COSTA RICA

Yes, all participants are required to have a passport.

Participants’ passports must be valid for 6 months past the date of their return date to their home country. If necessary, participants will need to renew their passports prior to departure to meet this requirement.

ISV also requires all participants to either scan and email, fax, or mail a photocopy of their passport photo page. A copy of your passport photo page is due to the ISV office at least 105 days prior to your departure date.

For more information about passports, please visit the following websites:

USA: http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html
Canada: http://www.pptc.gc.ca/form/index.aspx
Australia: http://www.passports.gov.au/Web/index.aspx
New Zealand: http://www.passports.govt.nz
UK: http://www.ips.gov.uk

U.S and Canadian participants see the information below.

Participants are required to have traveler’s insurance that includes insurance for two purposes – coverage for medical treatment and care while in your host country and travel/trip cancellation coverage. Many insurance carriers package these plans together with other travel-related issues such as lost or stolen items, for example, plane tickets, passports, and personal items. Cancellation insurance is important in the event that a problem arises that prevents you from going on the Program. Policies do vary depending on the insurance provider, what country you travel to and what is covered, so make sure that you get a policy appropriate for your host country and your needs. Any travel agency should be able to assist you in procuring travel/trip cancellation insurance. Most travel insurance companies require you to purchase travel/trip cancellation insurance within 14 days after submitting your Agreement and paying your non-refundable deposit. The preferred travel insurance carrier for ISV is Travel Guard (U.S and Canada Only).

For UK, Australian and New Zealand citizens who are transiting through the USA, an additional transit visa is required, called an ESTA. Please check with the USA Embassy to determine eligibility and to apply for an ESTA.

Participants who are not a citizen of the USA, Canada, UK, Australia or New Zealand:

Check with the Costa Rican Embassy for specific visa requirements.

As flights may transfer via Los Angeles or other points within the USA, an additional VISA may be required in order to enter the USA, therefore be sure to check with the USA Embassy to determine eligibility for entry or transit into the USA.

Acquiring any/all necessary documents for Costa Rica and the USA are the responsibility of the participant.

You can find more visa information on the following website:

http://www.costarica.com/Trip-Planning/Travelers-Info/Passport-&-Visa-Information/

All lodging is included in the ISV Program cost. Once you arrive at your project location, all meals for the first 2 week Volunteer Project are included. For the 2 week Adventure Tour, at least half of the total meals are included in the ISV Program cost. Meals for the Host Country Welcome Meeting in Heredia are on your own. You will receive two meals per day as part of cost of the optional Spanish Language and Cultural Immersion Program.

Vegetarians must advise ISV in advance (on their application or by emailing the ISV office on or before 65 days prior to departure) if they wish to have vegetarian meals available to them during their Program. Participants with very strict dietary requirements may need to supplement meals with additional food at their own expense.

Friends are welcome to attend the ISV Program and can get an application online. Applicants do not have to be a university or high school student in order to participate on an ISV program. For the ISV University Program, all applicants must be at least 18 years of age at the time their ISV program begins in their host country. For the ISV High School Program, participants must be between 15 and 18 years of age at the time their program begins in their host country.