The country's own registry
- Finding No published rule found as of September 29, 2026. No public sex offender registry was found.
Costa Rica
No public sex offender registry was found. Foreign nationals who served a sentence for an intentional crime in the last 10 years, in Costa Rica or abroad, are refused entry (Ley 8764 art. 61(3)).
Each statement is labelled Law (statute, regulation or court ruling), Policy (official guidance) or Reported practice (what officials report doing). Items marked Recheck could not be fully confirmed from a primary source.
Entry and admissibility
- Law Foreign nationals are refused entry, even with a visa, if they have served a sentence for an intentional crime in the last ten years, in Costa Rica or abroad, where the act is also a crime in Costa Rica (Ley 8764, art. 61(3)).
Source: Ley General de Migración y Extranjería, Ley 8764 of 19 August 2009 (La Gaceta No. 170, 1 September 2009) (cited by name) - Law A later amendment reportedly bars people with pending cases for sexual crimes against minors, or a sentence served for one within the last 50 years.
Source: Ley General de Migración y Extranjería, Ley 8764 of 19 August 2009 (La Gaceta No. 170, 1 September 2009) (cited by name)
Recheck: Cited by name only: on 2026-09-30 no online copy of the law could be confirmed (the Poder Judicial PDF sits behind a captcha). Confirm this amendment in the consolidated text.
What U.S. rules still apply
- Law U.S. law still applies to the trip itself: registrants must report international travel at least 21 days in advance, and the U.S. may notify the destination country before arrival. See the U.S. travel guide for the notice rule, the passport identifier and how notifications work.
Source: ComplianceAtlas: Traveling Abroad as a U.S. Registrant
Read Traveling Abroad as a U.S. Registrant before booking.
Sources
- Ley General de Migración y Extranjería, Ley 8764 of 19 August 2009 (La Gaceta No. 170, 1 September 2009) (cited by name; no page confirmed)
- ComplianceAtlas: Traveling Abroad as a U.S. Registrant
Related: International guide · U.S. rules for international travel · Case law
Legal Disclaimer
International laws, immigration policies, and registry requirements change frequently and may vary depending on citizenship, visa type, offense history, and purpose of travel. Entry decisions are made solely by each country's immigration authorities. Always verify current requirements using official government sources before traveling. This page is not legal advice.