QCOSTARICA — Starting today, Tuesday, October 10, Hondurans wanting to visit Costa Rica must apply for a consular visa at the nearest Costa Rican Consulate abroad.
The determination to request a visa from a third country to enter the country is a sovereign power exercised by Costa Rica through the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (DGME) – Costa Rica’s immigration service.
The Minister of Public Security, Mario Zamora, indicated that the measure was taken for reasons of national security.
Zamora pointed out that technical criteria were taken into account. In addition, he specified that there are cases of Hondurans linked to crimes in Limón.
The consular visa must be personally managed by the interested party before the Costa Rican consular agents in their country of origin.
Days ago, the Honduran Foreign Ministry had warned that if Costa Rica imposed the visa on its citizens, they would also do so with Costa Ricans.
They kept their word. After Costa Rica imposed the same requirement that it will require a consular visa for Costa Ricans to enter Honduras, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Honduras confirmed that it will require a consular visa from Costa Ricans.
Through a press release, Honduran authorities confirmed that starting this Tuesday, October 10, without exception, they will apply the principle of reciprocity.
The Foreign Minister of Honduras, Enrique Reina, regretted that there were attempts to get Costa Rica to reconsider its decision, but the efforts were in vain.
“Although there was an attempt to have this measure annulled through various means, we do not see any sense in it, we do not see that it helps the integration process in any way and I do not believe that it is fair that this visa be applied to our compatriots (then) in sense of full reciprocity, we will be applying the same starting tomorrow (October 10),” he indicated.
What are the requirements that Costa Ricans must meet to enter Honduras?
- Valid travel document, i.e. passport
- Present a medical certificate, duly notarized, or undergo medical examinations when the Honduran medical-health authorities consider it necessary.
- Vaccination card against yellow fever and covid-19.
- Police record valid for six months, duly notarized.
- Stamps required by Honduran law.
- Recent photograph, six centimeters high by five centimeters wide.
- Proof of the economic means (bank statements with balances from the last month).
- Proof from Interpol that there are no complaints or alerts.
- Prove the reason for the trip in documentary form.
- Proof from the Public Ministry of Honduras of not having a complaint or investigation process of the foreign applicant and the Honduran responsible.
- Any other information or document required by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs or the National Immigration Institute for the most accurate decision.
Finally, the Honduran Foreign Ministry indicated that these requirements will be applicable in the embassies and consulates of Honduras, prior to the issuance of a consular visa.
