Special Category Visa for Students, Researchers, Professors
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Special Category Visa for Students, Researchers, Professors and Volunteers

A Provisional Special Category Visa can be requested by Canadian citizens or residents (with the exception of nationals from the IV group of the Visas Directive) going to Costa Rica as students, researchers, professors or volunteers. The provisional visa is the authorization to enter the country where the person will continue the procedure to request a residence or permit to stay in Costa Rica, for a period of time.

The procedure to make the visa application is the following:

1. The institution where the applicant is going to study, work or volunteer must send to the Consulate a letter requesting the visa and indicating the acceptance of the student, or the functions that the person will have, as applicable. This letter should include, at least, the name of the applicant, passport number, approximate dates of stay in the country and contact details for notifications.
2. Once the Consulate has received the letter from the corresponding educative institution, the applicant will request an appointment at the Consulate to consulado.ottawa@costaricaembassy.com
3. The day of the appointment, the applicant must present to the consular officer:
1. Birth Certificate and Criminal Record Check for legalization. Please review section “Legalization of Documents” to have the documents properly signed before coming to the Consulate.
2. Passport with a minimum validity of six months. Copy of all pages of the passport.
3. One passport photo.
4. Proof of income to cover expenses during the stay in the country.
5. Proof of deposit of corresponding consular fees for a total of US$112.00 (US$40.00 each document; US$30.00 for the Visa consular fee; and US$2.00 for the tax meter machine maintenance consular fee), at Bank of Montreal, account No. 0005-4608-520, payable to “Embassy of Costa Rica – Consular Services”.  If you make the deposit by wire transfer, you must add US$14 for banking service charges.  Cash payments are not accepted at the Consulate.
4. The applicant will complete the Visa Request Form at the Consulate.
5. The birth certificate and the criminal record check will be legalized and given back to the applicant. The applicant will take both documents to Costa Rica, to finish the procedure to have a permit as student, professor, researcher or volunteer, once in Costa Rica.
6. All documents legalized by the Consulate must be taken to the Authentication Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica (Avenue 7-9, Streets 11-13, San José, Costa Rica), for authentication of Consul’s signature.  Documents issued in other language than Spanish to be valid in Costa Rica must be translated by an official translator.  The list of official translators is available at the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica.
7. Provided all requirements are met, a Special Provisional Category Visa and an Administrative Resolution will be issued.