El Salvador visa and entry requirementsConsular visa (B) or consulted visa (C)
- Fee
- Not published
- Processing
- —
- Stay per entry
- 90 days
El Salvador visa and entry requirements
El Salvador's Foreign Ministry sorts passports into category A (exempt from visa), category B (consular visa without consultation) and category C (consulted visa), and its migration law treats tourists as staying up to 90 calendar days. The UK and Canadian governments say their citizens do not need a visa. The UK government says you can travel between El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua for up to 90 days without a visa, and that the 90-day period starts when you enter any of these countries and does not restart when you cross borders.
Every fact on this page verified on or after: Aug 26, 2026· How this site works
Check requirements for your passport
Requirements differ by nationality. Select your passport above, or scan the full table below.
Compare every country: Where a visa you already hold gets you in somewhere else
Visas & entry authorisations
Extension of stay for non-residents (Prórroga de Permanencia)
- Fee
- Not published
- Processing
- —
- Stay per entry
- 90 days
Entry requirements
Passport validity
El Salvador's migration regulation (Art. 25) says every foreigner seeking to enter El Salvador must present a passport valid for more than six months, unless a treaty, convention or agreement on the matter applies or the foreigner is in transit through the country to their country of origin or residence. The UK government says that to enter El Salvador your passport must have an expiry date at least 6 months after the day you arrive.
Verified Oct 10, 2026 · Source: diariooficial.gob.sv (opens in a new tab) · Reglamento de la Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería (Decreto Ejecutivo No. 35 d…Compare every country: How long your passport must be valid, country by country
Vaccinations
Conditional- Yellow fever (International Certificate of Vaccination (yellow card)) — The UK government says that to enter El Salvador you must have a certificate to prove you've had a yellow fever vaccination if you're coming from a country listed as a transmission risk.
Travel insurance
Not officially statedNo official source we could read states a travel insurance requirement for entry to El Salvador.
Verified Oct 10, 2026 · Source: diariooficial.gob.sv (opens in a new tab) · Reglamento de la Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería (Decreto Ejecutivo No. 35 d…
Onward or return ticket
RequiredEl Salvador's migration regulation (Art. 25) says foreigners entering as non-residents must have a return or onward ticket when travelling by commercial transport; a private aircraft must present its flight plan, and sea transport the navigation plan showing the port of destination. Canada's travel advice says customs officials may ask you to show a return or onward ticket and proof of sufficient funds to cover the cost of your stay.
Verified Oct 10, 2026 · Source: diariooficial.gob.sv (opens in a new tab) · Reglamento de la Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería (Decreto Ejecutivo No. 35 d…
Proof of funds
RequiredEl Salvador's migration regulation (Art. 25) says foreigners entering as non-residents must show documents proving solvency or economic capacity, according to the means of proof and minimum amount set by the Dirección General. No official source we could read states that amount. Canada's travel advice says customs officials may ask you to show proof of sufficient funds to cover the cost of your stay.
Verified Oct 10, 2026 · Source: diariooficial.gob.sv (opens in a new tab) · Reglamento de la Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería (Decreto Ejecutivo No. 35 d…
Registering your presence after arrival
RequiredDone by the accommodation.
Owners, managers or persons in charge of hotels, guesthouses and similar commit a serious migration infraction if they fail to record foreign persons in the Guest Book or fail to send the report on foreign guests to the General Directorate. The fine is two to ten monthly minimum wages of the commerce and services sector.
If not done: Serious migration infraction for the hotel or guesthouse: fine of two to ten monthly minimum wages of the commerce and services sector.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: asamblea.gob.sv (opens in a new tab) · Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería (Decreto Legislativo N° 286)Compare every country: Registering your presence after arrival, country by country
Other compulsory government charges
- Fee for Indian and African nationals — USD 1,130, according to the UK government.
The UK government says Indian nationals and nationals of any African country travelling through El Salvador must pay a fee of USD 1,130, and that British dual nationals travelling on their British passport do not pay it. No Salvadoran official page we could read states the charge.
Exemptions: British dual nationals travelling on their British passport.
Customs & currency
The UK government says to declare cash or travellers' cheques if the value is USD 10,000 or more.
Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: gov.uk (opens in a new tab)
Yellow fever certificate
The UK government says that to enter El Salvador you must have a certificate to prove you've had a yellow fever vaccination if you're coming from a country listed as a transmission risk.
The 42 countries WHO lists as a yellow fever risk
Requirements normally count any country you have been in shortly before arrival, not only where you boarded.
- Angola
- Argentina — Misiones and Corrientes Provinces
- Benin
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Colombia
- Côte d'Ivoire
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Ecuador
- Equatorial Guinea
- Ethiopia
- French Guiana
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Kenya
- Liberia
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Republic of the Congo
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Togo
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Uganda
- Venezuela
International Health Regulations (2005), Article 36 and Annex 7; WHO International Travel and Health, Annex 1, 18 November 2022 (revised 3 January 2023)
Country in a nutshell
- Currency
- United States dollar (USD, $)
- Safety — Exercise caution
- The UK government says security in El Salvador has improved considerably with significant reductions in crime, but the risks of violent and petty crime still exist. It says the state of exception that started in 2022 gives police additional powers, that the police may ask you for ID and may detain you if they suspect you are a gang member, and to always carry a copy of the photo page of your passport. Canada says tattoos may be considered an indication of gang affiliation.Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: gov.uk (opens in a new tab) · archived copy Aug 3, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Power plugs
- A, B · 115V 60Hz
- Emergency numbers
- General emergencies: 911 · Medical: 132
- Time zone
- UTC-6
- International Driving Permit
El Salvador is a party to the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic (UN Treaty Collection). El Salvador's General Traffic and Road Safety Regulation (Art. 157), published by the Vice Ministry of Transport, lets people holding a driving licence issued abroad use it as equivalent if they show a stay of less than 90 consecutive days in the country; after that they must obtain the corresponding Salvadoran licence.
Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: treaties.un.org (opens in a new tab) · Convention on Road Traffic · archived copy Aug 25, 2026 (opens in a new tab) Compare every country- Tap water
- not for drinking. Use bottled
Best time to visit
No official source we could read gives a best time to visit. The UK government says the rainy season normally runs from June to November; the Government of Canada says it extends from May to November.
Tips & warnings
The UK government says you can travel between El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua for up to 90 days without a visa, and that the 90-day period starts when you enter any of these countries and does not restart when you cross borders. Migración's form F44 covers an extension of a non-resident's stay of 1 to 90 days.
The UK government says the state of exception started in 2022 and has remained in place since, and that it gives police additional powers, resulting in a much higher number of arrests, sometimes without much evidence. Canada says you may be subject to identity checks and to always carry valid identification.
Visa requirements by nationality
| Passports | Visas & entry authorisations | Max stay |
|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Embassy visa | — |
| Albania | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Algeria | Embassy visa | — |
| Andorra | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Angola | Embassy visa | — |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Argentina | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Armenia | Embassy visa | — |
| Australia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Austria | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Azerbaijan | Embassy visa | — |
| Bahamas | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Bahrain | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Bangladesh | Embassy visa | — |
| Barbados | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Belarus | Embassy visa | — |
| Belgium | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Belize | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Benin | Embassy visa | — |
| Bhutan | Embassy visa | — |
| Bolivia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Embassy visa | — |
| Botswana | Embassy visa | — |
| Brazil | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Brunei | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Bulgaria | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Burkina Faso | Embassy visa | — |
| Burundi | Embassy visa | — |
| Cabo Verde | Embassy visa | — |
| Cambodia | Embassy visa | — |
| Cameroon | Embassy visa | — |
| Canada | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Central African Republic | Embassy visa | — |
| Chad | Embassy visa | — |
| Chile | Visa-free | 90 days |
| China | Embassy visa | — |
| Colombia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Comoros | Embassy visa | — |
| Costa Rica | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Côte d'Ivoire | Embassy visa | — |
| Croatia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Cuba | Embassy visa | — |
| Cyprus | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Czechia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Embassy visa | — |
| Denmark | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Djibouti | Embassy visa | — |
| Dominica | Embassy visa | — |
| Dominican Republic | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Ecuador | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Egypt | Embassy visa | — |
| El Salvador | Free movement | — |
| Equatorial Guinea | Embassy visa | — |
| Eritrea | Embassy visa | — |
| Estonia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Eswatini | Embassy visa | — |
| Ethiopia | Embassy visa | — |
| Fiji | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Finland | Visa-free | 90 days |
| France | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Gabon | Embassy visa | — |
| Gambia | Embassy visa | — |
| Georgia | Embassy visa | — |
| Germany | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Ghana | Embassy visa | — |
| Greece | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Grenada | Embassy visa | — |
