Costa Rica Embassy Canada
The Embassy of Costa Rica in Ottawa provides consular assistance to Costa Rican citizens in Canada. The Embassy also serves foreigners who want to visit, work or reside in Costa Rica.
This guide contains all you need to know about the services offered by the Costa Rican Embassy.
Table of Contents
Embassy of Costa Rica Ottawa
The Embassy of Costa Rica also offers consular services, including the provision of visas, passports, ID cards, temporary travel documents, registration of marriage or birth, applications for certificates of delinquency, and the certification and translation of the Costa Rican driver’s license. It also accepts residency applications.
The Embassy of Costa Rica no longer provides a legalization service. Canada joined the Apostille Convention in January 2024. Documents issued in Canada to be presented in Costa Rica must be apostilled by Canadian authorities. They are not required to be legalized by the Embassy of Costa Rica.
Contact details
Embassy of Costa Rica in Ottawa
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275 Slater Street Ottawa,
ON KIP 5H9
Floor 10, Suite 1002 - (613) 562-2855
Consulate General of Costa Rica in Toronto / Costa Rica Consulate
- The Consulate General of Costa Rica in Toronto is permanently closed.
Honorary Consulate of Costa Rica in Vancouver, British Columbia
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1611 Evelyn Street, North Vancouver,
Vancouver, British Columbia,
V7J-3S9 - (604) 983-2152
Opening Hours
- Services are offered by appointment only.
You can set up your appointment by following this link.
Payment methods
Payments can be made in any of the branches of TD Bank, account No. 229-7304961 Embassy of Costa Rica/Consular Services.
| Bank of Montreal |
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Legalization
What is a Costa Rica legalization?
Legalization is a process by which documents issued by one country are prepared to be recognized in another country. Since both Costa Rica and Canada are members of The Hague Apostille Convention, you must obtain an apostille rather than a legalization.
To obtain an apostille for your Canadian document, first prepare your documents by getting them notarized and translated (if applicable). You must then submit your document to Global Affairs Canada or a provincial competent authority for an apostille stamp.
There is no need to get your documents legalized by the Embassy of Costa Rica if you follow this process.
If you need to use your Costa Rican document in Canada, it must be apostilled by any branch of the Costa Rican Post Office or the Office of Authentications of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica. This is their address: Calle 11 av. 7 and 9, San Jose.
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The Apostille process to use Canadian documents in Costa Rica
Before you can use your Canadian documents in Costa Rica, they must first be apostilled by Global Affairs Canada. This process involves two steps:
Step 1: Preparing your document
Depending on the nature of your document, you may need to get it translated or notarized before submitting it to Global Affairs Canada or other competent authorities.
Translation: If all or part of your document is written in a language other than English or French (in the case of Canada), you must first get it translated.
Global Affairs Canada only accepts certified and notarized translations for authentication purposes. So you cannot translate the document yourself or get a friend to do it.
A certified translation is a translation completed by a translator who has the title of “certified translator”. Provincial regulatory bodies grant this title in Canada.
Certified translations include the translator’s declaration, signature, and seal. The translator accepts responsibility for the translation’s accuracy.
The Canadian Translators, Terminologists, and Interpreters Council provides a directory of provincial associations of translators. You can use this directory to find a certified translator close to you.
Once a translator translates your foreign language, the translation has to be notarized. A notarized translation goes one step further. A notary public signs and places an official seal on the document. Unlike the translator, the notary does not check the accuracy of the translation. The notary simply confirms the identity of the translator.
Notarizing documents in English or French
Some documents, including those issued by the Government of Canada, must be notarized before an apostille can be issued.
In a notarization:
- A Notary Public witnesses the signing of the document and verifies the identity of the persons involved.
- The Notary Public then places their signature and stamp on the document.
Step 2: Getting an Apostille
An apostille certificate confirms that the signature or seal on your documents is genuine, valid, and recognized.
For this step, you must send your documents to Global Affairs Canada or a provincial competent authority. Where you send the documents depends on where they were issued or notarized:
– Global Affairs Canada apostilles documents issued by the Government of Canada and documents issued or notarized in Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Prince Edward Island, and Yukon. If your document was notarized in one of these provinces or territories but issued elsewhere, you will still send it to Global Affairs Canada.
– Documents issued or notarized in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, and Saskatchewan must be submitted to these provinces’ competent authority. If your document was notarized in Alberta, Ontario, or Saskatchewan, send it to that province’s competent authority, regardless of where it was issued. In British Columbia and Quebec, the competent authority authenticates a notarized document only if the original was issued there.
Before submitting your documents, ensure that it is an original document with a recognized signature and, if applicable, a seal.
Global Affairs Canada and all other competent authorities study the document to confirm that the signature or seal on your document is genuine. If all’s well, they issue an apostille certificate.
The apostille validates your Canadian document for use in Costa Rica.
Costa Rica Legalization FAQ
What is the cost of services at the Embassy of Costa Rica?
