pandemic restrictions and travel

current information for Travel restrictions in Nicaragua: updated Juneteenth 2022

Travel can be confusing these days. Luckily most places, including Costa Rica and Nicaragua, have loosened their restrictions recently to get tourism back on track. We’ve tried to unpack all the answers to the most common current questions with useful links so you can take the stress out of your future planning.

TLDR: vaccine certificate or negative RT-PCR test certificate (taken within 72 hours of entry) required to enter Nicaragua.

CoVid Situation in Nicaragua

There are currently no (and have not been) lockdowns, quarantine upon arrival rules, or mask mandates issued by the Nicaraguan government. Nicaragua is a country reliant upon local community support and people are looking after themselves as they see best and within their means.

Unreliable testing and recording of samples make it difficult to know true data for CoVid spread and death rates worldwide; Nicaragua’s reported numbers are relatively low. There is a small population (just over 6.5 million in 2020) in Nicaragua and cities are not so crowded. This, combined with the climate and low median age of the population here, has been suggested as to contribute to why known cases in Nicaragua are so few. Official records show just over 5 thousand cases, with 161 deaths attributed to CoVid in 2020.

Insurance is not a requirement to enter Nicaragua but it’s worth taking into consideration that the public health care service is limited here and needed by Nicaraguan citizens; Private health care can become costly without insurance.

In larger cities and more populated areas, it is very common to see people wearing masks, with alcohol gel for hands mandated upon entry and temperature testing at major stores and services. In rural places life is as before the pandemic.

An approved PCR (polymerase chain reaction) negative CoVid test is required by Nicaraguan immigration less than 3 days before entering the country for the unvaccinated. requirements include results with an official laboratory stamp.

Approved PCR tests can be done in many sites around the world now.

Check that your test results and flight times coincide with the restrictions. If flying with Avianca send the test results to eventos.especiales@avianca.com. Check with the travel agent for requirements with charter flights.

If coming overland from Costa Rica check out the segment on them below for suggested places to take the PCR test in Liberia and San Jose.

Accepted vaccines for entry into Nicaragua without PCR test:

All vaccines approved by WHO

Sputnik Lite (1 dose)

Johnson & Johnson (1 dose)

Sputnik V

Pfiser

Moderna

Astrazenica

Covishield

Soberana 02

Abdala

Janssen

Sinopharm

Coviran

There is an online migration form requested by the government to fill out online before your arrival. The soliciting and checking of this form at the border and in the airport is reportedly inconsistent. There have been many cases of people applying online who don’t receive a response before arrival. The conclusion seems to be that it’s best to have but not a clincher if you don’t for those crossing by land and often required for those entering by air. It may speed up your passage through border control.

As of Feb 2021 Avianca and Copa are currently running regular (limited) services as commercial airlines reliably flying in and out of Nicaragua. Search flight dates and prices with Avianca into Managua. For flights from Central, South and North America search Copa Airlines. Eastern airlines are also entering on certain dates. Aeromexico and Aruba airlines are also flying.

If flying in with Avianca be sure to send your negative CoVid test results (if no vaccine certificate) to eventos.especiales@avianca.com. See more details on test requirements below.

Spirit airlines has no suggested date to re-iniciate flights. However, they still seem to be advertising ‘scheduled’ flights and they will happily still take your bookings with no refund (only repeated date changes and delays).

Charter flights into Nicaragua

Charter flights are also available if the schedules for Avianca and Copa don’t suit your needs.

The charters are often scheduled with Eastern Airlines from Miami. There are several agencies advertised online that can help you book this trip, such as Aero Mundo +505 7675 9925 (Whatsapp) and Centano Tours +505 7781 8155 transcentano1@gmail.com

Cross into Nicaragua via land border: Peñas Blancas

There are many more options for flying into Liberia or San Jose than into Nicaragua. You can cross the land border of Peñas Blancas to enter Nicaragua on foot from there. The border has been open both ways since April 5th 2020 allowing crossing back into Costa Rica overland for more departure options.

General entry requirements for Costa Rica

Check the official requirements for entering from the Costa Rican Tourism Board for up-to-date information.

Note that rental vehicles and taxis cannot cross the border. Vehicles must be registered in your name to cross the border. For friendly and reliable taxi- drivers in Costa Rica and/or waiting on the Nicaraguan side of the border you can contact us.

You need onward journey ticket proof for a date within the allowed number of days of stay in Costa Rican that are determined by your nationality (usually within 90 days). This can be in the form of a plane, bus, or cruise ticket.

More people than ever are now using Costa Rica as an entry point to hop straight over to Nicaragua. There have been many reports recently of people being refused entry (and consequently sent back on the next flight) when announcing that they plan to enter solely in transit if they do not yet have their PCR test results with them and no vaccine certificate. If your plan is to get your test done in Costa Rica in order to avoid tight timing with flights and results then do not announce your immediate departure plans. Have the name of a place to stay in Costa Rica and tell them you will be travelling on to Nicaragua three or more days from your entry date. This means they cannot demand that you have the necessary results to leave within a short space of time. You can leave earlier than stated, of course, but not later. They may only give you the number of days on your visa that you say you will be there.

If crossing on foot overland, it’s a good idea to print your negative test results before attempting to cross, although electronic results have been accepted, We’ll give some ideas of where you can get the tests done in a sec. Be prepared to show the results many times and have lots of patience (as always in Central America). If you have a (completed dose) vaccine card have that to hand as you cross. Electronic or physical copy OK,

Some nationalities are given a visa upon arrival; others must be approved in advance. You can check visa needs at the relative country’s embassy website and on the migration page of Costa Rica’s government website.

