GROUP 4

The white color stands for peace, wisdom

and happiness. The red color stands for the
blood spilt by martyrs in defense of the
country, as well as the warmth and generosity
of the people. The stripes are in the ratio
1:1:2:1:1. The coat of arms of Costa
Rica was also revised in 1848 and placed in
the center of the flag.
GEOGR
APHY
•Republic of Costa Rica is a country in
Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to
the north, the Caribbean Sea to the northeast,
Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to
the southwest, and Ecuador to the south of
Cocos Island.
• It has a population of around 5 million in a
land area of 51,060 square kilometers
(19,714 square miles). An estimated 333,980
people live in the capital and largest city,
San José, with around 2 million people in the
surrounding metropolitan area.
• Costa Rica was sparsely inhabited by 
indigenous peoples before coming under 
Spanish rule in the 16th century. It remained a
peripheral colony of the empire until
independence as part of the 
First Mexican Empire, followed by membership
in the United Provinces of Central America,
from which it formally declared independence
in 1847.
• Since then, Costa Rica has remained among the
most stable, prosperous, and progressive nations in
Latin America.
•Costa Rica also has progressive environmental
policies. It is the only country to meet all five UNDP
criteria established to measure environmental
sustainability.
•It was identified by the NEF as the greenest country
in the world in 2009. Costa Rica plans to become a 
carbon-neutral country by 2021.
CLIMATE

Costa Rica experiences a tropical climate

 year round. There are two seasons. The
"summer" or dry season is December to
April, and "winter" or rainy season is May
to November.
1. Tourist Visa
Not all people who wish to travel to Costa Rica
need a tourist visa; this will depend on your 
nationality, purpose of visit, country of residence
and duration of stay. Visa requirements are based
on international agreements or treaties. However, 
the visa does not guarantee entry to Costa Rica
and, as in the United States, this depends on the
immigration officer upon arrival. 
Please consider the following information:
• US nationals do not require an entry visa to Costa
Rica. However, they must have a current valid
passport and a return ticket to exit Costa Rica
within 90 days. (Either to return to your country or
to go to another country). US passport must be
valid for a minimum of one day from the day you
enter Costa Rica. As a tourist US nationals cannot
stay more than 90 days. For a stay longer than 90
days a residence permit must be established.
The flag of Chile consists of two equal horizontal
bands of white (top) and red; there is a blue
square the same height as the white band at the
hoist-side end of the white band; the square bears
a white five-pointed star in the center
representing a guide to progress and honor; blue
symbolizes the sky, white is for the snow-covered
Andes, and red stands for the blood spilled to
achieve independence.
The flag of Chile is similar to the 
Flag of Texas, although the Chilean
flag is 21 years older. However, like
the Texan flag, the flag of Chile is
modeled after the 
Flag of the United States.
GEOGRAPHY/ACCESS ROUTE

Republic of Chile is a South American

country occupying a long, narrow strip of
land between the Andes to the east and the
Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru
to the north, Bolivia to the northeast,
Argentina to the east, and the Drake
Passage in the far south.
Chilean territory includes the Pacific islands
of Juan Fernández, Salas y Gómez,
Desventuradas, and Easter Island in
Oceania. Chile also claims about 1,250,000
square kilometres (480,000 sq mi) of
Antarctica under the Chilean Antarctic
Territory.
CLIMATE

Chile is a great ski resort destination, which

means it has a significant snowy season every
year. In southern Chile, the weather is generally
rainy all year round falling as snow in much of
the high altitude areas. However, in the coastal
areas of the South, the winters are rarely too
cold and summers are comfortably cool.
The central region of Chile experiences a
climate much like that of the Mediterranean
coastline with warm, dry summers, and
moderately wet, cool winters. Though quite
rare on the coast, this central region is
susceptible to light snow and frost further
inland.
U.S. citizens entering Chile must have a valid
passport. U.S. citizens traveling to Chile for
recreation, tourism, business, or academic
conferences do not need to obtain a visa prior to
their arrival in Chile. A Tourist Card will be
issued for a stay of up to 90 days
An extension of stay for another 90 days
is possible upon payment of an extension
fee at the Chilean Immigration Office 
located at Matucana 1223, Santiago. 
The Tourist Card must be surrendered upon
departure. Failure to submit this card upon
departure may result in delays until a
replacement is obtained. If lost or stolen, the
Tourist Card must be replaced by the 
International Police (website is in Spanish
only) at their nearest headquarters or at the
international airport prior to departure.
If you have stayed in Chile for more than the allowed time
period,
You will not be allowed to leave the country
without paying a fine.  This fine cannot be paid at
the airport, so you should pay it before attempting
to depart Chile.  To pay the fine prior to your
departure, you should go to the Departamento de
Extranjería and make an autodenuncia or
complaint against yourself in
the Sanciones office.   
GEOGRAPHY/AC
CESS ROUTE
Republic of Venezuela  is a country on the northern coast
of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and
many small islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. It has a
territorial extension of 916,445 km2 (353,841 sq mi). The
continental territory is bordered on the north by the
Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by 
Colombia, Brazil on the south, Trinidad and Tobago to the
north-east and on the east by Guyana. Considerred as the 33rd
largest country in the world.
CLIMATE