| Guatemala | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Guinea | Embassy visa | — |
| Guinea-Bissau | Embassy visa | — |
| Guyana | Embassy visa | — |
| Haiti | Embassy visa | — |
| Honduras | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Hungary | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Iceland | Visa-free | 90 days |
| India | Embassy visa | — |
| Indonesia | Embassy visa | — |
| Iran | Embassy visa | — |
| Iraq | Embassy visa | — |
| Ireland | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Israel | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Italy | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Jamaica | Embassy visa | — |
| Japan | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Jordan | Embassy visa | — |
| Kazakhstan | Embassy visa | — |
| Kenya | Embassy visa | — |
| Kiribati | Embassy visa | — |
| Kosovo | Embassy visa | — |
| Kuwait | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Kyrgyzstan | Embassy visa | — |
| Laos | Embassy visa | — |
| Latvia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Lebanon | Embassy visa | — |
| Lesotho | Embassy visa | — |
| Liberia | Embassy visa | — |
| Libya | Embassy visa | — |
| Liechtenstein | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Lithuania | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Luxembourg | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Madagascar | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Malawi | Embassy visa | — |
| Malaysia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Maldives | Embassy visa | — |
| Mali | Embassy visa | — |
| Malta | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Marshall Islands | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Mauritania | Embassy visa | — |
| Mauritius | Embassy visa | — |
| Mexico | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Micronesia | Embassy visa | — |
| Moldova | Embassy visa | — |
| Monaco | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Mongolia | Embassy visa | — |
| Montenegro | Embassy visa | — |
| Morocco | Embassy visa | — |
| Mozambique | Embassy visa | — |
| Myanmar | Embassy visa | — |
| Namibia | Embassy visa | — |
| Nauru | Embassy visa | — |
| Nepal | Embassy visa | — |
| Netherlands | Visa-free | 90 days |
| New Zealand | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Nicaragua | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Niger | Embassy visa | — |
| Nigeria | Embassy visa | — |
| North Korea | Embassy visa | — |
| North Macedonia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Norway | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Oman | Embassy visa | — |
| Pakistan | Embassy visa | — |
| Palau | Embassy visa | — |
| Palestine | Embassy visa | — |
| Panama | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Papua New Guinea | Embassy visa | — |
| Paraguay | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Peru | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Philippines | Embassy visa | — |
| Poland | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Portugal | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Qatar | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Republic of the Congo | Embassy visa | — |
| Romania | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Russia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Rwanda | Embassy visa | — |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Saint Lucia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Samoa | Embassy visa | — |
| San Marino | Visa-free | 90 days |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Saudi Arabia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Senegal | Embassy visa | — |
| Serbia | Embassy visa | — |
| Seychelles | Embassy visa | — |
| Sierra Leone | Embassy visa | — |
| Singapore | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Slovakia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Slovenia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Solomon Islands | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Somalia | Embassy visa | — |
| South Africa | Visa-free | 90 days |
| South Korea | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Spain | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Sri Lanka | Embassy visa | — |
| Sudan | Embassy visa | — |
| Suriname | Embassy visa | — |
| Sweden | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Switzerland | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Syria | Embassy visa | — |
| Taiwan | Embassy visa | — |
| Tajikistan | Embassy visa | — |
| Tanzania | Embassy visa | — |
| Thailand | Embassy visa | — |
| Timor-Leste | Embassy visa | — |
| Togo | Embassy visa | — |
| Tonga | Embassy visa | — |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Tunisia | Embassy visa | — |
| Turkey | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Turkmenistan | Embassy visa | — |
| Tuvalu | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Uganda | Embassy visa | — |
| Ukraine | Visa-free | 90 days |
| United Arab Emirates | Visa-free | 90 days |
| United Kingdom | Visa-free | 90 days |
| United States | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Uruguay | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Uzbekistan | Embassy visa | — |
| Vanuatu | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Vatican City | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Venezuela | Embassy visa | — |
| Vietnam | Embassy visa | — |
| Yemen | Embassy visa | — |
| Zambia | Embassy visa | — |
| Zimbabwe | Embassy visa | — |
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Andorra
Angola
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cabo Verde
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
Colombia
Comoros
Costa Rica
Côte d'Ivoire
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czechia
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Fiji
Finland
France
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Grenada
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Kosovo
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
North Korea
North Macedonia
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palau
Palestine
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Republic of the Congo
Romania
Russia
Rwanda
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
São Tomé and Príncipe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Togo
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
ZimbabweStay lengths are for ordinary tourist visits. Click a nationality for its full guide.
