Nicaragua: visa and entry rules
What you need to get in, how long you may stay, and what an overstay costs
Nicaragua's borders: every crossing point
Other 4
Airports 1
Nicaragua's land border crossings, listed by neighbour:
With Honduras: Guasaule on the Pacific side, Las Manos and El Espino in the mountains.
With Costa Rica: Penas Blancas, the main crossing of the region; Las Tablillas in the east.
The border with Honduras is internal to the CA-4 zone, while the one with Costa Rica is external: leaving that way is exactly what resets the ninety days.
Penas Blancas is Central America's main visa-run hub, with people crossing in both directions to renew their permitted stay.
By sea there are the ports of Corinto on the Pacific and Bluefields on the Caribbean.
Driving to Nicaragua
Land routes are open with Honduras and Costa Rica.
Temporary import is processed at the border, and there are several fees.
Ask customs directly about the temporary import period in Nicaragua. General figures go out of date faster than the reference sources update them.
Insurance is compulsory and is bought locally, right at the crossing.
An International Driving Permit is required.
Penas Blancas is congested, and getting through takes hours in high season.
Travelling to Nicaragua with a pet
An import permit is required, arranged in advance with the veterinary service.
A rabies vaccination must be valid on the date of entry.
An international veterinary certificate is required, endorsed by the state veterinary service of the country you are leaving.
Check the vaccinations, the microchip and quarantine for import into Nicaragua before you buy tickets. An incomplete set means a refusal at the check-in desk, not at the border.
Overstaying your visa in Nicaragua
A fine is charged for exceeding your permitted stay and is paid on departure.
The amount is calculated at the moment of departure. The published tariffs for Nicaragua contradict each other and go out of date - count on cash and an extra hour at the border.
Extensions are arranged at the immigration service before your stay expires, not after.
A serious overstay means deportation and an entry ban.
You have to count the whole CA-4 zone, and a trip out to Costa Rica is the only simple way to reset the counter.
What else to check before you go
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Entry rules change faster than anything else on this site, and they change without notice. We cross-check every page against several sources and state the date it was verified, but that does not replace the main step: before you travel, check an official source — the country’s consulate, its immigration service or its e-visa portal. Especially if more than a couple of months have passed since our check.