Alajuela is governed by federal Costa Rica law. Learn more
    Homosexuality
    ✔ Legal
    Gay Marriage
    ✔ Legal
    Censorship
    ✔ No censorship
    Changing Gender
    ✔ Legal, no restrictions
    Gender-Affirming Care
    ✔ Legal
    Non-Binary Gender Recognition
    ✔ Recognized
    Discrimination
    ✖ Illegal in some contexts
    Employment Discrimination
    ✖ Sexual orientation only
    Housing Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Adoption
    ✔ Legal
    Intersex Infant Surgery
    ✖ Not banned
    Military
    N/A
    Donating Blood
    ✔ Legal
    Conversion Therapy
    ✖ Not banned
    Age of Consent
    ✔ Equal
💬 Join Equaldex's LGBTQ+ Discord to discuss LGBT rights and chat!

Public Opinion

Alajuela is missing public opinion data.

Help expand our understanding of the public's view on LGBTQ+ issues in Alajuela by sharing a link to a survey from a reputable organization.

Suggest Public Opinion Data

Have you lived in or visited Alajuela?

Share your experience of being LGBTQ+ in Alajuela.

Take Survey

History

Homosexual activity in Alajuela

?

Homosexual activity in Alajuela is legal.

Current status
Since Apr 17, 2002
Legal
Report error  ·  Log

Same-sex marriage in Alajuela

?

Same-sex marriage in Alajuela is legal.

Current status
Since May 26, 2020
Legal
Same-sex marriage in Costa Rica has been legal since May 26, 2020 as a result of a ruling by the Supreme Court of Justice. Costa Rica was the first country in Central America to recognize and perform same-sex marriages.
Dec 21, 1973–May 26, 2020
Unrecognized
Article 242 of the family law states explicitly that marriage is between a man and a woman who has cohabited for more than 3 years. The recent movement of "accidental passage" of same sex marriage has not taken effect or exercised.
Report error  ·  Log

Censorship of LGBT issues in Alajuela

?

Censorship of LGBT issues in Alajuela is no censorship.

Current status
No censorship
In Costa Rica, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
Report error  ·  Log

Right to change legal gender in Alajuela

?

Right to change legal gender in Alajuela is legal, no restrictions.

Current status
Since 2018
Legal, no restrictions
Legal since 2018.

Gender-affirming care in Alajuela

?

Gender-affirming care in Alajuela is legal.

Current status
Since 1997
Legal
In 1997, Costa Rica adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood, which authorize the initiation of medical transition.
Report error  ·  Log

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Alajuela

?

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Alajuela is recognized.

Current status
Since Jun 1, 2018
Recognized
In 2018, the Costa Rican government introduced a third gender option, X, for passports, allowing individuals who do not identify as exclusively male or female to have legal documentation that reflects their gender identity. This makes Costa Rica one of the most progressive countries in Latin America when it comes to recognizing non-binary and X gender marker identities.

LGBT discrimination in Alajuela

?

LGBT discrimination in Alajuela is illegal in some contexts.

Current status
Since May 17, 2015
Illegal in some contexts
In addition to the existing HIV/AIDS law, public workers are now also protected. Within federal agencies, same sex partnerships are also required to be recognized as a family when requesting time off for spousal medical emergencies.
Report error  ·  Log
May 20, 1998–May 17, 2015
Illegal in some contexts
General law on HIV/AIDS protects LGBT people from discrimination in some contexts.
Report error  ·  Log

LGBT employment discrimination in Alajuela

?

LGBT employment discrimination in Alajuela is sexual orientation only.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 2016
Sexual orientation only
Article 2 of the Law on Labour Procedural Reform (Law No. 9,343) (2016) amended Article 404 of the Labour Code to include sexual orientation among prohibited grounds for discrimination in employment.
Report error  ·  Log

LGBT housing discrimination in Alajuela

?

LGBT housing discrimination in Alajuela is no protections.

Current status
No protections
According to ILGA, laws in force in Costa Rica do not offer protection against LGBT discrimination in housing.
Report error  ·  Log

Same-sex adoption in Alajuela

?

Same-sex adoption in Alajuela is legal.

Current status
Since May 26, 2020
Legal
Adoption was legalized for gay couples when gay marriage became legal. Single individuals (whether gay or straight) have been allowed to adopt equally before then.

Intersex infant surgery in Alajuela

?

Intersex infant surgery in Alajuela is not banned.

Current status
Not banned
There's no ban on intersex infant surgery in Costa Rica
Sources:
no sources
Report error  ·  Log

Serving openly in military in Alajuela

?

Serving openly in military in Alajuela is n/a.

Current status
N/A
Costa Rica does not have a military.
Report error  ·  Log

Blood donations by MSMs in Alajuela

?

Blood donations by MSMs in Alajuela is legal.

Current status
Since Aug 1, 2007
Legal
After many years of activism, Costa Rica lifted the ban on gay and bisexual men donating blood. The ban had originally been put in place due to fear of HIV-AIDS.
Report error  ·  Log
Sep 13, 1990–Aug 1, 2007
Banned (indefinite deferral)
Costa Rica banned gays from donating blood with Executive Decree 19933-S. The Degree was published in the Sept. 13, 1990 edition of the official government newspaper, La Gaceta. The order specifically identified gay men, sex workers, intravenous drug users and others as “high risk” for blood donation, citing concerns about HIV-AIDS.
Sources:
ticotimes.net/2014/05/27/ta…~:text=Costa%20Rica%20banned%20gays%20from,S%2C%20published%20in%20the%20Sept.
Report error  ·  Log

Conversion therapy in Alajuela

?

Conversion therapy in Alajuela is not banned.

Current status
Not banned
Unknown.
Report error  ·  Log

Equal age of consent in Alajuela

?

Equal age of consent in Alajuela is equal.

Current status
Equal
Report error  ·  Log