Traveling With A Baby: Us Passport For Costa Rican Babies

If you're a US citizen with a baby born in Costa Rica, you'll need to get a Certificate of Birth Abroad from the US Embassy as proof of your baby's US citizenship. This document, along with your baby's first US passport, can be obtained from the US Embassy in San Jose. Both documents can be applied for at the same time, and the process is reportedly very efficient.

According to the US Embassy, all children born in Costa Rica acquire Costa Rican citizenship at birth. Therefore, if you're planning to leave Costa Rica with your baby, you'll need to obtain an exit permit (Permiso de Salida) from the Immigration Headquarters (la Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería). Both parents must be present at Immigration to sign the exit permit.

It's important to note that Costa Rican minors, including those with dual citizenship, must comply with the country's exit and entry requirements. This means that if you're travelling with a minor, it's recommended to prepare for your trip well in advance and check with the Costa Rican Embassy or Consulate regarding exit and entry requirements before travelling.

Dual citizenship

Babies born in Costa Rica to US citizens are automatically dual citizens of the US and Costa Rica. However, parents will need to complete some paperwork to formalise this.

US Citizenship

To prove US citizenship, you will need to obtain a Certificate of Birth Abroad from the US Embassy. You can get this document, as well as your baby's first US passport, from the US Embassy in San Jose. The process can be completed online, and the cost is $100. The US Embassy website has all the information you need, including a list of the documentation you will need to submit. Both parents and the child need to attend the appointment.

Costa Rican Citizenship

All children born in Costa Rica acquire Costa Rican citizenship at birth. All Costa Rican minors must have an exit permit issued by immigration authorities to depart the country. This is known as a permiso de salida. You will need to obtain this before you can travel out of the country. This process is designed to prevent kids from being unlawfully taken out of Costa Rica. You will get to decide if only one parent can take the child out, if only both parents can together, or if either parent can alone.

To obtain the permiso de salida, you will need to submit a form and various documents in person (both parents in attendance but not the child) to Migracion. You can go to the main office in La Uruca (San Jose) or one of the regional offices. You will need to make an appointment in advance by calling Migracion’s call centre at 1311 (a postpaid local phone is required; operators usually speak only Spanish) or by making one online.

Exit permits

The exit permit can be obtained at the airport in an emergency, but it is only valid for that one time. To get something in place indefinitely, you need to go through Immigration at one of their regular offices. The exit permit is valid until your child is 18 (unless you change it).

The Migracion website has information on the process and what documents you need. There is a one-page form to fill out and various documents are required depending on your situation. For example, you will need two passport photos of the baby, the baby's original passport and a photocopy of the photo page, and ID documents of parents. If the parents are not legal residents of Costa Rica, you will need the original and a copy of the first page of their passports and the page with the signature. If the parents are residents, you will need the original and a copy of their cedulas.

The form and documents need to be submitted in person, with both parents in attendance but not the child, to Migracion. You can go to the main office in La Uruca (San Jose) or one of the regional offices. You will need to make an appointment in advance by calling Migracion’s call center at 1311 (a postpaid local phone is required; operators usually speak only Spanish) or by making one online.

Costa Rica strictly enforces requirements for the departure of minors with dual citizenship. The Canadian passport of a dual citizen child must have a Costa Rican departure approval delivered by the immigration authorities. The granted permission may be temporary or permanent and will be recorded in the Costa Rican immigration electronic system. The approval must be requested jointly by both parents, prior to departure, from either the Costa Rica immigration department or the Embassy of Costa Rica in Canada.

Required documents

For Entry and Exit in Costa Rica

According to the US Embassy in Costa Rica, babies born in Costa Rica to US citizens are dual citizens of the US and Costa Rica. To enter and exit Costa Rica, babies must have an exit permit (Permiso de Salida) from the Immigration Headquarters (la Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería). Both parents must be present at Immigration to sign the exit permit.

