Costa Rica visa photo rules from DGME and the Foreign Ministry
Costa Rica’s visa photo specification is set by the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (DGME) under the Ministry of Governance, Police and Public Safety, with consular issuance handled by the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto (MREC). The canonical photo, codified in the May 2023 embassy guidance published by DGME, is 50 by 50 mm, in color, on a white background, recent, and taken straight on ("de frente"). The same photo style covers tourist, business, transit, restricted, Estancia, and Digital Nomad applications.
Costa Rica does not use a visa application centre. Applicants submit directly: consular visas at a Costa Rican embassy abroad, restricted visas at DGME headquarters in San José through a sponsor, and Estancia or residency files through the Trámite Ya online portal. There is no mandatory on-site biometric capture, so self-supplied photos are accepted in every channel. Quantity varies by channel: one print for a consular visa, and two identical prints for a DGME restricted visa or an in-country tourism extension.
A photo that does not match the DGME description will be returned with the application. Black and white prints are rejected outright, as are prints on non-photographic paper. For consular submissions the photograph must be glued to page 1 of the visa application form, so a print that is the wrong size or quality stalls the entire file at intake.
What Costa Rica expects in a visa photo
The DGME decree leaves most subject-level rules to consular practice. The points below reflect what Costa Rican embassies and DGME San José consistently enforce on the applicant in the frame.
Expression & pose
- Front-facing alignmentApplicants must face the camera directly ("de frente"), with the head level and shoulders square to the lens. Tilted or angled poses are rejected by Costa Rican consulates.
- Neutral expressionConsular guidance expects a neutral expression with the mouth closed. Smiling, laughing, and frowning are not accepted.
- Eyes open and visibleBoth eyes must be fully open and looking at the camera. Closed or partially closed eyes are grounds for rejection.
Hair & forehead
- Forehead visibleThe forehead must be fully visible. Fringes or bangs covering the brow line are not accepted.
- Hair off the faceHair must be arranged so it does not fall across the eyes or obscure the outline of the face.
Ears
- Both ears exposedCosta Rican consular guidance requires both ears to be visible in the photo. Hair tucked behind the ears is the expected presentation.
Eyewear & lenses
- EyeglassesGlasses should be removed for the photo. Consular guidance treats lenses, frames, and any reflection across the eyes as obstructions.
- Tinted or coloured lensesSunglasses and tinted lenses are not accepted. The eyes and the area around them must be clearly visible.
Headwear
- Hats and capsHeadwear is prohibited. The only exception recognised by Costa Rican consulates is a head covering worn for documented religious reasons, and the full face from chin to forehead must still be visible.
Clothing
- Everyday clothingOrdinary street clothing is expected. Uniforms and outfits that resemble official dress are not appropriate for a visa photo.
Colour & recency
- Colour photo requiredThe photo must be in colour. Black-and-white prints are rejected outright by DGME and by Costa Rican consulates.
- Recent photographThe image must be recent ("reciente"). Consular practice is to expect a photograph taken within the last six months and reflecting the applicant’s current appearance.
Dimensions, resolution & background.
Head position & camera distance.
- Head height, measured from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head, must be between 25 mm and 34 mm (roughly 50–68% of the photo height).
- Eyes must sit between 27.6 mm and 33.9 mm from the bottom of the photo.
- The head must be centered horizontally in the frame with a small symmetrical margin on each side.
- Both shoulders must be square to the camera and visible. Three-quarter angles or rotated torsos are not accepted.
- The full face from chin to crown must be inside the frame with proper top margin.
How recent the photo must be.
Your visa photo must have been taken within the last six months. A new photo is required sooner whenever your appearance has changed in a way that makes the old photo no longer recognizable.
You need a new photo if you’ve had…
- Facial surgery or a major change to facial structure
- A significant gain or loss of weight that visibly changes your face
- Large facial tattoos or piercings added or removed
- A gender transition that has changed your appearance
You do not need a new photo just because of…
- A new hair color
- Growing or removing a beard or moustache
- Ordinary, minor aging
- A new hairstyle that still leaves the face fully visible
Other things to know.
A few Costa Rica-specific details catch applicants out at submission time.
Quantity varies by channel
A consular visa filed at an embassy abroad requires one photo. A restricted visa filed by a sponsor at DGME San José, and an in-country tourism extension, both require two identical prints.
Glued to the application form
For consular submissions, the photo is glued to the designated space on page 1 of the visa application form. Staples and paperclips are not accepted in place of adhesive.
No VAC, no biometric capture
Costa Rica does not use VFS Global, BLS, or any other visa application centre, and there is no on-site biometric capture. Every channel relies on a self-supplied photo that meets the DGME specification.
US consulate size variant
Costa Rican consulates in the United States accept the US passport-photo size of 2 x 2 inches in addition to the canonical 50 x 50 mm. Either is safe for a US-based filing; 50 x 50 mm is the universal baseline everywhere else.
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Print-quality requirements for in-person submissions.
When you submit a printed photo at a visa application centre, the paper, finish, and ink all matter. The points below cover the standards most consular missions accept.
- Print on photographic-quality paper at 300 DPI minimum.
- Use a matte or semi-gloss finish; high-gloss can produce reflections that confuse biometric scanners.
- Do not retouch, crop, or alter the photo after printing.
- Bring at least two identical prints when the submission channel calls for paper photos.