Travel permits for Costa Rican minors to exit Costa Rica

Who requires this permit?

Costa Rican minors or foreigners with a temporary or permanent residence in Costa Rica travelling from Costa Rica.
Travel permits for minors issued by one or both parents at a Costa Rican Consular office abroad, are temporary permits with maximum validity of 30 days, starting from the day of issuance. That travel permit can be used for one or several exits, during the authorized period of time, provided it is specifically requested by the parents. Permanent permits are issued only by a personal request of the parents at the General Direction of Immigration office, in Costa Rica.
Request an appointment if you need to issue a temporary travel permit. The parent who is abroad, or both, as appropriate, must be present at the Consulate, in order to authorize by filling in and signing an official immigration form that allows the minor to exit Costa Rica. The following documents should be submitted, on the day of the appointment at the Consulate:

• Birth certificate of the minor, with no more than one year of issuance, or a copy of the Minor Identity Card, issued by the Civil Registry of Costa Rica.
• In the case of foreign minors with residency in Costa Rica (temporary or permanent), a certified copy of the birth certificate duly authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica. If the document was issued in other language than Spanish, it must be accompanied by an official translation.
• Valid, identification documents of the parent(s).
• When both parents live abroad, they must also present a copy of the identification card of an authorized third person in Costa Rica, who must go to the General Direction of Immigration office in Costa Rica, to finalize the process of issuance of the travel permit for the minor to exit Costa Rica.

Once the parent(s) submit all the documentation and complete and sign the official form, this information is sent to the General Direction of Immigration office in Costa Rica, where the parent who is in Costa Rica, or the authorized third person, as applicable, must go to finalize the process of issuance of the travel permit for the minor to exit Costa Rica. This person will receive a copy of the exit permit, which is additionally registered in a database.

The parent(s) or the authorized third person present at the General Direction of Immigration office in Costa Rica must submit:

• Passport of the minor.
• Birth certificate of the minor, with no more than one year of issuance or a copy the Minor Identity Card (for minors from 12-18 years), both issued by the Civil Registry of Costa Rica.
• Two passport photos.
• Original and copy of the valid Costa Rican Identity Card,  Residence Identity Card or passport, as appropriate.