About El Salvador

Whether you’re looking to visit, live or work in El Salvador—we can support your immigration needs at every stage of your journey.

If you're a foreign national looking to visit, live, and/or work in El Salvador, several options are available.

• Business Visits: If you're a visa national and depending on your citizenship, you require either a consular or consulted visa or a Special Entry Permit to enter El Salvador for business purposes. Visas for business, investment, or trade purposes are issued for a single entry or up to two years, with multiple entries allowed and an initial stay of up to 180 days. Special Entry Permits are issued for a single entry and a stay of up to 180 days. If you're visa-exempt, you can enter El Salvador for business purposes without a visa for up to 180 days. If you intend to travel frequently to El Salvador for business, you can apply for a Frequent Traveler Card. This card can be issued for up to three years and allows multiple entries for up to 90 days of stay in each entry. As a Frequent Traveler Card holder, you do not require a visa to enter El Salvador and do not need to pay a tourist card fee for each entry.
• Work Authorization: The main work authorization category is the Work Permit and a Temporary Residence Permit, both required in El Salvador. These permits are valid for an initial period of one or two years and can be extended for up to five years.
  Note: Citizens of a Central American country, Spain, or Latin American, Spanish-speaking countries can apply for permanent residence after holding a Temporary Residence Permit for a year. All other foreign nationals can apply for permanent residence after renewing their Temporary Residence Permit on three consecutive occasions.
• Internships/Traineeships: There are no specific trainee-specific work authorization categories. However, if you're participating in a conference, seminar, workshop, or meeting, El Salvador offers a special visa generally granted for a maximum of 45 days with a one-time extension available. An invitation letter from the inviting institution is required.
• Self-employment: A Temporary Residence for Investors is a suitable option for presidents, board members, legal representatives, shareholders, owners, or general managers of a company that has an active investment in El Salvador equivalent to at least 4,000 minimum monthly salaries at the time of the residence application.​ Police and criminal clearances are required, and if applicable, certified copies of the company's foreign capital registration issued by the Oficina Nacional de Inversiones del Ministerio de Economía.

Fragomen can also consult on citizenship matters and, as permitted within the confines of local law, may be able to offer citizenship assistance.