The Reglamento de Personas Refugiadas establishes in article 59 that refugees who wish to travel outside the national territory to a third country and do not have a passport, nor the possibility of acquiring one through the Optional Protocol ratified by their country of origin and Costa Rica, may request a travel document from the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería, mentioning that this body must verify the status of asylum seeker or refugee of the person.

Regarding the travel document for asylum seekers, the Sala Constitucional de la Corte Suprema de Justicia (Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice) resolved an amparo appeal stating: “the refusal of the requested authority to provide the appellant with a travel document, solely because he has the status of ‘refugee applicant’, is unconstitutional and inconventional, since it gives a differentiated treatment with regards to a recognized refugee, this in contraposition to the aforementioned legal regulation (...)”.

In addition, Article 59 stipulates that asylum seekers or refugees who need to leave the country must notify the Unidad de Refugio (National Refugee Unit), through the channels established by the General Directorate o by means of a substantiated resolution.

Regarding travel to the country of origin or habitual residence, this article states that a request must be made to the Unidad de Refugio (Refuge Unit), which must justify the reasons of urgency or necessity. This will be analyzed  based on the obligations of the Costa Rican State to provide international protection. This request must be submitted no less than ten calendar days prior to travel, except in duly demonstrated emergency circumstances, in which the Refuge Unit may exceptionally evaluate the request and travel authorization.