Costa Rica

Costa Rica Travel Vaccines September 2025

Knowing the Costa Rican vaccination requirements is key to staying healthy while exploring this Central American vacation paradise. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the UK's Fit For Travel, visitors to the Republic of Costa Rica in 2025 may be exposed to mosquito-transmitted infectious diseases. As of September 2025, the CDC recommends checking the travel vaccine list and seeing a healthcare provider at least a month before visiting Costa Rica.

The Costa Rica Health Department's Boletín Epidemiológico N° 36, published in September 2025, confirmed that the incidence of Chikungunya, Dengue, Malaria, Measles, and Zika virus infections varies by location in this Central American country. Since April 2024, the Ministry of Health has reported an outbreak of Bordetella pertussis (whooping cough) in the Tibas district of San José.

Costa Rica Travel Advisories

As of 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Canada have issued travel advisories and vaccine recommendations for visiting Costa Rica. In March 2025, the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica and the UK NHS issued health alerts. The U.S. Department of State and other governments have issued Safety and Security Alerts for the San José inner downtown area, located between the San Juan de Dios Hospital, the National Museum, Avenida 1, and Avenida 14, in Puntarenas province, on the Caribbean coast areas of Cahuita, Puerto Limón, and Puerto Viejo.

In February 2025, the U.S. Department of State upgraded its Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution, Travel Advisory for Costa Rica. In 2025, the U.S. Embassy in San José received reports regarding several incidents near the Juan Santamaría International Airport. The Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport in Liberia, the Tobías Bolaños Airport in Pavas, and the Limón Airport also welcome visitors.

Costa Rica Chikungunya

In 2025, eight cases of Chikungunya were reported. As of December 2024, about 405 Chikungunya infections had been reported. There were 82 confirmed cases of Chikungunya in Costa Rica in 2023. Valneva SE's IXCHIQ® vaccine is approved in various countries.

Costa Rica Dengue

Costa Rica has confirmed that dengue fever is classified as a high-risk health issue due to an increase in classic and hemorrhagic infections, posing a year-round health risk. In Costa Rica, dengue transmission has become increasingly complex, with the co-circulation of all four DENV serotypes (DENV1–4), increasing the risk of co-infections and severe outcomes. Over 3,900 dengue cases were reported in 2025, with the Central Sur Region leading with 1,017. About 31,200 cases were reported in 2024, 24,914 cases in 2023, and 7,485 cases in 2022. Costa Rica has been included in the U.S. CDC's 2025 global dengue advisory. In Costa Rica, between 2019 and 2021, the circulation of DENV-3 was not reported. However, in 2022, this serotype represented 0.18% of the total serotyped samples, a percentage that increased to 25% by 2023. In 2024, DENV-3 was 56% of the total serotyped samples.

The QDENGA® dengue vaccine is available in various countries in Central America.

Costa Rica Hepatitis

Various hepatitis vaccines are available in Costa Rica. According to data from the Health Surveillance Directorate, the total number of hepatitis A cases during 2024 is 156, with 2,309 cases registered in 2023 and 323 in 2022. 

Costa Rica Leprosy 

Costa Rica reported over 677 cases of leprosy in 2023. In the Americas, 24 countries reported 21.398 new leprosy (Hansen's bacillus) cases in 2023.

Costa Rica Malaria

As of September 2025, 11 cases of malaria had been reported in Costa Rica. Previously, 200 were reported in 2024, and 428 in 2023.

Costa Rica Measles Vaccine

In 2025, MMR vaccines will be offered in Costa Rica. 

Costa Rica Yellow Fever Vaccine

The Costa Rican Ministry of Health has issued a notice regarding changes to the yellow fever certificate requirements for travelers, which took effect on January 1, 2025. The requirement for yellow fever vaccination for Costa Ricans and visitors traveling to or from a country with risk is not a new measure, as it was established in 2007. A yellow fever vaccination (YF-VAX or Stamaril) certificate (ICVP) may be required at the airport for those visiting Costa Rica who have traveled from Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. Additionally, countries in Africa have been added to the list of required destinations. Starting August 31, 2025, the requirement will be extended to travelers heading to 44 high-risk destinations. 

Costa Rica Zika Vaccine

Costa Rica reported 11 Zika cases as of July 2025, 32 in 2024, and 13 in 2023. No Zika vaccine is expected to be available in Costa Rica in 2025.

Costa Rica Health Advisories 

Effective April 9, 2025, Costa Rican health authorities issued a preventive ban on the harvesting and sale of bivalve mollusks (such as piangua, mussels, clams, and oysters) from the coastal area between Playa Herradura and the mouth of the Guacimal River. A spike in histoplasmosis cases is associated with caving activities in Costa Rica. Previously, the U.S. Embassy alerted U.S. citizens that some citizens have suffered adverse effects or died from exposure to odorless and dangerous carbon monoxide gas.

Costa Rica Travel Advisories

The Embassy publishes health topics vital to U.S. citizens in Costa Rica. Other government agencies issuing travel notices include the UK Travel Health Pro, the Pan American Health Organization, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, and the World Health Organization Disease Outbreak Alerts.

Vaccine Certificates, Passports, Permits, Visa

Every country or territory decides who can enter or exit through its borders. On June 26, 2025, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem traveled to Costa Rica to reinforce the importance of international cooperation when entering the United States. The Global Entry agreement between the U.S. and Costa Rica enables eligible Costa Rican citizens to apply for the U.S. Global Entry program, which streamlines immigration procedures and expedites entry into the U.S. for pre-approved, low-risk travelers.

On June 20, 2025, the U.S. updated its visa statement and recommends enrolling in NEWSMART to facilitate contact between the U.S. Embassy or consulate and you during an emergency, as well as to receive safety and security alerts. The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is a free service that allows U.S. citizens and nationals to enroll in their trip abroad—the Costa Rica Tourist Board posts tips for travellers.

You must obtain a permit from the Costa Rica Tourist Board to access national parks. Data from the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) in May 2025 shows a 4.7% drop in air arrivals in 2025 compared to May 2024. This marks a continuation of travel arrivals since September 2024. The International Air Transport Association's list of registered airlines is now publicly available.

The U.S. Embassy San José is located at Calle 98, Via 104, Pavas, San José, Costa Rica. If you intend to stay for more than 180 days, you must obtain a residency status from the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería. The Costa Rica government's Immigration Department offers local advice. 

Local Costa Rica News 2025

Tourism data shows 24.4% of air travelers to Costa Rica head to the Central Pacific region, including Quepos.

• The Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica opened in Punta Cacique.
• A 4K video circulating online provides a fresh perspective on Costa Rica's natural settings.
• Tico Times: Punta Leona Beach Club & Nature Resort and the mayor of Garabito, Francisco González, are locked in a dispute over public access to Playa Blanca and Playa Mantas.
• Costa Rica to Launch Electric Air Taxis for Sustainable Travel in Guanacaste.
• The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports that in Central America, including Costa Rica, 2.1 million people live in vulnerable coastal zones, with up to 50% of Caribbean beaches at risk of disappearing by 2100 without action.
• Tico Times: Costa Rica draws thousands of Canadians every year—143,076 visited in the first four months of 2025 alone, with stays averaging 14.8 nights.
• Tico Times: In Costa Rica's Gulf of Nicoya, fishermen are raising urgent concerns about a growing crisis threatening their livelihoods and the region's marine ecosystems. 
• In March 2025, local media (TicoTimes) reported that "perpetual tourism" in Costa Rica had raised concerns among policymakers.
• In April 2025, local media reported that tourism businesses in Brasilito and Potrero had challenges. 

Vaccine News 2025

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