Costa Rica
- France
- Singapore
- Japan
- United Kingdom
- South Korea
Costa Rica vs Panama Passport Comparison
Costa Rica
AMERICAS
25
Rank
Visa-Free Access148 countries
The Costa Rica passport provides significant travel mobility for its holders, currently offering access to 148 destinations through visa-free or visa-on-arrival arrang...
Panama
AMERICAS
26
Rank
Visa-Free Access147 countries
The Panama passport currently offers high travel mobility, providing holders with access to 147 destinations worldwide through visa-free or visa-on-arrival arrangement...
Costa Rica vs Panama Passport Comparison Overview (2026)
This comparison analyzes visa-free access, ranking trends, and mobility metrics for Costa Rica vs Panama. Costa Rica currently leads this comparison with 148 visa-free destinations, while Panama has 147. Use the detailed sections below to compare practical travel access and historical changes.
- 99 visa-free destinations are shared by all compared passports.
- The largest exclusive advantage is 11 destination(s) unique to one passport in this comparison.
- Ranking and access figures are rendered from country ranking history with a 2026-first year preference.
Detailed Passport Metrics
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Costa Rica | Panama |
|---|---|---|
| Visa-Free Destinations | 148 | 147 |
| 2026 Ranking | 25 | 26 |
| Global Mobility Score | 71/100 | 71/100 |
| Openness Score | 67/100 | 68/100 |
| Continent | AMERICAS | AMERICAS |
| Schengen Member | Yes | Yes |
| Citizenship by Investment | No | No |
| Residency by Investment | Yes | Yes |
| Visa on Arrival | 30 | 31 |
| eTA Available | 8 | 8 |
| e-Visa Available | 33 | 32 |
| Visa Required | 45 | 46 |
Visa-Free Destinations
Costa Rica
148
Panama
147
2026 Ranking
Panama
26
Global Mobility Score
Costa Rica
71/100
Panama
71/100
Openness Score
Costa Rica
67/100
Panama
68/100
Continent
Costa Rica
AMERICAS
Panama
AMERICAS
Schengen Member
Costa Rica
Yes
Panama
Yes
Citizenship by Investment
Panama
No
Residency by Investment
Costa Rica
Yes
Panama
Yes
Visa on Arrival
Panama
31
eTA Available
e-Visa Available
Panama
32
Visa Required
Panama
46
Summary Insights
Comparison Summary & Recommendations
Overall Winner
Costa Rica
With 148 visa-free destinations, Costa Rica offers the most global mobility among the compared passports.
Schengen Area Access
Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a Schengen Area member, providing free movement across 27 European countries.
Residency by Investment
Costa Rica
Costa Rica offers a Residency by Investment program for those seeking alternative pathways.
Most Unique Access
Costa Rica
Costa Rica provides exclusive visa-free access to 11 destinations not accessible with the other passports.
Key Insights
- • All compared passports share access to 99 common destinations
- • The strongest passport offers 148 visa-free destinations
- • Consider your travel priorities: business, leisure, or specific regions when choosing a passport
- • Visa requirements can change - always verify current entry requirements before traveling
Visa Access Breakdown
Visa Access Analysis
Understanding the overlap and unique access each passport provides
99
Shared Destinations
11
Unique to Costa Rica
10
Unique to Panama
Exclusive Visa-Free Access
Costa Rica
11 unique destinations
BotswanaBruneiGrenadaHaitiPanamaSenegalSerbiaTunisiaUnited Arab EmiratesVenezuela+1 more
Panama
10 unique destinations
Antigua and BarbudaBelarusCosta RicaHondurasUkraineArmeniaAngolaVietnamGabonThailand
Shared Visa-Free Destinations (99)
Countries that all compared passports can access visa-free
JapanAlbaniaAndorraAnguillaArgentinaArubaAustriaBahamasBarbadosBelgiumBelizeBermudaBoliviaBonaire; St. Eustatius and SabaBosnia and HerzegovinaBrazilBulgariaCayman IslandsChileColombiaCook IslandsCroatiaCuracaoCyprusCzechiaDenmarkDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEl SalvadorEstoniaFaroe IslandsFinlandFranceFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaFrench West IndiesGeorgiaGermanyGibraltarGreeceGreenlandGuatemalaGuyanaHong Kong (SAR China)HungaryIcelandIrelandItalyJamaica+49 more destinations
Historical Ranking Trends
Ranking Trends Over Time
Historical passport ranking comparison from 2006 to 2026 (lower rank is better)
| Year | Costa Rica Rank | Panama Rank | Costa Rica Visa-free | Panama Visa-free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 23 | 30 | 95 | 82 |
| 2007 | 26 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 | 29 | 31 | 108 | 100 |
| 2009 | 29 | 31 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | 37 | 41 | 114 | 106 |
| 2011 | 36 | 37 | 120 | 114 |
| 2012 | 38 | 39 | 117 | 113 |
| 2013 | 31 | 32 | 122 | 121 |
| 2014 | 27 | 28 | 125 | 124 |
| 2015 | 32 | 34 | 127 | 125 |
| 2016 | 33 | 36 | 131 | 127 |
| 2017 | 31 | 36 | 134 | 127 |
| 2018 | 28 | 35 | 149 | 141 |
| 2019 | 27 | 34 | 150 | 140 |
| 2020 | 30 | 34 | 150 | 142 |
| 2021 | 32 | 37 | 149 | 141 |
| 2022 | 30 | 34 | 150 | 142 |
| 2023 | 32 | 36 | 150 | 144 |
| 2024 | 28 | 31 | 152 | 149 |
| 2025 | 29 | 30 | 151 | 148 |
| 2026 | 25 | 26 | 148 | 147 |
Each cell shows rank and visa-free count for that year.
Destinations
Notable Visa-Free Destinations
Representative destinations that highlight each passport's strongest visa-free access profile.
Panama
- Franceup to 90 days
- Singaporeup to 30 days
- Japanup to 90 days
- United Kingdomup to 180 days
- South Koreaup to 90 days
Resources
Official Resources
Primary government and immigration sources for policy verification before travel.
Related
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