Juan Santamaría Airport launches first automated eGates

Juan Santamaría International Airport has inaugurated its first four eGates, an automated immigration control system designed to streamline traveler arrivals. Currently, the technology is restricted to Costa Rican citizens over the age of 18 who possess biometric passports. The process involves presenting the passport to a reader followed by facial recognition via camera, taking approximately 17 to 22 seconds to complete.

Aeris executive director Ricardo Hernández noted that Costa Rica is the first country in Central America to implement this technology. While the initial phase is limited to local citizens, Berny Barquero, deputy director of Migration and Foreigners, indicated that authorities are evaluating the possibility of extending the service to other nationalities, specifically mentioning travelers from Canada and the United States in future stages.