El Salvador Entry Requirements: Visas, PEI and CA-4

Planning a journey through Guatemala, Honduras or Nicaragua adds another consideration: crossing into El Salvador does not restart the regional tourist allowance. The requirements below were checked on 5 November 2026.

Do you need a visa for El Salvador?

El Salvador uses three visa categories. The examples below apply to ordinary passports; diplomatic and official passports can have different treatment.

Use the official visa eligibility checker with your nationality, passport type and legal residence. Include any valid US, Canadian or Schengen visa when prompted: the result needs to reflect your full document combination, rather than nationality alone.

Citizens of Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua may enter El Salvador using a valid national identity document or passport. Other foreign visitors should carry a valid passport in good condition.

Applying online with PEI

PEI, or Permiso Especial de Ingreso, is an advance entry-permit route for visitors who require a visa. It gives people in categories B and C an online alternative to arranging their Salvadoran visa through a diplomatic or consular office.

The application costs US$100. Follow the official PEI application instructions, which lead to the government application platform:

1. Create your account.

2. Complete the application and attach the requested documents.

3. Pay the application fee.

4. Monitor your email for the decision or a request for further information.

Wait for approval before travelling. Keep the approval accessible with your passport; paying the application fee alone is not authorization to enter.

Approved permits are stamped into the passport on arrival through an authorized air, land or sea border. Consular visa applications remain available if you prefer that route or need assistance with your circumstances.

How long can you stay? Separate El Salvador from the CA-4 clock

Use the departure deadline recorded by Salvadoran immigration. Current national travel guidance gives different planning limits: US guidance describes visa-free stays of 90 days or less, while British and Canadian guidance describes stays of up to 180 days.

Before committing to more than 90 days, obtain confirmation of your permitted stay from El Salvador’s Directorate General of Migration and Immigration, or DGME. Do not assume that every visitor receives the longest period mentioned in a travel guide.

The CA-4 region comprises El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Under its 90-day tourist allowance, the clock starts when you enter the first participating country and continues as you cross between them.

Spending 30 days in Guatemala, for example, uses 30 days of that allowance; entering El Salvador afterwards does not provide another fresh 90 days. Longer permission granted for El Salvador should not be treated as an extension of your stay in the other CA-4 countries.

Immigration checks still take place at borders. Keep your entry records and establish the visa requirements for each onward country, since the regional arrangement does not make every nationality’s treatment identical.

Passport validity and documents to carry

Passport validity needs to match your particular route. US guidance requires a US passport valid at the time of entry, while British guidance requires at least six months remaining after arrival. Salvadoran consular visa applications also require a passport with at least six months’ validity.

Have these documents readily accessible:

• Your passport and any required Salvadoran visa or PEI approval.

• Your accommodation address and booking details.

• Your return or onward travel arrangements.

• Evidence that you can fund the visit, if requested.

Consular applicants must complete the VCA-4 form and provide the requested travel itinerary, hotel reservation where applicable, and financial evidence.

Save booking confirmations offline before departure. Arrange internet access in El Salvador so you can also retrieve changed reservations or contact your accommodation once you arrive.

The old tourist card and the separate airport transit fee

The former US$12 tourist-entry card fee was abolished in the May 2025 immigration reforms. Older instructions telling every eligible arriving tourist to purchase that card describe the previous system.

Certain passengers transiting through El Salvador International Airport, SAL face a separate charge: the Airport Improvement Tariff totals US$1,130, including 13% VAT.

It covers Indian nationals and the African nationalities listed under the tariff, regardless of residence or departure country. Avianca’s payment instructions require the fee before travel and specify credit-card payment.

South African passports illustrate why visa status and this charge must be considered separately: they are visa-exempt for ordinary tourist entry but appear on the airport transit tariff list.

Before buying an affected connection, establish both the transit-document requirements and the charge with your operating airline. Leaving the airport during a connection also requires permission to enter El Salvador.

Review the El Salvador customs rules before packing medication, gifts or other items that may need particular attention on arrival.

Health requirements depend on your recent route

Arrivals from countries with a yellow-fever transmission risk must meet the applicable vaccination-certificate requirement. El Salvador’s health guidance treats the certificate as valid from ten days after vaccination. If your itinerary involves a risk country or you need an exemption, clarify the applicable entry conditions before departure.

El Salvador does not currently require a negative COVID-19 test or a COVID-19 vaccination card for entry.

Recent travel through countries covered by the Ebola notice

As checked on 5 November 2026, the UK Foreign Office’s entry notice warns of a 21-day quarantine requirement for people who have been in, or transited through, any of the following countries during the 21 days before arriving in El Salvador:

Angola, Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Uganda.

The condition concerns recent travel history, including transit. If it affects your route, contact El Salvador’s Ministry of Health or a Salvadoran embassy before travelling. The notice warns that entry may be refused if you cannot meet the quarantine requirement.

Extending your authorized stay

Apply to DGME before your current permission expires. The published tourist-extension process uses form F44 for adults or F45 for children and adolescents, for an extension request of up to 90 days.

Complete the appropriate form and send it with the requested supporting documents to visas@migracion.gob.sv. After reviewing the application, DGME sends a payment link where applicable and provides an appointment for the extension to be stamped into your passport.

Keep the approved extension with your travel records. If you are continuing through other CA-4 countries, establish how the extension applies to that regional itinerary before crossing onward. Overstaying can result in a fine.

Prepare for the journey after immigration

Arrange your airport transfer or onward transport around your arrival point and accommodation. Send the arrival details to your driver or host, and keep the first night’s address available offline.

If you want mobile data ready for the trip, compare allowances and networks in our guide to the best eSIM for El Salvador. Match the package to the time you expect to spend in the country.

With a compatible, unlocked phone, Roafly’s El Salvador eSIM provides mobile data for booking updates, maps and messages to your accommodation or transfer provider.

Keep valid identification accessible after arrival, particularly for checks during your journey. Factor El Salvador’s travel safety conditions into your route and timing decisions, and familiarize yourself with the local laws before driving or going out.