Embajada de Estados Unidos en Costa Rica

What Embajada de Estados Unidos en Costa Rica does

The U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica is the official diplomatic mission of the United States government to Costa Rica, operating under the U.S. Department of State since the bilateral relationship was formalized. Located at Calle 98 Vía 104, Pavas, San José, and staffed by approximately 115 employees led by Ambassador Melinda Hildebrand and Deputy Chief of Mission Jennifer Savage, the embassy delivers a defined set of consular and bilateral services. It is not a commercial enterprise and does not generate revenue in the conventional sense; operations are funded through U.S. federal appropriations, with statutorily set consular fees (passport, visa, and notarial services) remitted to the U.S. Treasury.

Its core service portfolio comprises visa adjudication for Costa Rican and other nationals seeking to travel to the United States, passport application and renewal services for U.S. citizens in Costa Rica, notarial services (at $50 USD per notary seal), and 24/7 emergency consular assistance covering arrests, deaths, crime victim support, emergency financial assistance, and international parental child abduction. Service delivery occurs primarily in-person at the San José campus, supplemented by periodic outreach events in Puerto Viejo, Flamingo, and other communities, and by online platforms including the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), the U.S. Citizens Services Navigator, the Electronic Recruitment Application (ERA), Pay.gov for fee collection, and a WhatsApp channel for real-time citizen alerts.

Beyond consular work, the embassy operates bilateral trade and investment facilitation through the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service and the U.S. Foreign Agricultural Service, supporting the more than 250 U.S. companies employing over 150,000 people in Costa Rica and the $2.2 billion in U.S. FDI that represented 73% of Costa Rica's 2022 FDI. It also delivers educational and cultural exchange programming via the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (Fulbright, Global UGRAD, YLAI, SUSI, BridgeUSA, IVLP), EducationUSA advising through Centro Cultural Costarricense Norteamericano, and the American Spaces network of cultural centers across the country. Partnerships with AmCham Costa Rica, CINDE, PROCOMER, and COMEX anchor its commercial and trade diplomacy work.

Name

Embajada de Estados Unidos en Costa Rica

Legal name

U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica (United States Department of State)

Website

https://cr.usembassy.gov

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica is the official U.S. diplomatic mission in San José, providing visa processing, passport and notarial services, 24/7 emergency consular assistance, trade facilitation, and educational exchange programming to U.S. citizens, Costa Rican nationals, and U.S. companies operating in country.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Diplomatic and Consular Services

NAICS

International Affairs (928120), National Security and International Affairs (928), National Security and International Affairs (9281)

SIC

Foreign Governments (8888)

akta.pro primary industry

Diplomatic Missions & Embassies (Bilateral Relations) (BPAIAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Visa, Immigration Liaison & Travel Document Policy (Foreign Affairs) (BPAIAIAL), Economic & Trade Diplomacy (Commercial, Investment, Sanctions Policy) (BPAIAIAF)

Keywords

• Consular services
• Visa processing
• Passport services
• Diplomatic mission
• Trade facilitation

Headquarters

HQ city

San José

HQ country

Costa Rica

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Consular Fees: The embassy collects statutory fees for consular services including visa applications, passport services, and notarials. These fees are set by U.S. law and are collected in U.S. dollars, Costa Rican colones, or by credit card.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica provides consular services to U.S. citizens (passports, emergency assistance, notarial services, traveler registration) and to foreign nationals (U.S. visa processing). It also advances diplomatic relations with Costa Rica, supports U.S. commercial and trade interests, and runs educational, cultural, and English-language programs through American Spaces and exchange initiatives.

Product overview

The U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica provides a comprehensive suite of consular services organized as distinct operational units. The core offerings include visa processing for U.S. travel, passport services for American citizens, emergency consular assistance available 24/7, and notarial services for document authentication. Additional services encompass business and trade facilitation through the Foreign Commercial Service, educational exchange programs (Fulbright, Global UGRAD, YLAI, BridgeUSA) managed by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, employment opportunities including the Foreign National Student Internship Program, and informational resources through the Information Resource Center and American Spaces network. The embassy also issues security alerts and travel advisories to U.S. citizens in Costa Rica.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• U.S. Visa Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1.6 million U.S. citizens visit Costa Rica annually with embassy support and services
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• U.S. Foreign Commercial Service (USFCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Foreign Commercial Service office in the U.S. Embassy tracks opportunities for U.S. companies interested in doing business in Costa Rica. Contact: +506-2519-2203 or [email protected]
• U.S. Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Foreign Agricultural Service office links U.S. agriculture to the world to enhance export opportunities and global food security. Part of U.S. Department of Agriculture with a global network of 98 offices covering 177 countries.
• Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerU.S. Department of State bureau that manages cultural, educational, and professional exchange programs including Fulbright, IVLP, and BridgeUSA.
• U.S. Commercial Service (Department of Commerce)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the International Trade Administration offering companies expertise in international trade through 100+ U.S. offices and 70+ international offices.
• SelectUSAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerU.S. government program to facilitate job-creating business investment into the United States. Has facilitated over $78 billion in investment and created/retained over 95,000 U.S. jobs.
• AmCham Costa Rica (American Chamber of Commerce)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCosta Rican-American Chamber of Commerce supporting business relations between U.S. and Costa Rican companies.
• CINDE (Investment Promotion Agency)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCosta Rican investment promotion agency attracting foreign direct investment, particularly in high-tech manufacturing sectors.
• PROCOMER (Export Promotion Agency)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCosta Rican export promotion agency supporting international trade and export activities.
• COMEX (Ministry of Foreign Trade)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCosta Rican government ministry responsible for foreign trade policy and international trade negotiations.
• Centro Cultural Costarricense NorteamericanomajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBinational center in San José hosting the EducationUSA advising center for students interested in U.S. higher education.
• EducationUSA NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerU.S. Department of State network providing accurate, comprehensive information about U.S. higher education to help students navigate the application process.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/u-s-embassy-in-costa-rica

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Embajada de Estados Unidos en Costa Rica