El Salvador

Visa El Salvador

Amériques · Amérique centrale

In El Salvador, the entry and stay of foreign nationals fall under the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (DGME). The pages consulted on 2026-09-17 describe downloadable forms for the visa consultada, the visa múltiple of one to three years, investors and the extension of stay, as well as a special entry permit applied for online for 100 US dollars. The documents required and the processing times are not detailed on these pages.

The information on this page helps prepare a case. Only the competent authority decides; always check the official source before filing an application.

Machine-assisted draft, reviewed by a person on 23 September 2026. Only the authority cited is authoritative.

Published on 23 September 2026 · Reviewed by vg_admin on 23 September 2026 · Sources consulted on 17 September 2026

At a glance

Authority: Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (DGME) — directorate general of migration and foreign nationals of El Salvador
Submission channel: Downloadable forms on the DGME site; for the special entry permit, filing and payment on a dedicated online portal
Electronic visa: The portal describes an online application and payment for the special entry permit; it does not use the term "electronic visa" for the other categories
Portal language: Spanish

Do you need a visa?

Your nationality

Choose a nationality to see the recorded entry rule. No answer is shown until reviewed data exists.

Documented visa types

"Visa consultada" — visa subject to referral (form F46): Category mentioned by the services page in the form of a downloadable form, without any statement of conditions, duration or fee: "Not stated on the portal consulted". Official page (new tab)
"Visa múltiple" — multiple-entry visa of one to three years (form F47): The page states a duration of one to three years. It states neither the conditions, nor the documents, nor the fee: "Not stated on the portal consulted". Official page (new tab)
"Visa consultada para inversionistas" — visa subject to referral for investors (form F49): Category mentioned by the services page, together with a frequent traveler and investor card form. Conditions and fee not stated on the portal consulted. Official page (new tab)
"Permiso Especial de Ingreso y Visa" — special entry permit and visa: Procedure intended for foreign nationals subject to the visa requirement who do not hold one or cannot obtain one for want of an accessible Salvadoran consulate, according to the page consulted. Official page (new tab)
"Prórroga de permanencia" — extension of stay of up to 90 days (forms F44 and F45): The page states an extension that may run up to 90 days, with a separate form for minors. Conditions, documents and fee not stated on the portal consulted. Official page (new tab)

Where and how to apply

The DGME's "Visas y prórrogas" page makes downloadable forms available: extension of stay and extension for minors, visa subject to referral, multiple-entry visa of one to three years, frequent traveler and investor card, visa subject to referral for investors, special permit for seafarers, special permit for artists, and exit stamp forms. The page gives the address of the directorate in San Salvador and publishes a call center, a messaging number and an email address.

For the special entry permit and visa, the dedicated page states that the application is filed on a DGME online portal. It describes a procedure in seven stages: check the applicable conditions, create an account, complete the form with the documents, make the payment, send the application and wait for a notification by email.

Steps in the procedure

Determine the applicable category among those listed by the DGME, or check whether the special entry permit is the appropriate route.
For the categories covered by forms, download the corresponding form from the services page.
For the special entry permit, first check the conditions applicable to the applicant's situation.
Create an account on the dedicated online portal and complete the form with the documents requested.
Make the payment and then send the application.
Wait for the notification of the decision, sent by email according to the page consulted.

Documents mentioned by the authority

Not stated on the portal consulted: the pages read draw up no list of supporting documents. The special entry permit page refers to the conditions laid down by law without detailing them, and the services page is limited to downloadable forms whose content was not opened.

The exact list depends on the visa type and on the situation; only the official page is authoritative.

Stated fees and processing times

According to the portal consulted on 2026-09-17: the special entry permit and visa costs 100.00 US dollars. No amount is published for the other categories: "Not stated on the portal consulted".

Not stated on the portal consulted: no decision time frame and no period of validity appears on the pages read, apart from the durations specific to certain categories — one to three years for the multiple-entry visa and up to 90 days for the extension of stay.

After the decision

According to the special entry permit page, the applicant waits for a notification sent by email. The pages describe neither the avenues of appeal nor the checks on arrival: "Not stated on the portal consulted".

The decision rests with the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería. The services page also mentions exit stamp forms, whose purpose is not described.

Published procedures

No reviewed and published procedure for El Salvador to date. We prefer an empty page to an invented requirement.

Explore procedures

Frequently asked questions

Is a visa required to travel to El Salvador?

It depends on nationality and on the purpose of travel; the rule reviewed by VisaGuideline is shown with the nationality selector on this page. The DGME publishes its own list of countries subject to a visa, which is not reproduced here.

Where is the application filed?

According to the pages consulted: the forms for the various categories are downloaded from the DGME site; the special entry permit and visa is applied and paid for on a dedicated online portal.

What is the special entry permit and visa?

According to the official page, it is a procedure intended for foreign nationals subject to the visa requirement who do not hold one or who cannot obtain one, in particular for want of an accessible Salvadoran consulate.

How much does the special entry permit cost?

According to the portal consulted on 2026-09-17: 100.00 US dollars. No amount is published for the other categories.

What time frames does the authority announce?

Not stated on the portal consulted: no decision time frame appears on the pages read.

Can a tourist stay be extended?

According to the services page, an extension of stay running up to 90 days exists, with a dedicated form and a separate form for minors. The conditions and the fee are not stated on the portal consulted.

Official sources

Direction générale des migrations et des étrangers du Salvador — portail (new tab) Authority

Consulted sources

Official pages read to write this guide, with the date they were read. A page may have changed since: check it before taking any step.

Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (new tab) read on 17 September 2026
Guía de servicios (new tab) read on 17 September 2026
Visas y prórrogas (new tab) read on 17 September 2026
Solicitud y pago de Permiso Especial de Ingreso y Visa (new tab) read on 17 September 2026

What this guide does not know yet

Points the official source does not specify and which this guide therefore left blank. Ask the competent authority about them before filing an application.

The visa categories are known only from the titles of downloadable forms: their content was not opened and the conditions remain to be confirmed.
No fee is published apart from the special entry permit, and no decision time frame appears on the pages read.
The DGME publishes a page listing the countries subject to a visa: it falls under the nationality selector and was neither consulted nor included.
The online portal for the special entry permit was not consulted and is therefore not listed as an official link.
The special permits for seafarers and for artists, as well as the exit stamp forms, are not described.

Prepare my case

This method is the same for every destination. It does not list any document as an official requirement: only the authority’s source is authoritative.

Describe your situation

Nationality, residence, purpose and dates. The checker tells covered routes apart from situations that are still unknown.
Check at the source

Open the destination’s official source and compare it with your situation before starting a procedure.
Track what is left to do

Your space keeps your answers and your declared checklist. A complete checklist does not announce a favorable decision.

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