Costa Rica
Regulations on entry, stay, residence, and treatment access for people living with HIV
The categories of restriction are:
- No restrictions on entry or staying.
Restrictions on entry to Costa Rica
We found no evidence of any official restrictions on entry to Costa Rica based on HIV status.
According to UNAIDS and the US Department of State, Costa Rica has no HIV-related restrictions on entry.
The immigration authorities of Costa Rica also state that there are no restrictions regarding the entry of people living with HIV. No medical testing is performed on entry, and no certificates are requested. HIV status has no effect on legal status in Costa Rica, and cannot be used as grounds for deportation.
The General Law on Migration and Foreigners, No. 8764, establishes that ‘foreigners will be rejected at the moment they intend to enter the national territory and, even if they have a visa, they will not be authorised to enter’ when a series of circumstances occur, among which is that ‘their entry implies a proven risk to public health, in accordance with the technical studies and care protocols carried out by the Ministry of Health’. However, the information available on the Ministry of Health website does not suggest that these protocols refer to HIV, but to the provisions of the WHO International Health Regulations, which also do not include HIV.
Similarly, the grounds for deportation (art. 183) and exclusion (art. 61) provided for in the same law do not include health grounds and do not refer to HIV.
The Embassy of Costa Rica to the UK states that the yellow fever vaccine is mandatory for everyone except in specific circumstances. There must be a medical assessment to determine pros and cons of vaccination in other conditions, including those with asymptomatic HIV infection.
Restrictions on short-term stay in Costa Rica
We found no evidence of any official restrictions on short-term stay in Costa Rica based on HIV status.
According to UNAIDS and the US Department of State, Costa Rica has no HIV-related restrictions on short-term stay.
The Directorate General for Migration and Foreigners’ Affairs offers a list of supporting documents that should be included with the temporary residency application and none of those documents makes reference to HIV or the general health of the applicant.
Restrictions on long-term stay in Costa Rica
We found no evidence of any official restrictions on long-term stay in Costa Rica based on HIV status.
According to UNAIDS and the US Department of State, Costa Rica has no HIV-related restrictions on long-term stay.
The Directorate General for Migration and Foreigners’ Affairs offers a list of supporting documents that should be included with the permanent residency application and none of those documents makes reference to HIV or the general health of the applicant.
Treatment access in Costa Rica
The following summarises available information on access to healthcare for people living with HIV in Costa Rica. There is no evidence that non-nationals are restricted from accessing treatment in the same way as nationals.
People registered with Costa Rican social insurance are granted access to free treatment. This is also true for non-nationals who are legally staying in Costa Rica and who pay contributions to the local social security system, either through their employer or through private insurance. The access to treatment facilities and medication is restricted for people not registered with the local social security system.
Furthermore, under Article 11 of the Comprehensive HIV and AIDS Act No. 7771 of 2019, people living with HIV, nationals and non-nationals, who do not have the financial means to pay their health insurance contributions have the right to continue to receive comprehensive HIV care without interruption.
IOM reports that the Costa Rican Social Security Fund, by Decree No. 41187 of the Executive Authority, must provide basic care to migrants, regardless of their migratory status, for both regular health ailments and medical emergencies. Costs are covered by the State.
Sources
The HIV Justice Network's Global HIV Criminalisation Database
Visit the Costa Rica page on the Global HIV Criminalisation Database to see more information about known HIV criminalisation laws in this country, an overview of how the laws are used, and any significant advocacy developments.
UNAIDS Global AIDS monitoring data
This information about access to HIV services comes from UNAIDS https://lawsandpolicies.unaids.org/, a platform to view data on HIV-related laws and policies. This is information provided by national authorities and civil society and may contradict other sources.
Migrant populations
| Laws/policies enable documented migrants to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens | Yes |
| Laws/policies enable documented migrants to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens implemented (countries with such laws/policies) | Yes |
| Laws/policies enable undocumented migrants to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens | No |
| Laws/policies enable undocumented migrants to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens implemented (countries with such laws/policies) | N/A |
| Migrants are able to access HIV services | No |
Refugees and asylum seekers
| Laws/policies enable asylum seekers to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens | Yes |
| Laws/policies enable asylum seekers to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens implemented (countries with such laws/policies) | Yes |
| Laws/policies enable refugees to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens | Yes |
| Laws/policies enable refugees to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens implemented (countries with such laws/policies) | Yes |
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This site focuses on information about HIV travel. Please also consult your own Foreign Office/Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, or the local consulate of the country you are visiting, to see what restrictions there are specifically for you as a citizen of your country, regardless of your HIV status.