For Entry to the US

To enter the US, babies need a US passport and a Certificate of Birth Abroad from the US Embassy as proof of US citizenship. The baby's first US passport and the Certificate of Birth Abroad can be obtained at the same time from the US Embassy in San Jose. The process can be started online, and the following documents are required:

• An original copy of the baby's birth certificate issued by the Civil Registry
• Proof of pregnancy – can be a statement from the doctor who attended the birth
• Proof of parents' US citizenship (you can use your passport)
• Parents' marriage certificate, and if either has been married previously, certified copies of documents showing that the prior marriage was terminated. These do not have to be apostilled.
• Proof of parents' physical presence in the US for the required period (they accepted our school transcripts for this requirement). See the Embassy website for specifics.
• Evidence of a biological relationship between the US citizen parent and child
• 1 passport-size photo of the baby

For Social Security Card

After you have the Certificate of Birth Abroad and passport, you can file for the baby's social security card through the Federal Benefits Unit of the US Embassy.

Passport photos

• Number of Photos: For the initial application, you will need at least one passport photo of your baby. However, if you are also applying for a Costa Rican passport, you may need additional photos, as specified by the Costa Rican authorities. It is always a good idea to have a few extra photos taken, just in case.
• Photo Specifications: The US Embassy requires that passport photos for minors meet specific standards. The photo must be in colour, with a white background, and a full front view of the baby's face. The size should be 2 inches by 2 inches (2" x 2"). Make sure there are no shadows on the baby's face or background. The photo should be clear, sharp, and taken with a digital camera, not a mobile phone.
• Dress Code: Your baby should be dressed in everyday clothing. Hats and head coverings are not allowed unless they are worn for religious or medical reasons. If your baby normally wears a hat or head covering, ensure it does not cast any shadows on their face.
• Photo Submission: When submitting the photo, you can either upload it during the online application process or bring a physical copy to your appointment. If you choose to bring a physical copy, make sure it is printed on high-quality photo paper. Do not cut the photo or mount it on any backing.
• Age Progression Photos: If you are renewing your baby's passport or applying for a subsequent passport, you will need to submit age progression photos. These photos should cover the period from the issuance of the previous passport to the current application. They should be submitted in chronological order, with the year clearly marked, to establish the physical changes during your baby's growth.
• Photographer Options: You can take the passport photos yourself or have them taken by a professional photographer. If you choose to take them yourself, ensure you follow the specifications outlined above. If you prefer to use a professional service, search for "passport photo services" or "passport photo studios" in your area.
• Other Considerations: Keep in mind that passport photos are valid for a limited time, usually six months to one year. If there is a significant change in your baby's appearance during this period, you may need to retake the photos. Additionally, if your baby has specific medical or developmental needs that may impact the photo requirements, contact the US Embassy for guidance.

Social Security Number

A baby born in Costa Rica to at least one US citizen parent is a dual citizen, with citizenship rights to both Costa Rica and the United States. The baby is Costa Rican just by being born on Costa Rican soil. While the baby is also automatically a US citizen, you have to do some paperwork to have this formalized.

It is very important to get a Certificate of Birth Abroad from the US Embassy as proof that your baby is a US citizen. You can get this document, as well as your baby’s first US passport, from the US Embassy in San Jose. These documents can be obtained at the same time, and we found the process to be very efficient.

The US Embassy website has all the information you need. As of 2024, much of the process can now be done online. After you submit your paperwork and pay the $100 fee, you can email the Embassy to make your in-person appointment. Keep in mind that both parents and the child need to attend the appointment.

The Embassy website has specific information on the documentation you will need to submit. These documents also need to be brought with you to the appointment. It is a lot of documents so be sure to go through the list carefully. In general, you need:

• An original copy of the baby’s birth certificate issued by the Civil Registry
• Proof of pregnancy – Can be a statement from the doctor who attended the birth
• Proof of parents’ US citizenship (you can use your passport)
• Parents’ marriage certificate, and if either has been married previously, certified copies of documents showing that the prior marriage was terminated. These do not have to be apostilled.
• Proof of parents’ physical presence in the US for the required period (they accepted our school transcripts for this requirement). See the Embassy website for specifics.
• Evidence of a biological relationship between the US citizen parent and child
• 1 passport-size photo of the baby

You’ll bring all of these documents to the appointment, and Embassy staff will ask for them in a certain order. They made copies of all of our documents and gave us back the originals.

