Costa Rica

Americas

Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a main destination country for people in need of international protection, primarily from Nicaragua.

Are you a refugee, asylum-seeker or stateless person looking for help? Visit the HELP site to find support and services from UNHCR.

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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

Find more data here

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.