No official page we read states the rule for 3 nationalities, so the table leaves them out: Hong Kong, Macau, and South Sudan.
Neighboring countries
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa for El Salvador?
It depends on your passport. El Salvador's Foreign Ministry sorts passports into category A (exempt from visa), category B (consular visa without consultation) and category C (consulted visa), and its migration law treats tourists as staying up to 90 calendar days. The UK government says British visitors can travel to El Salvador for tourism or business without a visa, and Canada says Canadians need no tourist visa.
Do visitors still need the entry card (tourist card)?
The consolidated text of the Special Migration and Aliens Act published by El Salvador's Supreme Court shows Article 328, on the entry card (Tarjeta Migratoria de Ingreso), as repealed by Decreto Legislativo No. 286 of 30 April 2025. No official source we could read states a current fee for an entry card.
Does time in Guatemala or Honduras count against my El Salvador stay?
The UK government says you can travel between El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua for up to 90 days without a visa, that the CA-4 Agreement also includes Honduras, and that the 90-day period starts when you enter any of these countries and does not restart when you cross borders. Migración's form F44 covers an extension of a non-resident's stay of 1 to 90 days.
Is El Salvador safe to visit now?
The UK government says security in El Salvador has improved considerably with significant reductions in crime, but the risks of violent and petty crime still exist. It says a state of exception started in 2022 and gives police additional powers, and advises always carrying a copy of the photo page of your passport; Canada advises always cooperating with military and police officers and always carrying valid identification.
Sources & verification
Every fact on this page is compiled from and periodically re-checked against these official sources:
- Asamblea Legislativa de El Salvador — Decreto N° 286, Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería (opens in a new tab)
- Australian Government, Smartraveller — travel advice: "Exercise a high degree of caution" (opens in a new tab)
- Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Taiwan) — visa and entry information for El Salvador, for nationals of the Republic of China (Taiwan) (opens in a new tab)
- Centro de Documentación Judicial — Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería (Art. 85, tourist extension) (opens in a new tab)
- Diario Oficial No. 96, Tomo 423 (28 May 2019) — Decreto Ejecutivo No. 35: Reglamento de la Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería (opens in a new tab)
- Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería — Clasificación para Fines de Exención y Obligatoriedad de Visas de El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras y Nicaragua (the file linked from its page "Países que requieren visa para ingresar a El Salvador"; PDF titled 19.11.2024) (opens in a new tab)
- Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería — Legislación migratoria (links the Reglamento) (opens in a new tab)
- Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería — Países que requieren visa para ingresar a El Salvador (CA-4 classification list, file dated 19 November 2024) (opens in a new tab)
- Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería — Solicitud y pago de prórroga de turismo (opens in a new tab)
- Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería de El Salvador (opens in a new tab)
- Government of Canada — Travel advice: El Salvador (opens in a new tab)
- IEC World Plugs (International Electrotechnical Commission) — plug types, voltage and frequency by location (opens in a new tab)
- Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de El Salvador — Visas (country checker: category by nationality and passport type) (opens in a new tab)
- UK FCDO — El Salvador travel advice (Safety and security) (opens in a new tab)
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office — El Salvador travel advice (opens in a new tab)
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office — El Salvador travel advice: entry requirements (opens in a new tab)
- UN Treaty Collection — Convention on Road Traffic (Vienna, 1968), status of parties (opens in a new tab)
- United Nations — Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 13(2) (opens in a new tab)
- Vice Ministry of Transport (VMT) — Reglamento General de Tránsito y Seguridad Vial (opens in a new tab)
Something wrong or out of date? Tell us, with the official source