Costa Rica and Honduras have mutually imposed visa requirements for travelers entering each other's countries. Costa Rica initiated the visa requirement, citing security concerns as its primary motive. This decision was made in response to the increasing presence of criminal organizations in Costa Rica and the arrival of Honduran individuals associated with criminal activities.
Honduras reacted to this measure by expressing its surprise at the decision. Costa Rica's Minister of Security, Mario Zamora, emphasized that the visa requirement was deemed essential, primarily due to security reasons. Arnoldo André Tinoco, the Costa Rican Foreign Minister, explained to his Honduran counterpart that the visa requirement was a response to the rise in criminal gangs in the coastal city of Limon and the arrival of individuals linked to criminal activities from Honduras. Shortly after Costa Rica implemented the policy, Honduras submitted a parallel request, invoking the principle of reciprocity. The visa regulations for both countries will take effect on October 10. Costa Rica's recent decision to introduce visa requirements makes it the first Central American country to adopt such an immigration measure. On the other hand, Honduras is among the nations that will now require a consular visa to enter Costa Rica. Once the visa is issued, Honduran travelers will have a 60-day window to enter Costa Rica, while their maximum stay will be 30 days, extendable up to 90 days. Furthermore, government data revealed that approximately 25,900 Hondurans entered Costa Rica this year. However, most of them do not stay in the country but move on to other destinations. Only 353 Hondurans applied for asylum in Costa Rica last year. Costa Rica's migration institute clarified that visas will not be mandatory for Hondurans in transit. As of October 2023, the Costa Rican passport ranks 58th in the VisaGuide Passport Index, allowing Costa Rican citizens visa-free entry to 117 countries worldwide. For other countries, individuals with a Costa Rican passport must go through a visa application process. To engage in visa-free travel, travelers must hold a valid passport, usually with at least six months of validity beyond their planned departure date. Many destination countries may also require the purchase of travel health insurance as a mandatory requirement.
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