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Published on Saturday, April 25, 2026
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Authorities
said the flight, carrying 28 deported
individuals, landed at Juan Santamaría
International Airport in Alajuela
province.
The
group includes three Costa Rican nationals
and 25 foreign citizens from Romania,
Guatemala, Brazil, Honduras, China, India,
Russia, Uzbekistan, Türkiye and Bolivia.
Among
them was a Romanian woman who was reunited
with family members, a teenager and an
adult, who had arrived on a previous
deportation flight last week.
As part of the agreement, Costa Rica waived visa requirements for the migrants. They also received assistance from the Professional Migration Police and representatives of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The
IOM is providing support that includes
lodging, food and humanitarian
assistance for up to six months
following arrival. Initially,
authorities had agreed to provide
support for only one week. However,
officials this week accepted revised
terms extending coverage, with the IOM
agreeing to cover expenses related to
housing, health care and food for six
months. Under
the agreement, migrants may pay for
their own housing and live freely
anywhere in the country, provided they
remain engaged in their immigration
process. They
are allowed to stay in Costa Rica
legally under a special humanitarian
visa category. Those who choose may
also apply for refugee status, which
would provide additional benefits,
including access to medical care. If
migrants decide to leave the country,
they must notify authorities. They may
cover their own travel costs or
request assistance from the IOM
through its Assisted Voluntary Return
program to return to their countries
of origin. The
latest arrival marks the third group
of migrants deported from the United
States to Costa Rica this month. Last week, a second
group of 25 migrants arrived.
In early April, Costa
Rica received the first such
flight. The deportation
arrangement stems from agreements
reached during the Summit of the
Americas.
The broader regional pact outlines
measures to strengthen cooperation
among Latin American countries to
combat organized crime. As part of those
efforts, Costa Rica extradited two
of its citizens to the United
States in March on drug
trafficking charges,
marking the first time the country has
sent nationals abroad to face criminal
prosecution. In February 2025, Costa
Rica agreed to receive about 200
undocumented migrants deported
from the United States.
Most remained in the country for up to
six weeks before being repatriated. The
DGME, Costa Rica’s immigration
authority, oversees visas, residency,
work permits and other processes for
foreign nationals living in the
country.
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