Costa Rica's tourism authority says visitors should have proof of departure before the authorized stay ends. Its guidance includes a pre-purchased flight, a pre-purchased international bus ticket and proof of cruise passage. A domestic shuttle or bus does not show that you will leave Costa Rica.
Do you need an onward or return ticket for Costa Rica?
The Costa Rica Tourism Board tells visitors to hold a return or onward ticket and highlights travelers arriving on a one-way flight, returning after the expected stay or departing from another country. The admitted period follows nationality and the immigration decision, so the exit date must fit the authorization granted.
A return flight from San José is one clear example, but it is not the only transport named by the official guidance. If the journey genuinely continues overland, plan around the international leg rather than inventing a flight that does not match the trip.
Flights are not the only option
The official entry page lists a pre-purchased flight out of Costa Rica, a pre-purchased international bus ticket and proof of passage on a cruise ship. The transport must cross the country's border. A shuttle from San José to La Fortuna or a bus from Tamarindo to Liberia remains domestic.
The word “pre-purchased” matters in the tourism board's description. A temporary flight reservation and a purchased ticket are not interchangeable documents for every destination. Use the evidence requested for your entry circumstances and the transport you truly intend to take.
