Natives of the other states that constituted the Federal Republic of Central America who domicile in El Salvador may declare the desire to be Salvadoran without renouncing their nationality of origin (Article 90(3)).
Sources: Constitucion de la Republica de El Salvador, art. 90 (Asamblea Legislativa)
Persons born in the territory of El Salvador are Salvadoran by birth under Article 90.
Sources: Constitucion de la Republica de El Salvador, art. 90 (Asamblea Legislativa)
Children of a Salvadoran father or mother born abroad are Salvadoran by birth under Article 90.
Sources: Constitucion de la Republica de El Salvador, art. 90 (Asamblea Legislativa)
Article 92: native Spaniards and Hispano-Americans may naturalize after one year of residence; other foreigners after five years; marriage to a Salvadoran has a two-year residence track. Grant is by competent authority under the law.
Sources: Constitucion de la Republica de El Salvador, art. 90 (Asamblea Legislativa)
Permanent residence under arts. 151–152(4) of the Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería: a temporary resident who has held that condition for the three years immediately before applying acquires the right to remain indefinitely and to carry on any lawful activity on equal terms with Salvadorans, subject to constitutional limits. Art. 152 states the labour-market access directly — every definitive resident may carry on lawful remunerated or profit-making activity, own-account or employed. The card is endorsed (refrenda) for one to four years on payment of the corresponding fees; the application must be filed within the thirty calendar days before expiry, and failure to file within the year after expiry loses the right to reside. Definitive residents may be absent for up to two years, extendable by the Dirección General for at most one further year on payment, and further on justified cause.
Sources: Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería (D.L. 286 of 2 April 2019, consolidated text) · DGME El Salvador — Servicios: Residencias definitivas
Permanent residence under art. 152(1)–(2) of the Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería for Central Americans by birth: those entering the country regularly may obtain residencia definitiva without previously acquiring temporary residence, and those already holding temporary residence qualify on the same footing. No qualifying period applies. The statutory fee is the lower Central American tariff. Onward, art. 155 lets natives of the other states that constituted the Federal Republic of Central America acquire Salvadoran nationality BY BIRTH after one year of definitive residence with domicile in El Salvador, on declaring that intention — matching Constitution art. 90(3).
Sources: Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería (D.L. 286 of 2 April 2019, consolidated text) · DGME El Salvador — Servicios: Residencias definitivas
Permanent residence under art. 152(13) of the Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería, added by Decreto Legislativo N.º 286 of 30 April 2025: foreign nationals who join programmes promoted by the central government, of whatever class, obtain residencia definitiva without needing to obtain temporary residence first, and are expressly exempt from the absence rules of art. 154. The Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería is to define a special procedure for it. The same decree amended the fee schedule to add a dedicated tariff of USD 690.00 for a first grant of up to one year on this limb — double the ordinary non-Central American USD 345.00.
Sources: Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería (D.L. 286 of 2 April 2019, consolidated text) · DGME El Salvador — Servicios: Residencias definitivas
Permanent residence under art. 152(3) of the Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería for temporary residents of Spanish or Hispano-American origin who have held that condition for one uninterrupted year before applying — one year instead of the ordinary three. Onward, art. 156(1) lets persons originating in Spain or a Hispano-American country apply for naturalisation after one year of definitive residence, mirroring Constitution art. 92.
Sources: Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería (D.L. 286 of 2 April 2019, consolidated text) · DGME El Salvador — Servicios: Residencias definitivas
Temporary residence for a foreign national receiving monthly, permanent and stable pensions sourced abroad, of not less than three current minimum monthly wages for the commerce and services sector, intended for subsistence in El Salvador. Granted for one year with multiple entry and exit and renewable. The pensionado may not take remunerated work of any kind, save work for the State, municipalities or autonomous official institutions in a specialised field, or teaching; breach is sanctioned and cancels the status. The regime carries tax and customs benefits: exemption from income tax on the sums declared as foreign-sourced, duty-free import of household goods up to USD 20,000 CIF once, and one vehicle up to USD 25,000 CIF once every five years, transferable free of duty only after five years with Ministry of Finance authorisation; the accompanying spouse or partner and minor children share them. Switching to another residence category within four years claws back the exempted taxes. The status is lost on absence exceeding six consecutive months, or six months in intervals within the same calendar year, save justified cause. One year in the quality reaches residencia definitiva. Since 31 March 2026 the holder must also be physically present for at least ninety calendar days in each year, consecutive or accumulated.