Fees vary depending on the service requested:
| Passport for adults | USD 76 |
| Passport for minors | USD 76 |
| ID card | free of charge |
| Certification of Academic Degrees | USD 40 |
| Power of attorney | USD 132.07 |
How long does it take to legalize my documents at the Embassy of Costa Rica?
The legalization process has been replaced by the apostille stamp and this is done by Global Affairs Canada or a provincial competent authority. This is a two step process and the current waiting time for the second step, the apostille, is two months (excluding mailing time).
This may seem like too long, and it can be, especially if you don’t submit the correct documentation. At Document Authentication Canada, we streamline the authentication process, saving you time and money. Get in touch with us on 1-855-700-5840 for a free document evaluation and quote.
Which documents can be legalized by the Embassy of Costa Rica in Canada?
Since Canada joined The Hague Apostille Convention in January 2024, the Costa Rican embassy no longer legalizes documents. You can obtain the equivalent, called an Apostille by sending your documents to Global Affairs Canada or a competent provincial authority.
Do I need to translate my documents for legalization?
Global Affairs Canada can apostille documents in English or French. However, for your legalized documents to be valid, you do need to translate them when in Costa Rica. Documents in any other language except Spanish must be translated by an official translator. The website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica has a list of official translators.
Do I need to legalize my Costa Rican educational documents for them to be accepted in Canada?
Yes, you may be asked to do so. If you need to validate your Costa Rican study degree, you can request the certification of copies of it to be presented to Canadian provincial authorities. The fee to certify your educational documents at the Embassy of Costa Rica is USD 40 per document.
Looking for a Faster Apostille?
Other Consular Services offered by the Embassy of Costa Rica in Canada
Apart from legalization services, the Costa Rica Embassy in Canada provides consular services for Costa Ricans residing in Canada and Canadians and other foreigners who are traveling or moving to Costa Rica.
Below is a list of services offered by the Embassy:
- Provision of visas
- Provision of passports
- Provision of ID cards
- Provision of temporary travel documents
- Registration of marriage or birth
- Applications for certificates of delinquency
- Certification and translation of the Costa Rican driver’s license
- Residency applications.
You can find detailed information about each of these services on the Embassy of Costa Rica official website.
Costa Rica Embassy FAQs
Does Costa Rica have an Embassy?
Yes, it does. The Embassy of Costa Rica in Canada is in Ottawa. There is also an Honorary Consulate in Vancouver, British Columbia. You can scroll up to the Contact Details section of this article to find the addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and email addresses.
Is there a Canadian Embassy in Costa Rica?
Yes, there is. It is the Embassy of Canada to Costa Rica, Honduras and Nicaragua.
This is where to find the Embassy:
La Sabana Executive Business Centre,
Building 5, Third floor, San José, Costa Rica
08.00AM – 12.00PM, 12.40PM – 04.00PM Monday to Thursday
07.30AM – 01.00PM Friday
Tel: (506) 2242-4400
Fax: (506) 2242-4410
Email: [email protected]
How can I work in Canada from Costa Rica?
To work in Canada, you have to apply for a work permit. There are two types of permits: open-work permit and employer-specific work permit. The former allows you to work for any employer in Canada.
If eligible, the Canada Work Permit Visa allows you to:
- Work with the employer you list in your work permit application (if applying for an Employer-specific work permit)
- Apply for Dependent Visas for your family
- Travel across Canada
- Apply for permanent residency at a later date.
The Canadian work visa is ideal for temporary workers and foreign graduates from Canadian universities.
You can find more information here.
Can Canadians travel to Costa Rica?
Canadians can travel to Costa Rica. The Canadian government suggests you exercise a high degree of caution due to crime.
Do Canadian citizens need a visa for Costa Rica?
How can a Canadian move to Costa Rica?
Canadian citizens who wish to move to Costa Rica must first identify the most appropriate visa category for their specific case. Some options are: Residency Visa, Work Visa, Investor Visa, and Pensionado Visa. Each has distinct eligibility criteria. To start the application process, you must compile all necessary documentation, including a valid passport, evidence of income or employment, and a criminal background verification.
IN CONCLUSION
You should now have a better understanding of the legalization process at the Costa Rica Embassy Canada and how this has recently been replaced by the Apostille process. This guide also provided an overview of the other consular services offered at the Embassy.
Admittedly, preparing your documents for authentication and then getting an apostille can get complicated: there are multiple entities involved in the process, as well as specific procedures to follow.
At DAC, we help facilitate the legalization of documents in Canada, navigating through the bureaucracy on your behalf so that you avoid unnecessary delays. Get in touch with our expert team on 1-855-700-5840 to request a quote and a free document evaluation.
About The Author
Lori, Director of Operations
Lori Shepherd is a licensed Paralegal, Notary and Mediator in the City of Ottawa and holds a B.A. from Carleton University. A native to the City, she has lived and worked across Canada and overseas. Lori is client focused and dedicated to clear and concise communication to ensure clients feel secure in using our services.
