(QCOSTARICA) A Spanish tourist, claiming to be a journalist, enranged at not being allowed to enter Costa Rica when he arrived on an Iberia flight, in the company of his 80-year-old mother, took the social networks posting a series of videos of the “bronca” (tantrum) with immigration officials.
On Twitter as @endeavourdeck, the man says “we have been rejected by the Costa Rican authorities … we have traveled 10,000 kilometers … we bring serological tests that have been negative in Spain,” who also threatens to send those videos to Fox News and other television networks. news. “You will see, Mr. President. You will see the president and the minister of health (…) Because the PCR is useless, even if the decree says so, the PCR is useless”.
Tourists are required to have a negative PCR test with 48 hours (at the time, now changed to 72 hours) to enter Costa Rica.
Apparently, the man had brought the results of a serological test, which is not the one requested by Costa Rica to allow entry. The man was clear he understood that the decree published by the Costa Rican authorities asks for the PCR test and not the one he brought, even so, he throws a tantrum.
We Are Hungry 🤧
@FoxNews @GoosesOtherHalf @RuneofArt @AdmMcRaven2020 @billmcraven @9kwiz @USArmy @CarlosAlvQ PRESIDENTE REPUBLICA DE COSTA RICA @msaludcr @SomosTurismoCR @VenACostaRica @based_belgium @RobertKennedyJr @empyrean777 pic.twitter.com/OHvrp717bu— Provb3:3 (@endeavourdeck) August 29, 2020
At the end of a long night and early morning, the man and his mother had to travel back to Spain on the return flight.
We do not know if the error was of the man or the airline that allowed him to board with the wrong test.
What do you think? Should he have been let in, despite having the wrong test or where immigration official correct in their decision? Post your comments to Facebook, Twitter or send me an email.
Requirements for tourists to enter Costa Rica
- Valid passport
- Fill out the electronic epidemiological HEALTH PASS form, available at https://salud.go.cr.
- RT-PCR diagnostic test with a negative result; the sample must have been taken within 72 hours of travel to Costa Rica.
- Passengers coming from the U.S. must show through their driver’s license or state identification (State ID) that they live in one of the 12 authorized states*. This requirement excludes children traveling with their families.
- Traveler’s Medical Insurance – international or purchased in Costa Rica through the National Insurance Institute (INS – Instituto Nacional de Seguros) www.grupoins.com/seguroparaviajeros, or Sagicor www.sagicor.cr/seguro_para_turistas/.
For international insurance policies, tourists must request a certification from their insurance company, issued in English or Spanish, verifying at least the following three conditions:
- Effectiveness of the policy during the visit to Costa Rica.
- Guaranteed coverage of medical expenses in the event of becoming ill with the pandemic COVID-19 virus while in Costa Rica, for at least US$50,000 dollars.
- Includes minimum coverage of US$2,000 dollars for lodging expenses issued as a result of the pandemic.
Passengers who fail to comply with these requirements may not enter the country.
Upon landing in Costa Rican territory, travelers must wear face protection and comply with the strict protocols of the air terminal with regard to physical distancing, disinfection of carpets, and taking temperature readings, and must follow any other sanitary instructions.
* U.S. citizen tourists who are residents of New York, New Jersey, Maine, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia may enter Costa Rica on limited flights departing from the United States. As of September 15, residents of Colorado, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania can also enter Costa Rica.
Tourists from authorized states may enter the country even if their route includes a stop at a destination that is not authorized, as long as they do not leave the transit airport.
Links to updated OFFICIAL information on the situation of COVID-19 in Costa Rica
You can stay informed at the following links:
- Ministry of Health
- Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT)
- Presidency
- Immigration
- Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) in San Jose
- Daniel Oduber International Airport (LIR), in Liberia, Guanacaste
- For U.S. Citizens, the US Embassy in Costa Rica
