Costa Rica visa photo requirements
The 50 × 50 mm photo rules set by Embajada de Costa Rica en Colombia for the Costa Rica visa, with the official wording and sources.
Quick answer
What size is the Costa Rica visa photo?
The Costa Rican embassy in Bogotá asks for one colour photo of the face, 5 x 5 cm (50 x 50 mm), on a white background, glued to the first page of the visa form, not stapled or clipped. Ottawa asks for one passport-size photo on white and gives no size. A 2 x 2 inch print (51 x 51 mm) is about 1 mm larger than 5 cm.
A consular visa for Costa Rica is requested in person at a Costa Rican embassy or consulate, and whether you need one depends on your nationality. The visa is separate from the residence procedure: once inside the country, residence applicants photocopy the passport pages showing their entry stamp and entry visa, "en caso de que por su nacionalidad así lo requiriera" (where their nationality requires it), according to the Migración residence page, which also asks for two passport-size photos with the residence file.
The visa photo rules come from the posts themselves. The checklists of the embassy in Bogotá, dated June 2026, ask under the same item for tourist visas and provisional study visas for "Una fotografía a color del rostro, de 5 cm x 5 cm, con fondo blanco, tamaño pasaporte". The consulate in Ottawa lists "Una fotografía tamaño pasaporte con fondo blanco" and applies by appointment, after the documents are emailed for a first review. The Migración visa page refused automated access, so the general regulation was not read.
Because only one photo size is published in numbers, a photo cropped to 2 x 2 inches is slightly larger than the Bogotá size. No page read says whether a 2 x 2 inch print is accepted, so check with the consulate that will receive your application.
Costa Rica visa photo size and specifications
The requirements as published by Embajada de Costa Rica en Colombia:[1]
| Print size | 5 x 5 cm (50 x 50 mm), one photo (Bogotá). Ottawa: "tamaño pasaporte", no dimensions |
|---|---|
| Digital size | No digital file: a printed photo is glued onto the paper visa form |
| Background | White |
| Colour | Colour photo of the face |
| Print quality | Glued in the space on the first page of the form, not stapled or clipped (Bogotá) |
| Pixels when printed | 591 × 591 px at 300 dpi · 1181 × 1181 px at 600 dpi (calculated) |
Key requirements
- One colour photo, 5 x 5 cm
Bogotá asks for one photograph in colour of the face, 5 cm x 5 cm, passport size, on a white background. The wording is the same for the tourist visa for a single entry and the provisional study visa.
- Glue it to the form
The photo must come glued, not stapled and not held with a clip, into the space on page one of the visa application form, which is printed on two letter-size sheets of white paper.
- Ottawa gives no size
The Ottawa consulate lists a passport-size photo with a white background and nothing more. Ask it for dimensions if your application goes through that post.
- The passport page is separate
Bogotá also asks for a copy of the main page of the passport, the page that carries the holder's photograph. That copy is a different item from the photo glued to the form.
- Passport validity
The passport must have at least six months of validity, counted from the date of the appointment, so that the visa can be stamped in it.
- Apply in person
Ottawa says "El trámite es presencial" (the procedure is in person) and by appointment, with the requirements emailed beforehand for an initial review and the originals brought to the appointment.
Do's and don'ts
Do
- Print one colour photo of your face at 5 x 5 cm on a white background.
- Glue it into the space on the first page of the visa form.
- Ask your consulate for the size if it does not state one.
- Check the passport still has six months of validity from the appointment date.
- Email the requirements first if the consulate asks for an initial review.
Don't
- Do not staple the photo or hold it with a clip.
- Do not print the form on coloured paper or send it on one sheet.
- Do not rely on a 2 x 2 inch size without checking with the consulate.
- Do not send a black-and-white photo to Bogotá.
Sample photos
How a Costa Rica visa photo should look, and the mistakes that most often get photos rejected. Each example is drawn to this document's 50 × 50 mm and background colour.
Illustrations, not real photos. The official rules above always take priority; some documents do not allow glasses at all.
Glasses
No Costa Rican consulate page read sets a rule on glasses for the visa photo. If you need to keep them on, ask the consulate that will receive your application.
Headwear and religious dress
The pages read state no headwear rule for the visa photo. For the same reason, ask the consulate before you wear any head covering in the picture.
