Guide to the student visa application process at the UCR

International students must have a student visa to study at the University of Costa Rica.  To help get you started, Tiger House Translations prepared this guide to assist international students and walk you through the visa application process:

Before you leave your country of residence:

1. Apply for a Temporary Student Visa at the nearest Costa Rican Embassy (international students who fail to complete this step will be subject to a $200 USD surcharge when you request to change your visa status).
2. Obtain a certified copy of your Birth Certificate and request a Certificate of Authenticity or Apostille (otherwise your document will not be valid outside of your country of residence).
3. Obtain a certified copy of your Criminal Background Record and request a Certificate of Authenticity or Apostille (otherwise your document will not be valid outside of your country of residence).

Once you arrive in Costa Rica:

1. If your Birth Certificate and/or Criminal Background Record is worded in any language other than Spanish, have it translated by a legally certified translator on the authority of the Costa Rican Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Casa Amarilla).
2. Make a copy of every page in your passport.
3. Have a recent passport-sized photo taken and hold on to at least two copies.
4. Contact a Certified Public Accountant (CPA as per its Spanish acronym) and obtain an updated Certification of Finances.
5. Deposit the following amounts at the bank and in the account specified by UCR: $15 USD to the name of a legally sworn Notary Public to cover the notarization fee of the visa application letter that will be submitted to the General Office of Immigration and Alien Status (Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería or DGME as per its Spanish acronym). $30 USD to the name of a legally sworn Notary Public to cover your passport’s notarization fee. ₡375.00 CRC to the name of DGME to cover the visa application fee.
6. Once the above steps are completed and you have obtained all the relevant documents, submit them and the proof of payment to the University of Costa Rica’s Office of International Affairs and External Cooperation (OAICE as per its Spanish acronym) along with your visa application letter. Make sure to fill in your name, nationality, date of birth, passport information (expiration date, ID number, etc.), start/end date of your stay in Costa Rica, address in Costa Rica, telephone number and e-mail address.

The OAICE will work towards obtaining the DGME’s approval. DGME will approve or reject the Special Student Status application within 90 days of the date of submission. If the application is approved you must:

1.  Deposit $98 USD (in Colones) to the name of DGME to cover the visa processing fee.
2. Request a Consular Inscription Form at your country’s embassy.
3. Request a Fingerprint Certificate at the Department of Public Safety’s Office of Police Records (Archivo Policial del Ministerio de Seguridad Pública).

Submit the Fingerprint Certificate and Consular Inscription Form to the OAICE. The OAICE will let you know when you are scheduled to go to DGME’s Documentation Office (Oficina de Documentación). You will need to personally appear to have your picture taken and to receive your Special Student Status ID. Remember to bring your passport to your appointment.

Suscribite al boletín