Travel from Costa Rica to Spain is conditional — see requirements below
This is the generic answer for any Costa Rica citizen. Not legal or medical advice — verify with your airline and destination authorities before travel.
Costa Rica passport holders can travel to Spain without a visa for stays of up to 90 days.
Generic country-level guidance for Spain. Verify against the official source before you travel.
This page covers a direct flight to Spain. If your route connects through a third country, that country may require its own transit visa — sometimes even for a short airside layover. Transit rules depend on your specific routing, so check the country you connect through separately, or analyse your full itinerary.
No visa required for entry to Spain. Stays of up to 90 days are permitted under the visa-waiver agreement.
You're travelling to Spain (ES). Your home cellular plan may or may not include data abroad — check your carrier's international options before you fly. An eSIM is a low-commitment alternative if your plan doesn't cover the destination or charges high roaming rates.
Declare EUR 10,000 or equivalent when entering or leaving Spain (ES). Form: Cash declaration form. EU-wide: declare €10,000+ when entering/leaving the EU. Individual member states may have additional rules.
This page covers the generic case for any Costa Rica citizen. Sign in (free) to factor in your specific passport expiry, vaccinations, previous visas held, and connecting flights — and get the same analysis for your exact itinerary.
Sign in (free) to personalize →The US State Department publishes these advisories for your route. Spain: Level 2 — Exercise Increased Caution (as of 2025-05-12). Review the country page for the specific areas and risks flagged before you go. This is a US State Department safety perspective, not an entry or boarding rule — it doesn't affect whether you can board, only what to be aware of on the ground. Travellers from other countries should also check their own government's advisory.
Your itinerary touches Costa Rica (CR), where malaria transmission occurs. Transmission is often region-limited within a country (e.g. coastal vs highland zones) and varies by season. Discuss prophylaxis with a travel medicine clinician — the right antimalarial depends on the specific region, your medical history, and any medications you take.
The EU is introducing ETIAS, a pre-travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors to the Schengen Area (like the US ESTA) (about €20), valid 3 years. It is NOT required yet — expected to start around Q4 2026, phased toward 2027 (after a transitional period of at least 6 months). Dates have slipped before, so confirm the current status at the official portal: https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias_en. Once live you'll need it before boarding on a visa-exempt passport. If you also hold an EU/EEA/Swiss passport, entering on that avoids ETIAS entirely.
Spain (ES) requires every visitor to hold travel health insurance. Minimum coverage: €30,000. Schengen visa requirement; must cover medical repatriation Print or save the policy summary page (insurer, policy number, coverage limit, dates) — that's what border officers look for.
Typical September conditions at MAD (Spain (ES)): mild. Typical lows around 13°C, highs around 27°C, some rain (~27mm for the month).