Babies and children
The Bogotá study-visa checklist uses the same photo line for minors. For a minor who travels without one parent, it adds an original and a copy of the notarised exit permission from the parent who does not travel. No page read gives a separate photo size for children.
Printed and digital photos
The consular visa uses a paper form, so the photo is a print glued onto it, and nothing read asks for a digital file. A digital photo can be cropped to 5 x 5 cm and printed at a photo counter, on a 4x6 inch sheet, then cut to size.
Where to submit the photo
Request the visa at the Costa Rican embassy or consulate for your country of origin or residence. Bogotá requires an online appointment and gives its tourist and study checklists as downloadable files. Ottawa takes only in-person applications by appointment, and says the visa must be used within sixty days of being stamped in the passport.
The Migración residence page treats the entry visa as a separate step from residence. Before travelling, find your nationality on the visa list, since some nationalities do not need a consular visa at all.
How to get your Costa Rica visa photo
- Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the Costa Rica visa: 50 × 50 mm print, white background. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
- Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: one colour photo, 5 x 5 cm; glue it to the form; ottawa gives no size; the passport page is separate.
- Prepare a print or digital file. The consular visa uses a paper form, so the photo is a print glued onto it, and nothing read asks for a digital file. A digital photo can be cropped to 5 x 5 cm and printed at a photo counter, on a 4x6 inch sheet, then cut to size.
- Submit the photo with your application. Request the visa at the Costa Rican embassy or consulate for your country of origin or residence. Bogotá requires an online appointment and gives its tourist and study checklists as downloadable files.
Costa Rica visa photo FAQ
The Bogotá embassy asks for 5 x 5 cm (50 x 50 mm), in colour, on white. The Ottawa consulate asks for a passport-size photo on white without giving dimensions. Confirm the size with the post that handles your visa.
No page read says 2 x 2 inches. The only number given is 5 x 5 cm, and 2 x 2 inches (50.8 mm) is about 1 mm larger. Ask your consulate whether it accepts that size before printing.
White. Bogotá specifies "con fondo blanco" for tourist and study visas, and Ottawa says "con fondo blanco" too.
Glue it into the space on the first page of the visa application form. Bogotá says it must not be stapled or fixed with a clip. The form itself is printed on two letter-size sheets of white paper.
It depends on your nationality. The DGME lists the nationalities that need a consular visa. The Migración residence page says the entry visa matters only if your nationality requires it.
The Bogotá study-visa checklist uses the same photo line for minors and adds a notarised exit permission from the parent who does not travel. No separate child photo size is published.
Related photo specifications
Other Costa Rica documents
- Passport photo
- ID card photo 50 × 50 mm
Visas and travel authorisations nearby
- Belize visa photo 2 × 2 in
- Mexico visa photo
- Bahamas eVisa photo 2 × 2 in
- Bahamas visa photo 2 × 2 in
- Barbados visa photo
- Canada visa photo 35 × 45 mm
- Cuba visa photo 45 × 45 mm
- Dominican Republic visa photo 40 × 50 mm
- United States DV lottery photo 2 × 2 in
- United States visa photo 2 × 2 in
Also 50 × 50 mm
- Barbados passport photo 50 × 50 mm
- Chile visa photo 50 × 50 mm
- Dominican Republic passport photo 50 × 50 mm
- Israel visa photo 50 × 50 mm
- Palestine visa photo 50 × 50 mm
- All Costa Rica photo specifications
- Visas and travel authorisations: photo rules by country
- Every document that uses a 50 × 50 mm photo
- Photo specifications in North America
Official sources
- Embajada de Costa Rica en Colombia. Requisitos visa de turismo para único ingreso a Costa Rica (Bogotá) embajadadecostarica.org. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Embajada de Costa Rica en Colombia. Requisitos visa provisional de estudio (Bogotá) embajadadecostarica.org. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Embajada y Consulado General de Costa Rica en Canadá. Visas (Ottawa) costaricaembassy.com. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería. Regularización migracion.go.cr. Checked 2 November 2026.
Requirements can change, so always confirm with Embajada de Costa Rica en Colombia before you apply. WorldPhotoSpecs is independent and not affiliated with any government.
Cite this page
"Costa Rica visa photo". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/costa-rica/visa-photo