The Freedom Visa: El Salvador’s USD 1 Million Programme
What the official portal states
- Registration through the online portal, with identity and address documents.
- Application fee of USD 999 in BTC or USDt, non-refundable, to start the evaluation.
- Review of the application, then an approval notice.
- Payment of the remaining USD 999,001 in BTC or USDt, which with the fee makes up the USD 1 million.
- Family: the main applicant can include one spouse and all children under 18, with an administrative fee of USD 999 per family member.
- The portal’s FAQ says eligible candidates receive a passport within three months, and that all fees paid are non-refundable.
Source: Adopting El Salvador: Freedom Visa programme portal1
The portal lists prohibited jurisdictions that cannot apply, including Cuba, North Korea, Iran, Syria, Crimea and the occupied regions of Ukraine, and persons under OFAC sanctions. Its terms and conditions name the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Legislative Assembly in connection with the programme.1,2
The legal basis
| Reform | What it does |
|---|---|
| Decree 918, published January 2024 | Adds a naturalisation route for foreigners who take part as investors or donors in government programmes, under a secure and expedited DGME procedure |
| Decree 286 of 2025, in force May 2025 | Gives programme participants definitive residence without prior temporary residence, exempt from the 2-year absence limit, for a fee of $690 for up to 1 year |
Source: Jurisprudencia: Decree 286 of 2025 amending the Migration Law; Jurisprudencia: Decree 918 amending the Migration Law, published January 20243,4
Before you pay
- We found no DGME page that sets out the special procedure for programme participants. The terms on this page come from the programme portal; check them with the DGME and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before paying.
- Payments are in Bitcoin or USDt and the portal says fees are non-refundable. Since Decree 199 of January 2025, accepting Bitcoin in El Salvador is voluntary.
- Salvadoran nationality by naturalisation can be lost after more than 2 consecutive years living in the country of origin or more than 5 consecutive years abroad, unless a permit is granted, under a March 2026 reform.
- Check how your own country treats a second nationality, and take independent legal and tax advice.
Source: Jurisprudencia: Decree 286 of 2025 amending the Migration Law; Jurisprudencia: Decree 531 of 2026 amending the Migration Law; DGME: nationality and naturalisation procedures, forms F38 to F41; Jurisprudencia: Bitcoin Law, Decree 57 of 2021, text with the 2025 reforms (PDF, in Spanish)3,5,6,8
Fragomen reported the launch of the programme in December 2023, with up to 1,000 participants a year and a processing time of up to six weeks stated at the time.7
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the El Salvador Freedom Visa?
A government programme run through the Adopting El Salvador portal that asks for a contribution of USD 1 million in Bitcoin or USDt, capped at 1,000 participants a year.
How is the Freedom Visa paid?
As a non-refundable USD 999 application fee, then USD 999,001 after approval, in BTC or USDt.
What does the Freedom Visa give?
It rests on reforms of the Migration Law that allow definitive residence without prior temporary residence for participants and a fast naturalisation route for investors and donors in government programmes.
Sources
- Adopting El Salvador: Freedom Visa programme portal
- Adopting El Salvador: terms and conditions
- Jurisprudencia: Decree 286 of 2025 amending the Migration Law (in Spanish)
- Jurisprudencia: Decree 918 amending the Migration Law, published January 2024 (in Spanish)
- Jurisprudencia: Decree 531 of 2026 amending the Migration Law (in Spanish)
- DGME: nationality and naturalisation procedures, forms F38 to F41 (in Spanish)
- Fragomen: El Salvador, visa programme introduced for Bitcoin investors, December 2023
- Jurisprudencia: Bitcoin Law, Decree 57 of 2021, text with the 2025 reforms (PDF, in Spanish)
Figures checked 9 November 2026. Prepared by InvestSalvador.com for general information. It is not investment, tax or legal advice; please confirm details with a qualified adviser before acting.