Residency Pathfinder: Which El Salvador Residence Fits You
The routes compared
| If you are | Route | Minimum | First card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investing more than about $1.64 million | Investor residence (Investment Law Art. 11) | Investment above 4,000 monthly minimum wages, registered with ONI | 1 year, renewable |
| An investor registered with ONI | Investor (Art. 109.1) | ONI registration of the foreign capital | Up to 2 years |
| Founding or owning part of a company | Shareholder (Art. 109.13) | $10,000 subscribed and paid in shares | Up to 2 years |
| The legal representative of a local company | Investment Law Art. 11 or work route | Appointment by a company that holds investor status, or a job offer | 1 year |
| Living on foreign income | Rentista (Art. 109.5) | $1,635.20 a month; $2,452.80 with 2 or more dependants | 1 year |
| Living on a foreign pension | Pensionado (Art. 109.6) | $1,226.40 a month | 1 year |
| Hired by a Salvadoran employer | Work permit with residence | Employer letter and Ministry of Labour opinion | Up to 2 years |
| Married to a Salvadoran | Spouse (Art. 109.9) | Registered marriage certificate | Up to 2 years |
| A family member of a resident | Dependant (Reglamento Art. 179) | Proof of the relationship and of support | Same as the main applicant |
| Paying $1 million in Bitcoin or USDT | Freedom Visa programme | USD 1 million contribution, 1,000 places a year | Definitive residence, then nationality |
Source: Asamblea Legislativa: Special Migration and Aliens Law, Decree 286 of 2019 (PDF, in Spanish); DGME: temporary residence procedures and forms F1 to F31; INVEST: Investment Law of El Salvador, English translation; Adopting El Salvador: Freedom Visa programme portal1,2,4,5
The wage-based amounts use the monthly minimum wage for commerce and services of $408.80 set in 2025. If the minimum wage changes, the thresholds change with it.3
Figures checked November 2026. A guide only, not tax, legal or financial advice.
Sources for the calculator
Questions that decide the route
- Will you work for pay in El Salvador? Pensionados and rentistas cannot take paid work, except for the State, municipalities or official autonomous institutions in specialised fields or teaching. Investors, shareholders and employees can.
- Are you Central American by birth? Nationals of Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica can apply for definitive residence directly and do not need a work-permit opinion from the Ministry of Labour.
- Are you Spanish or from a Spanish-speaking country of the Americas? You can move from temporary to definitive residence after 1 year instead of 3, and apply for naturalisation after 1 year of definitive residence.
- How long will you be away each year? Since 31 March 2026, temporary residents must spend at least 90 days a year in El Salvador. Pensionados and rentistas also lose their status after more than 6 months away in a calendar year.
Source: Asamblea Legislativa: Special Migration and Aliens Law, Decree 286 of 2019 (PDF, in Spanish); Jurisprudencia: Decree 531 of 2026 amending the Migration Law1,6
What every route needs
- A valid passport, with copies of all used pages.
- A police or criminal record certificate from your country of origin or residence for the last 2 years, apostilled or legalised.
- A clean record certificate (solvencia) from the National Civil Police if you have been in El Salvador for more than 3 months or entered more than twice in the past year.
- Proof of means, or the employer’s commitment letter if you will work.
- Foreign documents apostilled or legalised and translated into Spanish.
- An application signed in person, or with the signature certified by a Salvadoran notary.
Source: Asamblea Legislativa: Special Migration and Aliens Law, Decree 286 of 2019 (PDF, in Spanish); DGME: temporary residence procedures and forms F1 to F311,2
Government fees
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Temporary residence, 1 year | $140 |
| Temporary residence, 2 years | $260 |
| Extension of temporary residence, 1 or 2 years | $125 or $240 |
| Definitive residence | $345 |
| Central American nationals: temporary 1 or 2 years, definitive | $70, $130, $135 |
Source: Asamblea Legislativa: Special Migration and Aliens Law, Decree 286 of 2019 (PDF, in Spanish)1
The DGME issues a payment order once the file is accepted. Payments are not refunded if the application is refused. Lawyers’ and notaries’ fees, translations and apostilles come on top.2
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest way to get residence in El Salvador?
The quickest common routes are as a shareholder with at least $10,000 of paid-up shares, as a pensionado with a foreign pension of $1,226.40 a month, or as a rentista with $1,635.20 a month of foreign income.
How long is temporary residence granted for?
Temporary residence is granted for 1 or 2 years depending on the category and is renewable up to 5 years in total.
When can I apply for permanent residence?
Definitive (permanent) residence follows after 1 to 3 years of temporary residence, depending on the route.
Sources
- Asamblea Legislativa: Special Migration and Aliens Law, Decree 286 of 2019 (PDF, in Spanish)
- DGME: temporary residence procedures and forms F1 to F31 (in Spanish)
- Executive Decree 11 of 2025: minimum wages from 1 June 2025 (PDF, in Spanish)
- INVEST: Investment Law of El Salvador, English translation (PDF)
- Adopting El Salvador: Freedom Visa programme portal
- Jurisprudencia: Decree 531 of 2026 amending the Migration Law (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.