Sources: Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería (D.L. 286 of 2 April 2019, consolidated text) · MTPS El Salvador — CNSM approves a 12% minimum-wage increase (effective 1 June 2025) · DGME El Salvador — Servicios: Residencias temporales · Decreto Legislativo N.º 531 — Reformas a la Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería (17 March 2026)
Temporary residence for a foreign national receiving monthly, permanent and stable income arising or generated abroad, of not less than four current minimum monthly wages for the commerce and services sector, intended for subsistence in El Salvador; the floor rises to six where two or more people accompany the resident. Granted for one year with multiple entry and exit and renewable. The rentista may not take remunerated work of any kind, save work for the State, municipalities or autonomous official institutions in a specialised field, or teaching. The same tax and customs benefits, four-year clawback on switching category, and six-month absence limit as the pensionado regime apply. One year in the quality reaches residencia definitiva. Since 31 March 2026 the holder must also be physically present for at least ninety calendar days in each year, consecutive or accumulated.
Sources: Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería (D.L. 286 of 2 April 2019, consolidated text) · MTPS El Salvador — CNSM approves a 12% minimum-wage increase (effective 1 June 2025) · DGME El Salvador — Servicios: Residencias temporales · Decreto Legislativo N.º 531 — Reformas a la Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería (17 March 2026)
General temporary residence under art. 108 of the Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería: the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería authorises entry and stay for a defined period of up to two years, renewable for an equal period, to engage in economic, scientific, academic, cultural or sporting activity, to work as a specialist technician or skilled worker, or to carry on any other lawful temporary activity. Art. 109 enumerates twenty-three qualities that may hold it. General requirements under art. 110 are a valid passport, a police or criminal-record certificate from the country of origin or residence covering the two years before entry (authenticated or apostilled, and disregarding conduct that is not an offence in El Salvador), proof of economic solvency where no work authorisation is sought or of the sponsor’s, and an employer letter of commitment where work is sought; art. 111 sets a lighter list for Central Americans. Work is a separate authorisation under art. 122. Since 31 March 2026 the holder must be physically present in El Salvador for at least ninety calendar days in each year, consecutive or accumulated, and failure is a ground of loss of the status. Cumulative temporary permanence may not exceed five years except in cases specially qualified by the Dirección General; three years of temporary residence reaches residencia definitiva under art. 152(4).
Sources: Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería (D.L. 286 of 2 April 2019, consolidated text) · Decreto Legislativo N.º 531 — Reformas a la Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería (17 March 2026) · DGME El Salvador — Servicios: Residencias temporales
Temporary residence for a foreign investor who needs longer than the special permit allows, or who applies for the status directly, granted with multiple entry and exit for up to two years and renewable. Art. 90 defines an investor for migration purposes as the president, board member, legal representative or shareholder of a commercial company legally established in El Salvador, or the owner or general manager of a company holding an active investment in the country under the Ley de Inversiones. The investor visa, frequent-traveller card and special permit expressly do NOT confer residence (art. 92): the frequent-traveller card runs to three years and the multiple-entry investor visa to two, and neither allows the holder to establish domicile. Since 31 March 2026 the holder must be physically present for at least ninety calendar days in each year, consecutive or accumulated.
Sources: Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería (D.L. 286 of 2 April 2019, consolidated text) · DGME El Salvador — Servicios: Residencias temporales · Decreto Legislativo N.º 531 — Reformas a la Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería (17 March 2026)
Temporary residence for foreign nationals not of Central American origin who form Salvadoran companies and have subscribed and paid, as a shareholder in that company, not less than USD 10,000. Granted with multiple entry and exit for up to two years and renewable. The test is capital subscribed AND paid, not merely committed. Since 31 March 2026 the holder must be physically present for at least ninety calendar days in each year, consecutive or accumulated.
Sources: Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería (D.L. 286 of 2 April 2019, consolidated text) · DGME El Salvador — Servicios: Residencias temporales
Temporary residence for foreign nationals not of Central American origin who are individual merchants (comerciantes individuales) owning mercantile businesses whose assets are not less than USD 2,500. Granted with multiple entry and exit for up to two years and renewable. The test is the business’s assets, not a capital transfer or a deposit. Since 31 March 2026 the holder must be physically present for at least ninety calendar days in each year, consecutive or accumulated.
Sources: Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería (D.L. 286 of 2 April 2019, consolidated text) · DGME El Salvador — Servicios: Residencias temporales
Where a licence connected to El Salvador can be exchanged, based on mapped official lists. Search every issuing country.
Licence issued in El Salvador
4 mapped destinationsExchange normally requires residence in the destination and replaces the original licence. The official authority still decides validity, deadlines, classes, and any extra checks.