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How To Get Residency in EI Salvador | A Complete Guide
Capital: San Salvador
Population: 6,029,976 (2024, 114th)
Ethic Group: 86.3% Mestizo, 12.7% White
Area: 21,041 km2 (148th)
Offical Language: Spanish
Currency: USD & Bitcoin
GDP per Captial: $13,753 (2025 estimated, 114th)
Human Development Index: 0.678 (132nd)
Country Profile:
El Salvador, known as the “Land of Volcanoes,” is a captivating Central American country bordered by Honduras, Guatemala, and the Pacific Ocean. Its landscape is marked by stunning volcanoes, lush rainforests, and pristine beaches.
Historically, agriculture was the backbone of El Salvador’s economy. In recent years, though, the country has been actively working to diversify, increasing the focus on its financial and manufacturing sectors to lessen its dependence on coffee exports.
Notably, El Salvador stands out as the first country in the world to adopt a cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, as official legal tender, alongside the U.S. dollar.
Visa & Immigration System:
In recent years, the Salvadoran government has actively worked to introduce appealing immigration programs, aiming to carve out its share in the global immigration market.
In 2021, the country made Bitcoin its national currency and subsequently implemented a series of measures beneficial to the digital currency industry, hoping to establish itself as a “Crypto Capital.”
On April 17, 2023, the Salvadoran government hinted at launching its own investment passport program through new legislation, but specific details for this program were not released.
Then, in December of the same year, the Salvadoran government unveiled the Freedom Visa Program, which appears to be a formalized version of the previously teased passport scheme. At its core, the Freedom Visa is a donation-for-citizenship program, requiring applicants to transfer $1 million USD worth of Bitcoin or USDT to El Salvador.
However, the overall maturity of this program is still being evaluated.
The El Salvador Freedom Visa has an annual cap of 1,000 applicants. If you’re interested in applying, you can do so online via the official link.
Furthermore, in April 2024, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele announced that the government would grant 5,000 passports to elite international professionals, including scientists, engineers, doctors, artists, and scholars.
Similarly, the official details and specific requirements for how these 5,000 passports will be granted have not yet been announced.
Beyond these special immigration programs launched in recent years, the Salvadoran government also offers several traditional long-term residency visa options.
Among these long-term residency visas, the four main types are:
1. Investment Visa
This visa is for individuals who are managers, shareholders, or owners of a local commercial company, actively operating the business. The company must have an annual sales volume exceeding $4,000 USD.
2. Retirement Visa
Designed for retirees, this visa requires a monthly pension income of over $1,095 USD.
3. Income Visa (Rentista Visa)
El Salvador’s Income Visa functions as both a non-profit visa and a digital nomad visa. You can apply for this visa as long as you can demonstrate a stable monthly income of $1,460 USD while in El Salvador, without taking local jobs.
4. Work Visa
This visa requires you to be employed by an employer in El Salvador.
In addition to these, El Salvador also provides numerous other residency options, such as student visas, shareholder visas, business residency visas, and NGO visas.
Why Chose EI Salvador:
Here are the key advantages of moving to El Salvador compared to other countries:
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Crypto-Friendly Environment: Since 2021, El Salvador has recognized Bitcoin as an official currency, making its entire financial system open to digital currencies.
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Fast-Track to Spanish Citizenship: As a former Spanish colony, Salvadoran citizens can apply for Spanish citizenship after legally residing in Spain for just two years. Both Spain and El Salvador recognize dual citizenship, which is a significant benefit.
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Tax Benefits: El Salvador doesn’t impose inheritance taxes on its residents, nor does it tax income earned abroad.
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Economic Opportunities: El Salvador’s economy has been growing rapidly in recent years. As the most densely populated country in Central America, it offers numerous business opportunities.
Dependents:
In most cases, the primary applicant’s spouse and children under 18 can also obtain long-term residency visas for El Salvador as dependents.
Permanent Residency & Citizenship:
After legally residing in El Salvador for three full years, spending at least eight months in the country annually, and with no single absence exceeding three months, you can apply for El Salvadoran permanent residency.
Once you have permanent residency, you’ll only need to enter El Salvador once every two years to maintain your status.
Foreign nationals become eligible to apply for naturalized citizenship in El Salvador after five years of legal residency, provided they also meet other basic requirements such as language proficiency, cultural integration, and a clean criminal record.
Passport Power:
El Salvador recognizes dual citizenship. Its passport is ranked 36th globally. Passport holders can freely travel (either visa-free or with a visa upon arrival) to 135 countries and regions worldwide (as of June 27th, 2025).
Useful Links:
EI Salvador Visas For Foreigners：https://rree.gob.sv/servicios/visas-para-extranjeros/
EI Salvador Residency Options：https://escapetoelsalvador.org/residency-options/
EI Salvador Freedom Visa：https://adoptingelsalvador.gob.sv/Landing