Your passport will then be stamped and the issuing officer will hand-write the number of days your visa is good for. This has now changed from a maximum of 90 days to 180 days, which most people receive. However, please understand that the length of your visa is at the sole discretion of the agent.
New laws say if you stay in Costa Rica longer than your visa permits, you will be charged $100 per month that you’re over. Failure to pay this fine can lead to denied entry to Costa Rica for three times the amount of your overstay, so just don’t do it.
After your passport has been stamped, head to the left and on to the baggage claim area. This is where the real fun starts!
Picking Up Your Luggage
Depending on how long you waited at immigration, your bags have probably already arrived and may be waiting for you lined up on the floor. This is normal and more often than not, it’s the case. I understand that this is stressful! By the time you’ve made your way through immigration, the luggage carousel lights may have been dimmed and you won’t know which one your luggage came in on. You can ask or check through all of them. Look for people who were on your flight. The good news is, the luggage area is small.
Attendants are all over, offering carts if needed. Tell them where your flight originated and they’ll point out the proper carousel.
In the baggage claim area, you’ll find bathrooms, currency exchange kiosks, car rentals, taxis and information booths. If you’ve got your bags and are excited to start your journey, proceed toward the exit. You’ve got one more step to complete. Remember that form you filled out on the plane? Get that out and ready. Your bags need to be scanned one last time before you drive off into the Costa Rican sunset. Put all your bags, including personal items, backpacks and pocketbooks, on the belt. Now you’re officially in Costa Rica. Welcome!
Ground Transportation at SJO
After scanning your luggage, you will now proceed to the brand new arrivals area! This opened recently (as of 2026). You’ll find yourself in a large area where there are options for ground transportation, or head outdoors through the new, large automated doors.
If you need to hire a cab, you may do so inside. These taxis are the official orange airport taxis. They are available 24/7 and can take you anywhere in the country. This option is more expensive than others, but it’s also safe and guaranteed. You’ll pay inside and won’t need to negotiate a price.
If you’re expecting a hotel transfer, your connection will be waiting for you with a sign either inside the baggage claim after you finish with immigration, or, more likely, outside. If you have friends or loved ones picking you up, they will be outdoors as well.
Outside the Airport
When you go outside the airport, you will now be in the brand new arrivals waiting area. As of June 2026, the area consisted of a large patio with covered benches to sit down in, if you need to wait, or if it’s raining. You’ll also see that outside this patio there are shuttles picking up travelers.
In my honest opinion, this new arrival area is pretty congested and a tad confusing. Nobody really knows what they’re doing yet, despite all the beautiful Tik Tok videos you may have seen. I saw confused tourists, people yelling at tourists that they could now board a certain shuttle, and in general, a lot of people that looked lost. The concept is awesome, and I don’t believe they’re entirely finished with remodeling, so let’s give them a chance to get it all ironed out.
The good news is, you will no longer be inundated with people trying to give you a ride like the old days. I know this intimidated a lot of first-timers, and now it is no longer the case, thank heavens.
If you have friends coming to pick you up, they may be out here waiting for you, OR you can find them in the parking garage. As you exit the inside of the airport, the parking garage will be over to the right. There is a small road with a crosswalk that takes you down to the garage.
As always, be in communication with loved ones and have a plan set up ahead of time.
Welcome to Costa Rica!!