Living in Honduras
Official information British people moving to and living in Honduras need to know, including residency, healthcare and driving.
Coronavirus
You should follow the advice of the Honduras’ government and your local authority. You can also read our Honduras travel advice for our latest guidance.
For information on getting a COVID-19 vaccine as a UK national in Honduras see our coronavirus travel advice section.
For information on vaccines abroad, see our COVID-19 travel guidance.
Visas and residency
See entry requirements in Honduras in our travel advice.
British nationals are not required to obtain a Honduran visa to visit as a tourist for short stays but visitors must comply with migration requirements to enter the country for longer periods of time. For information on Honduran migration law, please contact the Embassy of Honduras in London.
Please read the coronavirus section in our travel advice and the Honduran official page where all important information about COVID-19, advice and restrictions can be found.
If you are in Honduras and need information on Honduras migration rules, please contact the Instituto Nacional de Migracion (Migration office). Find out information on residency in Honduras here.
Please also visit our travel advice for Honduras.
Passports and travel
See our travel advice for Honduras for up-to-date information on local laws and customs, safety and emergencies.
See moving or retiring abroad.
See overseas British passports applications and get an emergency travel document (sometimes called an emergency passport).
Healthcare
Honduras and the UK do not have reciprocal healthcare agreements.
You should buy comprehensive travel and medical insurance before you enter the country.
The NHS has information for people moving abroad.
You should check your prescriptions are legal in Honduras.
Healthcare is available in Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula and the Bay Islands. Medical care outside the main cities is limited. Medical care in public hospitals is free but sometimes public hospitals experience serious shortages of basic medicines and equipment.
Private medical care is available but can be expensive. So, if travelling and/or living in Honduras, it is advisable to obtain medical insurance. Private hospitals might require payment prior to giving treatment to patients, even if personal medical insurance covers the cost of treatment. All hospitals might ask payment in advance.
More information about the Honduras public health system can be found on the website of the Secretaria de Salud.
The Instituto Hondureño de Seguridad Social has a social security system for registered workers.
Working in Honduras
Some jobs may require a UK criminal records check (known as a DBS check).
British nationals can work in country if authorised to work and have the appropriate permissions to do so. Contact the Honduras Embassy in London for further details.
The Secretaria de Trabajo y Seguridad Social deals with employment matters in Honduras. For matters related to recognition of educational qualifications, please contact the Secretaria de Educacion.
For information on local tax, please visit the Dirección Ejecutiva de Ingresos website.
Studying in Honduras
The Secretaria de Educacion promotes education in Guatemala, verifies educational centres and provides other services related to education.
Money and tax
See tax if you leave the UK to live abroad and tax on your UK income if you live abroad.
We recommend you get professional advice on paying tax in Honduras.
If opening a personal bank account, you will be expected to present documentation to prove that you live in Honduras, your address in Honduras, place of work and the names of people in Honduras who can give references about you.
You will also be asked to explain the origin of the funds that will be deposited in your account. For information on the banking rules, please visit the website of the Asociacion Hondureña de Instituciones Bancarias (AHIBA).
The Dirección Ejecutiva de Ingresos has information about tax regulations for Honduras.
If interested in investing in Honduras, please contact the Embassy of Honduras in London for information.
If you need more guidance on local law, the British Embassy provides a list of English speaking lawyers and translators in Honduras.
National Insurance
You may be able to pay National Insurance while abroad in order to protect your State Pension and entitlement to other benefits and allowances.
Pensions
If you retire in Honduras you can claim:
Life certificates for UK state pensions
If you get a ‘life certificate’ from the UK Pension Service, you need to respond as soon as possible – your payments may be suspended if you don’t.
Benefits
Read our guidance on entitlement to UK benefits and pensions while you are living in Honduras.
You will need to tell the UK government offices that deal with your benefits, pension and tax if you are moving or retiring abroad.
Check which benefits you can claim while abroad and how to claim them.
Many income-related benefits such as pension credit and housing benefit cannot be paid to you if you’re abroad for more than 4 weeks.
Driving in Honduras
See driving abroad.
You can apply for a temporary international driving permit or exchange your UK licence.
See taking a vehicle out of the UK.
For information on driving and driving licences in Honduras, contact the Direccion Nacional de Vialidad y Transporte (Facebook).
The Direccion Ejecutiva de Ingresos has information about tax regulations for importing vehicles to Honduras.
Voting
You may be able to vote in some UK elections. You can:
Births, deaths and getting married
If someone dies in Honduras you can:
- read our guidance on what to do after someone dies abroad
- read guidance for UK nationals on bereavement in Honduras
- find a list of English-speaking funeral directors in Honduras
Find out how you can get married abroad.
Find out about notarial and documentary services for British nationals in Honduras
Pets
See travelling with pets.
Emergencies
If you need urgent help, contact your nearest British embassy or consulate.
Please contact the British Embassy in Guatemala +502 2380 7300 (if you are calling outside working hours, you will be transferred to a consular officer).
There is no British Embassy in Honduras. The British Embassy in Guatemala City develops and maintains relations between the UK and Honduras. Consular assistance is provided by the consular team in Guatemala and our Honorary Consul in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
Accommodation and buying property
Other useful information
Returning to the UK
Read the guidance on returning to the UK permanently which includes information on, amongst other things, tax, access to services and bringing family members.
If you are returning to the UK, it is important to inform the following local authorities:
- Dirección Ejecutiva de Ingresos
- Secretaria de Trabajo y Seguridad Social
- Honduras Embassy in London
- Direccion Nacional de Viabilidad y Transporte (Driving licences)
- Instituto Hondureño de Seguridad Social
- Secretaria de Salud (Health)
Legal advice might be necessary in some cases. The British Embassy provides a list of English speaking lawyers and translators in Honduras.
Disclaimer
This information is provided as a general guide and is based upon information provided to the embassy by the relevant local authorities and may be subject to change at any time with little or no notice. The FCDO and the British Embassy will not be liable for any inaccuracies in this information. British nationals wishing to obtain any further information must contact the relevant local authority.
Last updated 22 March 2021 + show all updates
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Updated with information about accessing COVID-19 vaccine abroad
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First published.