Costa Rica

In Costa Rica, children of Nicaraguan migrants have difficulties accessing birth registration. Costa Rica has hosted approximately 400,000 Nicaraguans in recent decades, many of whom are refugees or seasonal agricultural workers. Many Nicaraguans who work as seasonal workers are hired informally, and do not have legal status in Costa Rica. Children of Nicaraguan seasonal migrant workers may go unregistered, especially when they are born on farms or plantations or when their parents are unaware of the need to register them. Parents may also face obstacles reaching registry offices in remote areas. The CRC (2011, 2020) and the Human Rights Council (2014, 2024) made recommendations to ensure access to birth registration for migrant children.