El Salvador
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Entry requirements
This information is for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK. It is based on the UK government’s understanding of El Salvador’s current rules for the most common types of travel.
The authorities in El Salvador set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact the Salvadoran Embassy in the UK.
Passport validity requirements
To enter El Salvador, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the day you arrive.
Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.
You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen.
Dual nationals
When returning to the UK, British citizens must carry a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement. See Dual citizenship.
Visa requirements
You can travel to El Salvador for tourism or business for up to 180 days without a visa.
You can extend your stay by contacting the General Directorate of Migration and Immigration.
To stay longer (to work or study, for business travel or for other reasons), you must meet the Salvadoran government’s entry requirements. Check which type of visa or work permit you need with the Salvadoran Embassy in the UK.
If you overstay your visa, you may have to pay a fine before leaving the country.
Applying for a visa
If you need a visa, contact the Salvadoran Embassy in the UK.
Travelling between El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua
You can travel between El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua for up to 90 days without a visa. Read the travel advice for:
The 90-day period starts when you enter any of these countries and does not restart when you cross borders. You’ll have to go through immigration checks at borders.
If you’re expelled from one of these countries, you’re also excluded from the other 3. If you overstay, you may get a fine.
Vaccine requirements
To enter El Salvador, you must have a certificate to prove you’ve had a yellow fever vaccination if you’re coming from a country listed as a transmission risk.
For full details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, see TravelHealthPro’s El Salvador guide.
Ebola
El Salvador has introduced additional health measures in response to the Ebola outbreak.
Travellers who have been in, or transited through, Angola, Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda or Uganda in the 21 days before arriving in El Salvador are subject to a 21-day quarantine requirement for observation and health monitoring. You may be refused entry if you cannot meet the quarantine requirement.
If you have recently travelled through one of the listed countries, contact El Salvador’s Ministry of Health or your nearest Salvadoran embassy before you travel to check how the quarantine requirement applies to you.
Customs rules
There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of El Salvador. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.
Taking money into El Salvador
Declare cash or travellers cheques if the value is 10,000 US dollars or more.
Transit fee for Indian and African nationals
Indian nationals or nationals from any African country travelling through El Salvador must pay a 1,130 US dollar fee. See transit fee for Indian and African nationals.
British dual nationals will not have to pay the fee if they travel on their British passport.