Venezuela is entirely located in the tropics

over the Equator to around 12° N. Its climate
varies from humid low-elevation plains,
where average annual temperatures range as
high as 35 °C (95.0 °F), to glaciers and
highlands (the páramos) with an average
yearly temperature of 8 °C (46.4 °F). 
 To apply for a Venezuela visa, you will need:
• Valid Passport
• Passport Photos that meet the government of Venezuela’s
requirements
• Proof of Employment
• Proof of Travel Arrangements
• Proof of house or asset ownership
• Copy of Bank Statement
• Properly Completed Venezuela Visa Application Form
• Money Order
Citizens must have a visa to travel to
Venezuela for any trip purpose, including
tourism and business. Visas are obtained via the
Embassy of Venezuela in Washington, DC, and
they must be obtained well in advance of the
trip. The government of Venezuela recommends
that applicants start the visa process at least
three months before the planned travel date due
to processing delays.
 For tourist visas, the Embassy now
requires the visa applicant to make a
personal appearance for an interview
before the final visa is issued.
Passport Health can assist you with compiling
all of the materials to support your tourist visa
for a trip to Venezuela, but you will need to
travel to a Venezuelan Embassy or consulate to
get the tourist visa issued. At present, the
personal appearance is not required for a
business visa. In addition to a visa, a passport
with at least six months of remaining validity is
required to travel to Venezuela
US citizens have been denied entry into Venezuela
and forced to return home because their passports
did not meet this requirement. Make sure your
passport is not damaged, frayed, or separating in
any way, as the Venezuelan authorities have
detained US citizens with damaged passports over
night.
Can I Obtain My Visa for Venezuela on
Arrival?

Visas for travel to Venezuela must be obtained in

advance of arrival. If you arrive in Venezuela
without the proper documentation for your trip,
you can be detained and deported. Be sure to
have all of your documents in place before you
go by working with a travel document expert.
What Else Do I Need to Do Before Traveling to Venezuela?

Make sure your passport is still valid and

will be for 6 months after the date you
plan to exit Venezuela. The immigration
authorities in Venezuela have been known
to deny entrance to travelers with
passports set to expire soon.
Be sure to prepare for the health concerns
you will face in Venezuela! Travelers
entering Venezuela from certain countries
will be required to show proof of the yellow
fever vaccine. Malaria and other mosquito
borne diseases are common in some areas of
the country, so travelers should take
appropriate precautions.
The flag of Puerto Rico represents and symbolizes the
island of Puerto Rico and its people. Each part of
this flag has its own meaning.
The three red stripes represent the blood from the brave
warriors.
The two white stripes represent the victory and peace
that they would have after gaining independence.
The white star represented the island of Puerto Rico.
The blue represents the sky and blue coastal waters.
GEOGRAHPY/ACCESS ROUTE

Puerto Rico consists of the main island of Puerto Rico and various
smaller islands, including Vieques, Culebra, Mona, Desecheo, and 
Caja de Muertos. Of these five, only Culebra and Vieques are
inhabited year-round. Mona, which has played a key role in
maritime history, is uninhabited most of the year except for
employees of the Puerto Rico Department of Natural Resources.
There are many other even smaller islets, like Monito, which is near
to Mona, Isla de Cabras and La Isleta de San Juan, both located on
the San Juan Bay. The latter is the only inhabited islet with
communities like Old San Juan and Puerta de Tierra, and connected
to the main island by bridges.
Puerto Ricans have been 
citizens of the United States since
1917, and can move freely between
the island and the mainland.
CLIMATE

The climate of Puerto Rico in the Köppen

climate classification is tropical rainforest.
Temperatures are warm to hot year round,
averaging near 85 °F (29 °C) in lower elevations
and 70 °F (21 °C) in the mountains. Easterly
trade winds pass across the island year round.
Puerto Rico has a rainy season which stretches
from April into November.
The mountains of the Cordillera Central are
the main cause of the variations in the
temperature and rainfall that occur over very
short distances. The mountains can also
cause wide variation in local wind speed and
direction due to their sheltering and
channeling effects adding to the climatic
variation.
• The best time to apply for your Puerto Rico visa is 1-
2 months before your travel date.
• You only need a visa to enter Puerto Rico if you
need a visa to enter the US, since the Commonwealth
follows the United States’ immigration laws. For
many countries, an ESTA (Electronic System for
Transport authorization, https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta)
must nevertheless be applied for.
•As a commonwealth, Puerto Rico subscribes to all
the laws that apply to traveling and border crossing
in the United States.
• US citizens can enter the Commonwealth with
proper proof of citizenship, such as a driver’s
license with photo ID, a passport or a birth
certificate.
• Visitors from other countries must have a
valid, scannable passport. Countries
participating in the Visa Waiver Program
– the EU, Australia, New Zealand and
much of Latin America – don’t need visas
to get into Puerto Rico.
•International travelers will most likely
transit through an East Coast hub such as
New York City or Miami, or arrive from
Europe on one of several new, cheap, direct
flights.
• US Department of State (www.state.gov)
has up-to-date information about visas,
immigration etc.