Immigration Checkpoints in Costa Rica: Digital Entry and Exit Card (TIE) System

Overview of Immigration Checkpoints in Costa Rica

Starting September 26, the Immigration Department (Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería – DGME) implemented a national pilot plan aimed at modernizing immigration checkpoints in Costa Rica. This initiative focused on systematizing the Entry and Exit Card (Tarjeta de Ingreso y Egreso – TIE), transitioning from a physical paper-based process to a digital migratory control system.

This change represented a structural shift in how Costa Rica manages the flow of people entering and leaving the country, strengthening efficiency, security, and traceability.

Legal Basis for the Entry and Exit Card (TIE)

The requirement to complete the Entry and Exit Card is established in Article 37 of the General Law of Migration and Aliens (Ley General de Migración y Extranjería, Law No. 8764).

Under Law 8764, completion of the TIE is mandatory for all persons entering or leaving Costa Rica, including:

• Costa Rican nationals

• Foreign nationals

• Adults

• Minors

The DGME determines the content, characteristics, and format of the TIE, whether physical or digital.

Invisible Migration: Exit Procedures Before Digital TIE

Prior to the systematization of the TIE, Costa Rica applied a process known as Invisible Migration for departures by air.

Under this procedure:

• The traveler completed the physical TIE.

• The form was delivered to airline personnel.

• Airline staff verified that the information on the TIE matched the passport.

• The TIE was scanned through an electronic reader.

• The data was transmitted to the DGME migratory control system.

Once received, the DGME performed police and security checks, manually validating the information. If the data was correct, the flight was authorized for departure in coordination with the relevant authorities.

Entry Procedures into Costa Rica Using the TIE

For individuals entering Costa Rica by air, land, or sea, the process required each traveler to complete the TIE before disembarking.

At the immigration checkpoint:

• The passenger presented their passport.

• The completed TIE was submitted to the Immigration Officer.

• The officer conducted the corresponding migratory control procedure.

These steps applied uniformly across all official immigration checkpoints in Costa Rica.

Exit Procedures for Minors

When a minor exited Costa Rica, the procedure included an additional verification step:

• Validation of the Exit Permit for Minors.

• This verification was carried out at the Migration Minors Office.

• The minor appeared together with the accompanying adults.

• Once validated, the minor could proceed to the airline.

This process added an extra administrative step for families traveling with minors.

Systematization of the TIE and Visible Migration

With the implementation of the digital TIE system, Costa Rica introduced a Visible Migration model at immigration checkpoints.

Under this system:

1. The passenger first checks in with the airline and receives a boarding pass.

2. The passenger proceeds to an immigration control desk.

3. The Migration Officer reviews exit requirements directly, including:

   • Travel documents

   • Exit permits for minors, when applicable

4. The officer enters the required information directly into the digital system.

This automation eliminated the physical TIE and streamlined the exit process.

Entry Interviews Under the Digital Migration System

For entry into Costa Rica, Immigration Officers conduct a direct interview with each passenger. This interview includes questions such as:

• Purpose of travel

• Place of stay

• Other relevant migratory details

The officer immediately records this information in the system. These interviews are essential for migratory control, as the Costa Rican State has the obligation to:

• Know the activities of visitors within national territory

• Maintain traceability for national security purposes

Advantages of the Automated TIE and Visible Migration

The implementation of the digital TIE system brought several operational and security advantages to immigration checkpoints in Costa Rica:

• Elimination of a separate validation process for minor exit permits

• Reduced waiting times by removing passenger-completed forms

• Increased reliability of information entered directly by Migration Officers

• Real-time registration in migratory systems

• Enhanced detection of irregular behavior through direct officer interaction

• Electronic closure of air and maritime departures

• Strengthened passenger tracing and investigation capabilities

• Support for border modernization initiatives

• Facilitation of future projects such as the Intelligent International Migration Control System (SICOMI)

• Environmentally friendly reduction in paper usage

• Improved handling of passengers flagged for secondary control

• Faster communication with airport control towers

• Real-time, high-certainty identity and travel document verification

Final Notes on Immigration Checkpoints in Costa Rica

The digital systematization of the Entry and Exit Card marked a significant administrative modernization for Costa Rica’s immigration framework. By moving from paper-based forms to real-time digital controls, the DGME enhanced efficiency, security, and passenger experience at immigration checkpoints nationwide.

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