Depending on where you’re coming from, you may need a yellow fever vaccination certificate.

Onward travel and tests

Tica Bus has options from San Jose to Rivas. They leave San Jose in Costa Rica at 6 am, pass through Liberia and arrive in Rivas by 2 pm. Contact them directly to check which days/dates they are currently scheduled to run. It costs $29. You can book online.

Tica Bus Passengers receive a discount for a PCR CoVid test required by the Nicaraguan immigration in Lab San Jose when presenting a valid ticket. (Tica Bus tickets are approved proof of leaving the country to present upon travelling to Costa Rica.)

The test costs $42 with a customer discount. You can make an appointment for the CoVid PCR test in San Jose by calling +506 6164 6562. Then emailing osi.minsa.20@outlook.com.

rt PCR test locations in Costa Rica

San Jose airport has a convenient lab on site that offer speedy results for PCR (necessary if unvaccinated). It is called Lab Echandi. They offer results for rt-PCR tests in 3 hours for $240 or next day (24 hours) for $99 (although these results are often received much faster). You can book your test here.

Approved tests for entry to Nicaragua can also be found in San Jose, Costa Rica for around $100 at the Hospital Clinica Biblica. Contact them on +506 2522 1000. They’re located at 14 Avenidida, Laberinto, San Jose, Costa Rica.

The PCR tests are also found in Liberia (by appointment, with 48 hours notice) at the Clinic Hospital Metropolitana Comercial. It’s located in the Plaza Millenium. You can contact them on +506 7171 0103 (Whatsapp) or admisionliberia@metropolitanocr.com. It costs around $110usd.

There are many, many, many others available now too. A quick google search in your area should show many results.

Staying in Nicaragua

Usually, those who do not have residency or citizenship in Nicaragua have to leave the G4 area (Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala all count as one in terms of visas and work rights) every 90 days. Exceptions are made when residency is in process of application.

In-country visa extensions can be done at immigration offices around Nicaragua. These are known locally as a ‘prórroga’, as in to prolong with no need to leave the country. They currently cost $25 per 30 days. They are now being offered on a monthly basis for up to 90 days. After that you must leave the G4 area to renew.

Contact Migration (Managua) on +505 2244 3989. Their office is located on Avendida Xolotan. Open 10 am - 4.30 pm Mondays to Saturdays.

Rivas office is open 8 am-5 pm Mondays - Saturdays. It’s located just off Carreterra PanAmerica between the gas stations at San Jorge roundabout and the Maxi Pali.

You need: a copy of the photo page of your passport, a copy of the last stamp date page of your passport, a form available for 5c from the office in the immigration office. Fill this form in and take it to reception to await your turn with the clerk.

Offices outside of Managua will send your passport to the head-office for you. You can collect them again around a week later (can take up to two weeks. They’ll let you know when).

You can find information for them directly on the Nicaraguan Migration Government website in Spanish.

The US embassy website has useful links to both for US citizens and other nationalities too. You can find a list of airline contact numbers here, as well as contact numbers for the Health Ministry for CoVid related issues (+505 8419 9953).

You can find a list of useful emergency and hospital numbers on the Tourism Nicaragua page.

For information pertaining to obtaining residency check out our other post.

options for exiting nicaragua

overland

The land border to the south is open to those that do not need a visa in advance for entering Costa Rica as of April 5 2021.

A health Pass is required to be sent electronically 48 hours before travel and insurance for the duration of the visit. See above section on Costa Rican requirements for more details,

Check visa requirements from your specific country.

Tica Bus is currently running at limited times. TransNica also.

You may not cross the border in a vehicle that is not registered in your own name.

Flying

You can find charter flights or book commercial flights out with Avianca Airline, and Copa. Please check with your specific embassy and the official government information at your destination. You can fly from Managua to San Jose in Costa Rica (with a stop-over in San Salvador) with Avianca.

Tests to leave Nicaragua

For those who need a negative antigen test for their destination country upon departure, it’s more economic to bring an approved home test with you. However, please note that these may be confiscated at customs if discovered.

If leaving via Costa Rica Lab Echandi offers Antigen tests for $65. Always check with your airline or destination/transit country which type of test is required.

Your destination country may require a PCR Test. These tests are only available at one location in Nicaragua, at a cost of $150 USD (you can pay the equivalent in cordobas). The USA is now accepting approved home tests. See here for more info Get Tested.

You can find two testing stations in Managua for foreigners.

One is located at the Nicaraguan Institute for Health Investigation (INIS), in Bolonia, Managua.

The other is at MINSA (the health ministry). The CoVid tests are located at Hospital Conchita Palacios Central, MINSA. No appointments, service is first-come-first-serve.

Both testing areas are open from 7 am until 10.40 am Monday to Saturday. Results are available the same day between 2 - 5 pm. Results must be collected in person.

You must have your passport or cedula with you as i.d. and the receipt of payment or transfer.

To pay for the CoVid test in Managua, Nicaragua, you can transfer in the Nicaraguan bank, BANPRO, or pay in person at the hospital. Queues may be significantly longer if taking the latter option. Those with pre-paid vouchers go to the front of the line.

To transfer to BANPRO send C$ to account number 10010002253784 or US$ to 10010012253774 with the reference TGR-MINSA

You can make copies of your test there if you need more to travel.

*This information is for reference only and is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of posting (April 2021). Please check with immigration, your embassy and airlines for official updated information.

Kayak has a comprehensive and seemingly up-to-date page advising of travel restrictions globally.