Close sites icon close
Search form

Search for the country site.

Country profile

Country website

Costa Rica

Key statistics

280,222

people were displaced or stateless (or returning from forced displacement) within the country at the end of 2024

217,915

people were identified as asylum-seekers in the country at the end of 2024, mostly from Nicaragua and Venezuela

$40.4 million

are needed in 2025 to ensure that operations and programmes in Costa Rica are sustained

UNHCR’s work in Costa Rica focuses on responding to displacement driven by crises in Nicaragua, Venezuela, and the north of Central America. The country hosts over 280,000 forcibly displaced, including thousands of asylum-seekers from Nicaragua and Venezuela. Since 2018, Costa Rica has received over 300,000 Nicaraguans seeking asylum, placing significant pressure on the asylum system and essential services.

To address growing needs, UNHCR expanded its presence with a Field Office in Upala, near the Nicaraguan border, supporting border monitoring, emergency assistance, protection, and local integration. A Field Unit in San José was also established to provide humanitarian support, including cash assistance and access to medical insurance for vulnerable individuals, in partnership with Costa Rica’s Social Security system.

UNHCR supports the Government in strengthening its asylum system, including refugee status determination, child protection, and prevention of gender-based violence. It also engages in regional coordination through platforms such as MIRPS, MINARE, and R4V. 

With increased mixed movements, UNHCR continues to work to ensure access to territory, documentation, and fair procedures for all those in need of international protection.

Strategy and results

This section provides key information related to the Global Appeal and Global Report.

Strategy

Latest multi-year strategy, outlining key priorities and a comprehensive overview of operational plans as part of the Global Appeal.

Download the strategy

Indicators and targets

Indicators and targets enable operations to establish their benchmarks and targets for comparison with results.

Download indicators and targets

Annual Results Report

Latest Annual Results Report highlighting key achievements from the year and published as part of the Global Report.

Download the ARR

Population and financial overview

Costa Rica

Use the year selector to access information from previous years.

Populations

Population types

Note: The "Stateless" category does not include stateless people who are also in other categories, to avoid double counting. The total number of stateless, across all categories, is  .

NB: 2025 figures are planning figures.

Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder for years until 2022, UNHCR planning figures (COMPASS) otherwise.

Population by country

NB: 2025 figures are planning figures.

Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder for years until 2022, UNHCR planning figures (COMPASS) otherwise.

Population by origin

NB: 2025 figures are planning figures.

Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder for years until 2022, UNHCR planning figures (COMPASS) otherwise.

Financial

Budget and expenditure trend

Source: 2025 budget was approved by ExCom in October 2024 while the 2024 budget figures include the latest supplementary appeals and are updated on a monthly basis.

Budget by pillar
Budget by objective

Note: The table presents the  budget for this operation broken down at the objective level. Resource allocation at the objective level is subject to change during the course of the year as the operational situation evolves and priorities shift. The current budget, reflected in the bottom line of this table, is updated on a monthly basis and is replaced by the final budget at year-end.

Expenditure by Outcome Area
Budget by Impact Area
Protect: Attaining favourable protection environments
Respond: Realizing rights in safe environments
Empower: Empowering communities and achieving gender equality
Solve: Securing solutions

Source: 2023 budget as approved by the Executive Committee in October 2022.
2022 current budget as approved by the High Commissioner as of October 2022; pending presentation to the ExCom's Standing Committee.

Budget by Outcome and Enabling Areas

Source: 2023 budget as approved by the Executive Committee in October 2022.
2022 current budget as approved by the High Commissioner as of October 2022; pending presentation to the ExCom's Standing Committee.

Budget by Impact Area
Protect: Attaining favourable protection environments
Respond: Realizing rights in safe environments
Empower: Empowering communities and achieving gender equality
Solve: Securing solutions

Source: 2024 budget and 2023 current budget are taken from the budget document approved by UNHCR's Executive Committee in October 2023.

Budget by Impact Area
Protect: Attaining favourable protection environments
Respond: Realizing rights in safe environments
Empower: Empowering communities and achieving gender equality
Solve: Securing solutions

Source: 2025 budget was approved by ExCom in October 2024 while the 2024 budget figures include the latest supplementary appeals and are updated on a monthly basis.

Budget by Outcome and Enabling Areas

Source: 2025 budget was approved by ExCom in October 2024 while the 2024 budget figures include the latest supplementary appeals and are updated on a monthly basis.

Budget by Outcome and Enabling Areas

Source: 2025 budget was approved by ExCom in October 2024 while the 2024 budget figures include the latest supplementary appeals and are updated on a monthly basis.

Budget by Impact Area
Protect: Attaining favourable protection environments
Respond: Realizing rights in safe environments
Empower: Empowering communities and achieving gender equality
Solve: Securing solutions
Budget by Outcome and Enabling Areas

valDoubleCounted

nbHost

nbTotalPoc

valTotalStateless

txtBudgetDesc

7UY

yearselected

Strategy - Country

Strategy

For information about our work in Costa Rica:

Refworld

Find legislation, case law and UNHCR policy relating to claims for international protection.

Visit Refworld

 

Office contact details

The UNHCR Representative in Costa Rica

Street Address:
Boulevard de Rohrmoser, Avenida 3A y Calle 80, Rohrmoser, Pavas, San José, Costa Rica

Mailing Address:
Apartado Postal 12-1009, Ferrocarril Pacifico, San José, Costa Rica

Phone:
+506 22420700

Fax:
+506 2231 3604

Email:
[email protected]

Time zone:
GMT -6

Working hours

  • Monday: 8:00 - 16:30
  • Tuesday: 8:00 - 16:30
  • Wednesday: 8:00 - 16:30
  • Thursday: 8:00 - 16:30
  • Friday: 8:00 - 16:30
  • Saturday: closed
  • Sunday: closed