El Salvador

Passport validity requirements

To enter El Salvador, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the day you arrive.

Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.

You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen.

Dual nationals

When returning to the UK, British citizens must carry a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement. See Dual citizenship.

Visa requirements

You can travel to El Salvador for tourism or business for up to 180 days without a visa.

You can extend your stay by contacting the General Directorate of Migration and Immigration. 

To stay longer (to work or study, for business travel or for other reasons), you must meet the Salvadoran government’s entry requirements. Check which type of visa or work permit you need with the Salvadoran Embassy in the UK.

If you overstay your visa, you may have to pay a fine before leaving the country.

Applying for a visa

If you need a visa, contact the Salvadoran Embassy in the UK.

Travelling between El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua   

You can travel between El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua for up to 90 days without a visa. The CA-4 Agreement also includes Honduras, however British Nationals must have a visa to visit Honduras. If you’re entering Honduras, read the entry requirements. Read the travel advice for:

• Guatemala
• Nicaragua

The 90-day period starts when you enter any of these countries and does not restart when you cross borders. You’ll have to go through immigration checks at borders.

If you’re expelled from one of these countries, you’re also excluded from the other 3. If you overstay, you may get a fine.

Vaccine requirements

To enter El Salvador, you must have a certificate to prove you’ve had a yellow fever vaccination if you’re coming from a country listed as a transmission risk.

For full details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, see TravelHealthPro’s El Salvador guide.

Customs rules

There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of El Salvador. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.

Taking money into El Salvador    

Declare cash or travellers cheques if the value is 10,000 US dollars or more.

Transit fee for Indian and African nationals

Indian nationals or nationals from any African country travelling through El Salvador must pay a 1,130 US dollar fee. See transit fee for Indian and African nationals.

British dual nationals will not have to pay the fee if they travel on their British passport.

Customs rules

There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of El Salvador. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.

Emergency services in El Salvador

Telephone: 911 (ambulance, fire, police)

Tourist police

Telephone: +503 2224 2705 

Email: info@politurelsalvador.com

Contact your travel provider and insurer

Contact your travel provider and your insurer if you are involved in a serious incident or emergency abroad. They will tell you if they can help and what you need to do.

Refunds and changes to travel

For refunds or changes to travel, contact your travel provider. You may also be able to make a claim through insurance. However, insurers usually require you to talk to your travel provider first.

Find out more about changing or cancelling travel plans, including:

• where to get advice if you are in a dispute with a provider
• how to access previous versions of travel advice to support a claim

Support from FCDO

FCDO has guidance on staying safe and what to do if you need help or support abroad, including:

• finding English-speaking lawyers, funeral directors and translators and interpreters in El Salvador
• dealing with a death in El Salvador
• being arrested or imprisoned in El Salvador
• getting help if you’re a victim of crime
• what to do if you’re in hospital
• if you’re affected by a crisis, such as a terrorist attack

Contacting FCDO  

Help abroad   

See how to get help from the UK government abroad including in an emergency.  

Help in the UK   

You can call FCDO in London if you need urgent help because something has happened to a friend or relative abroad.   

Telephone: 020 7008 5000 (24 hours)   

Find out about call charges 

Get travel advice updates   

Sign up to get email notifications when this travel advice is updated.   

Follow FCDO:  

• travel advice on X 

• travel advice on Facebook

Risk information for British companies

The Overseas Business Risk service offers information and advice for British companies operating in El Salvador on how to manage political, economic, and business security-related risks.

Before you travel

No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide. You may also find it helpful to: 

• see general advice for women travellers
• read our guide on disability and travel abroad
• see general advice for LGBT+ travellers
• read about safety for solo and independent travel
• see advice on volunteering and adventure travel abroad

Travel insurance

If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.

About FCDO travel advice

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides advice about risks of travel to help you make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice.

Get travel advice updates 

Sign up to get email notifications when this travel advice is updated.  

Follow FCDO:    

• travel advice on X 

• travel advice on Facebook 

• Travel Aware on Instagram

Laws and cultural differences

Personal ID

The police may ask you for ID. They may detain you if they suspect you are a gang member. Always carry a copy of the photo page of your passport to prove your identity.  

Money

The official currencies of El Salvador are the US dollar and bitcoin. Bitcoins may not be accepted everywhere. If you’re considering using bitcoins, make sure you understand the risks involved. Also make sure you can access US dollars if needed.

It is almost impossible to change British pounds anywhere in El Salvador, so you should bring a mixture of cash and travellers cheques in US dollars.

Many smaller restaurants, bars and shops do not accept 50 and 100 US dollar notes. You can exchange these notes at a bank. Bring smaller denominations with you if possible.

Regular ATMs and bitcoin ATMs are widely available, particularly in San Salvador and La Libertad. Tell your bank of your travel plans to avoid your card being blocked.

Crowded events

In May 2023, at least 12 people died and more than 500 were injured during a football match at the Cuscatlán Stadium, due to overcrowding. If you’re attending events in crowded places and large gatherings, follow the advice of the local authorities and maintain a high level of security awareness.

Illegal drugs and prison sentences

There are severe penalties for drug use and trafficking in El Salvador. Prisons are overcrowded and violent.

LGBT+ travellers

Same-sex marriage, civil unions and adoption are illegal in El Salvador.  Although same-sex relationships are not illegal, there is limited public acceptance of them or people with diverse gender identities, and  there are no laws that explicitly protect LGBT+ people from discrimination. Public displays of affection between people of the same-sex, particularly outside of San Salvador, could result in verbal and physical harassment, discrimination and potentially violence

Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers.

Landmines and unexploded weapons

There is a small risk of unexploded weapons, such as landmines, in remote areas. If you’re going off-road, take local advice and avoid such areas if warned.