Crossing the border (frontera) from one country to another in Central America is relatively easy except going into Costa Rica. Long border crossings are relatively not existent when you  drive the PanAmericana Highway from Guatemala to Costa Rica.

Once a upon a time Costa Rica created convenience. Now they create adventure.They decided for you another adventure if you are planning to travel by road.

This can take anywhere from a half hour to 2 hours +…

When crossing, driving your vehicle becomes a little more complicated. If taking abother person’s vehicle is your idea… Driving your friend´s vehicle is not a good idea.

For those who drive their vehicle the list below is very useful. Not thinking of driving? Then just delete those parts ot items pertaining to vehicles.

Items required:

  • a couple of pens - in case one gives up on you
  • valid passport with current stamps
  • valid exit visa stamp if you are a resident of Nicaragua but not a citizen
  • valid exit documentation for your Nicaraguan vehicle should you be driving. With the local officials, this can take at least a half day to 2 days depending on your luck. At the town where your vehicle is registered, this is given from a local Policia-.
  • valid vehicle registration card - circulation
  • proof of insurance for your vehicle
  • cedula - should you be a resident
  • valid drivers licence.
  • 3 photocopies of your passport (main page), vehicle registration, insurance certificate, exit visa for your vehicle, cedula, (include front and back side of all documents that have printing or stamps)
  • patience - generally more then usual - simply because you do not know what kind of adventure you are going to run into.
  • a spare batch of patience just waiting for the real fun adventures you may have.
  • a high dose of positive attitude and humor
  • plenty of small denomination bills - Cordobas or dollars (US) on the Nicaraguan side and Calones or dollars (US) on the Costa Rica side. Quite often you can get just as good an exchange rate with the coyotes as with the bank. You just have to know what you are doing.   But you have to know the exchange rates.

It is common for it to take around 30 minutes to 1 hour. At the boarder,if the traffic is heavier it could take longer. Mostly for each country there is an equal time.

Leaving Nicaragua:

First charge. For 4 people crossing the border with a vehicle it will cost 80 cordobas (about $4.00). Tax for the local town. Depending on how many people you have in the vehicle.

If you already have paid for the entrance into the boarder you must go to the offices where you obtain a free customs form. You may find the building where you see all of the buses lined up in the center. To register where you are from, where you have been and where you are going….

The passport should at all means be out and ready to fill the proper information out. (The forms are generally bilingual in english and Spanish)

After you have the forms filled out you must stand in line…

…Did I mention patience?

At the time the Migrations Officials stamp your passport and sen you to your merry way. Non-resident’s cost $5. This could changed at any time.

IF you are traveling with your own vehicle you must also go to another office on the Nicaragua side.

Here a local inspector will provide you with an inspection paper; If the Policia are near you then you are lucky to just have them sign off the inspection.

With the vehicle inspection form signed off by both the

  • inspector and
  • Policia

you then get to stand in line to have the migration officer check for

  • properly signed vehicle inspection,
  • the proper registration,
  • insurance,
  • exit papers for your vehicle, and
  • driver’s license.

By the time they approve then you go to the next line to wait and have the Policia check for the proper registration, insurance, exit papers for your vehicle, and driver’s license.

To be able to continue to the next stop- the migration exit post, everything has to be certified previously so that you received a vehicle exit ticket.

Hand your exit ticket to the official at the exit post and proceed to the fumigation office. 60 C0rdobas will be the price (approx)-. $4.00) and this for the spraying of your vehicle to disinfect it before going into Costa Rica.

Then, you drive to the Costa Rica boarder buildings and …

Join us for the rest of the adventure of crossing the border…Literally saving hours to other motorists! :)

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