About British Embassy

Edificio Centro Colón, Paseo Colón and Streets 38 and 40
San Jose
Apartado 815 - 1007
San Jose
Costa Rica

Telephone
(506) 2258-2025/ +44 20 7008 5000

Fax
(506) 2233 9938

For general enquiries, email: ukin.costarica@fcdo.gov.uk

For consular enquiries (e.g. relating to difficulties encountered by British nationals), please use our contact form: www.gov.uk/contact-consulate-san-jose


Office access and opening times

The British Embassy San José is open from Mondays to Thursdays, from 08:00 to 12:00 and 12:30 to 16:00 and on Fridays from 08:00 to 13:00.

Disabled access

Wherever possible, we have made our buildings and services accessible. Sometimes, however, this is not possible due to security or other restrictions.

In these situations, we will endeavour to provide access to a building in an alternative way to ensure equality of access for disabled people. To assist disabled visitors, we have set out below details of disabled access at this Embassy. We hope this information is helpful.

General physical access: Embassy

  • the main entrance to the Embassy is accessible to wheelchair-users from the north side of the Building where there is an access ramp available
  • lifts are accessible for wheelchair-users and are fitted with handrails
  • there are no steps or staircases to gain access to the Main Reception or Consular Section
  • there are no disabled toilets available in the Embassy, but there is a disabled toilet available in the First and Second Floor of the Building
  • there is public parking around the Embassy
  • floor coverings: the floors of the Embassy are even and flat. The maintenance of the pavements and roads of the surrounding areas are the responsibility of the local council, but are generally flat and accessible
  • handrails are provided in the stairwells between floors and are easy to grip
  • please be aware there are Fire/Smoke Doors within the office corridors and they are heavy and not easy to use for those with mobility impairment, but to assist you, you will be accompanied at all times. There are no such doors in public areas
  • emergency/evacuation: A member of staff will assist disabled visitors in case of an emergency/evacuation
  • there is one phone in the Consular Reception, they are at standard height, but staff will help to use them if necessary

Access for visually-impaired visitors

  • signs are clear and recognisable and use internationally recognised signs where appropriate
  • guide dogs are welcome

Access for deaf/hard of hearing visitors

  • hearing loops are not installed
  • minicom and textphones are not installed
  • sign language is not available at this time
  • hearings dogs are welcome

Contact us

If you need to visit us or use our services and feel that these may be inaccessible to you, please contact the Embassy by phone or email. We will try to find an alternative way of providing access for you.

Embassy Holidays 2024

Here is the list of holidays that will be observed by the British Embassy in 2024.

Date Holiday
Monday 1 January New Year’s Day
Thursday 28 March Maundy Thursday
Friday 29 March Good Friday
Monday 15 April Juan Santamaria Day
Wednesday 1 May Labour Day
Monday 6 May Early May Bank Holiday
Monday 27 May Spring Bank Holiday
Monday 29 July Annexation of Nicoya
Thursday 15 August Mother’s Day
Monday 26 August Summer Bank Holiday
Monday 16 September Independence Day (holiday deferred)
Monday 2 December Abolition of the Army Day
Wednesday 25 December Christmas Day
Thursday 26 December Boxing Day

Security regulations

Please be aware that all visitors to the British Embassy are required to pass through building security. While we aim for this to be as light-touch as possible, it may require a search of bags and pockets.

Security regulations at the British Embassy in San José, in line with all British Diplomatic Missions worldwide, do not permit visitors to enter the Embassy with mobile telephones, laptops, PDAs or any other similar electrical devices. We prefer that you arrive at the embassy without them. If this is not possible the building security will retain them at the entrance for the duration of your visit.

Weapons (including pepper sprays), or any object that the security staff consider could be used as a weapon (scissors, screwdrivers, small blades), are also forbidden. These will not be retained by security. Should you arrive with such an object, you will not be granted access but will be asked to return without it.

These regulations are intended to help us ensure the security for our staff and visitors. Your cooperation is appreciated.