Arrival in El Salvador

Before travelling, check your passport category with the online visa checker of the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores (MRREE). Visa status depends on nationality, travel document, intended stay and, in some cases, a valid visa for the United States, Canada or the Schengen area or lawful residence in a third country. El Salvador uses three relevant categories: A means visa-exempt, B means Consular Visa or Sin Consulta, and C means Consulted Visa. The entry basis must match the purpose of the stay. If a B or C visa cannot be obtained through a usable consular channel, the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (DGME) offers an online Permiso Especial de Ingreso (PEI). A PEI application requires an account, uploaded documents and review, costs USD 100 and has no officially stated processing time. Once approved, DGME stamps the PEI at the air, land or sea border. Carry the original passport, visa or PEI and evidence of the purpose of travel. Keep the exact address and contact details of your first accommodation, host or hotel available, especially for B or C entry files. Foreign civil or other official documents may require an apostille or authentication and a Spanish translation, depending on the document category. The CA-4 travel area covers El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Nationals of Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua may use specified national identity documents for some procedures, but they should present the same document again in a subsequent process. DGME checks entry at airports, land crossings and seaports. A visa or PEI authorizes entry but does not automatically authorize employment or study. The airport named Aeropuerto Internacional San Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez operates around the clock. CEPA, the Comisión Ejecutiva Portuaria Autónoma, provides terminal assistance through WhatsApp at +503 7070 8312 for flight, service and lost-property questions. Current Ministerio de Salud (MINSAL) guidance states that El Salvador does not require a general yellow-fever vaccination certificate for entry since 24 May 2024. A certificate may still be needed for onward travel to a country with its own risk rules. The Dirección General de Aduanas (DGA) controls baggage and goods at ports, airports and land borders. Accompanied baggage is generally tax-free. Non-baggage items can enter tax-free up to USD 500 when they are for private, non-commercial use, are not prohibited and the traveller has spent at least 72 hours abroad. Items above that allowance may require a declaration and taxes. Depending on the procedure, travellers use an electronic baggage declaration or the regional traveller declaration, and parents travelling with minor children may submit a group declaration. Unaccompanied baggage may arrive up to 30 days before or 90 days after the traveller. Current DGA information under the law dated 9 October 2025 requires a declaration for cash or negotiable instruments of USD 15,000 or more, regardless of nationality or method of entry; older DGA information still mentions USD 10,000, so verify the threshold with DGA before travelling. Check restricted or prohibited goods, animals, weapons and commercial quantities separately. El Salvador's official service overview does not identify a direct national equivalent to a general address-registration procedure. For people applying for or holding residence, DGME's Extranjería handles residence categories, residence cards and related status questions. Categories include F1 Transitoria, F2 Temporal, F3 Temporal with work authorization, F10 Studies and F15 Humanitarian, among others. The process normally involves choosing the correct category, submitting the form and supporting documents, paying the applicable fee and waiting for review. If approved, DGME issues a Carné de Residencia Temporal. Fees and processing times depend on the category and the form; no reliable general flat fee applies. Work or study without the corresponding authorization is not permitted. Report a change of domicile to DGME within five business days. Apply to extend residence at least 30 calendar days before it expires. Official certificates cost USD 8 for residence in process in the Central American category, USD 15 for residence in process in the non-Central American category and USD 15 for migration status. They are issued from the fifth business day and require a passport, application and payment receipt. For first practical guidance, the airport Punto de Información Turística is on the second floor at Local 2-107 and can be reached at +503 2375 2247. CAT and CORSATUR provide tourism-related assistance nationwide, while POLITUR and CAT provide tourist safety support. These services do not replace residence registration or immigration processing. For police or immediate security emergencies, call PNC at 911; the number is free and available 24 hours. For medical emergencies, MINSAL's Sistema de Emergencias Médicas (SEM) uses 132 for intake, triage, guidance and, when appropriate, transport. Access through SEM does not automatically create the same coverage or cost conditions as health insurance. Schools are accessed through the Ministerio de Educación, Ciencia y Tecnología (MINEDUCYT) and its SIGES education-management system. Missing identity or parentage documents must not block a child's or young person's enrollment, continuation or completion of education. A birth certificate is needed for first entry into the education system, but not for a transfer enrollment. The local school or Dirección de Educación is the practical contact point. MINEDUCYT also handles Incorporación de títulos extranjeros for foreign higher-education qualifications. The main risks are using the wrong visa category, travelling without a required PEI, working or studying without authorization, reporting a domicile change late, relying on outdated yellow-fever information, failing to declare goods or money, and carrying prohibited or commercial goods.