Visa policy of El Salvador


Visitors to El Salvador must obtain a visa from one of the Salvadorean diplomatic missions unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries. All visitors must hold a passport valid for 6 months.

Visa policy map

Visa exemption

Holders of passports of the following 86 jurisdictions can visit El Salvador without a visa for up to 90 days :
Date of visa changes

Canceled:
Visa exemption also applies to residents of countries that are visa exempt as well as holders of a valid visa issued by Canada, the United States or a Schengen member state. This does not apply to nationals of Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Cameroon, China, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Haiti, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Mali, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nepal, Nigeria, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Taiwan, Timor-Leste, Vietnam and Yemen who also can't obtain a visa on a simplified procedure but their application needs to be approved in El Salvador.
Holders of diplomatic, official or service passports of Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Indonesia, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Montenegro, Morocco, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Serbia, Suriname, Thailand, Venezuela and Vietnam do not require a visa.
Transit without a visa is allowed for travellers who normally require a visa but are transiting within 48 hours and hold onward tickets.

Tourist card

All visitors must obtain a tourist card upon arrival. Exempt are the visitors holding a valid visa issued by El Salvador and the citizens of the European Union / EEA, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, South Africa, Switzerland, Turkey, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay and Vatican City.

Coronavirus Travel Ban

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all visitors from all countries are barred from entering for 30 days starting on March 11, 2020.

Visitor statistics

Most visitors arriving to El Salvador for the purpose of tourism were nationals of the following countries:
Country201520142013
530,531511,829465,055
447,628431,792422,811
202,339177,777171,763
32,65427,56727,489
28,73727,98125,150
28,26233,93132,937
24,79629,18831,911
8,5657,8507,788
3,5324,1235,440
Total1,401,5981,345,1651,282,792