Once your application is accepted, you can choose to return to the US Embassy in San Jose for pick up or arrange delivery to your local Correos de Costa Rica (post office) for a small additional fee.

It takes about a couple of weeks for the Certificate of Birth Abroad and passport to arrive at the Embassy. We chose the Correos method for pick up for our son’s birth in 2019 and that took about a month total.

If you pick up in person at the Embassy, only one parent has to go and you don’t have to bring the baby.

Cost: Passport- $135; Certificate of Birth Abroad- $100

After you have the Certificate of Birth Abroad and passport, you can file for the baby’s social security card through the Federal Benefits Unit of the US Embassy.

Permiso de Salida

Before you can travel out of the country, you’ll need to obtain a permiso de salida (exit permission). This is required for all minor Costa Rican children, both citizens and legal residents.

Basically, the point of this process is to prevent kids from being unlawfully taken out of Costa Rica. You will get to decide if only one parent can take the child out, if only both parents can together, or if either parent can alone.

The Migracion website has excellent information on the process and what you need for documents. Take a look at the PDFs (all in Spanish but easy to translate through Google by uploading the entire document). There is a one-page form to fill out and various documents depending on your exact situation.

Most recently for our second baby, we needed:

• 2 passport photos of the baby
• Baby’s original passport and photocopy of the photo page
• ID documents of parents – If parents are not legal residents of Costa Rica, an original and copy of the first page of their passports and page with signature. If parents are residents, the original and a copy of their cedulas.

If you are getting permissions for more than one child, you will need multiple copies of the parents’ passports so that they have a copy for each child’s file.

The form and documents need to be submitted in person (both parents in attendance but not the child) to Migracion. You can go to the main office in La Uruca (San Jose) or one of the regional offices listed. You will need to make an appointment in advance by calling Migracion’s call center at 1311 (postpaid local phone required; operators usually speak only Spanish) or by making one online.

Note: There is often a wait to get in at Migracion’s main office so don’t leave this until the last minute if you have travel plans coming up.

When you go to the office, the official will go through your paperwork and create a file. They’ll put the permission into the computer system so that when you leave the country, immigration can pull up the information. They will also give you a paper record in case the computer system is down (we recommend carrying this with you when you travel).

Previously, before you could check in for your flight, you had to go to a separate desk at the airport to have them confirm that you have filed for the permiso de salida. Now, you don’t have to do this anymore. There’s no additional step and you can check in for your flight like normal.

If it’s an emergency, we have also heard that you can file for the permiso de salida right at the airport as long as you bring all the required documents and both parents are present.

Carnet

If you’re planning to use the public healthcare system, you will also need to get your baby’s carnet. Previously, you had to carry this with you for doctors’ appointments, but now everything is digital. So what you are doing now is getting your baby in the CCSS system.

We had a hard time figuring out where to go for this the first time around because the process isn’t uniform and depends on where you live in Costa Rica. We talked to some other parents who said that they got theirs at the local EBAIS clinic, but our clinic told us they didn’t issue them.

For our first baby, we ended up having to go to the public hospital. The Oficina de Afiliacion at the hospital in San Isidro de El General issued the carnet. All we had to show was his birth certificate. For our second baby, we were able to do it at our local EBAIS, which is a larger one near Quepos. All we needed was the birth certificate and our cedulas.

Getting your baby’s initial paperwork isn’t the most fun of chores, but once you figure out how to do it, it really isn’t that bad. Each step was more efficient than we expected, and a lot easier than some other things you have to do when you live in Costa Rica.

Frequently asked questions