Everything you need to know about an El Salvador Visa
The
Central American nation of El Salvador allows British passport holders to enter
their borders without a visa.
The visa-exemption facility is valid for a period
of 90 days, provided you visit El Salvador only for tourism or business
purposes.
However,
if you wish to extend the granted stay period in the country, you can apply for
an extension through the Salvadoran immigration department, Centro de Gobierno,
San Salvador.
If you do not follow the rules of obtaining an extension permit
and overstay your visa, you will have to pay a fine prior to your departure
from El Salvador.
In
order to gain entry into El Salvador without a visa, you should be a holder of
an original British citizen passport that holds a minimum validity of six
months from your arrival date in the country.
It is also strongly recommended
that your passport has at least two unused visa pages.
Additionally,
you must also carry sufficient funds to cover your specified stay period and
should be able to present all the required documentation that grants you entry
into the next international destination.
Only nationals of Belize, Costa Rica,
Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama are exempted from submitting
financial and onward travel proofs.
Entry policy for foreigners traveling to El Salvador
If you possess a passport from any of the 86 jurisdictions specified as visa-exempt by Salvadorian authorities, you do not need a visa to enter El Salvador.
Holders of all other travel documents must apply for a visa from the Embassy in London before traveling to the country. Below are the contact details:
Address: 8 Dorset Square, Marylebone, London NW1 6PU, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 20 7224 9800
Ambassador: Elisabeth Hayek Weinmann
Salvadorean visas are primarily issued in two types:
- Tourist visa
- Business visa
Tourist visa
A tourist visa is a short-stay visa that is issued for purposes related to leisure and travel without undertaking any business activities. The documents required to lodge an application are:
- An application form, filled in with all the correct details and signed by the applicant
- Necessary declaration
- Two original, recent, passport size photographs
- A passport in original and its copy. The passport should be valid for at least six months and should contain a minimum of two blank pages
- A valid UK visa or a UK residence permit
- Recent bank statements, coupled with copies
- A confirmation letter from your travel health insurance company, ensuring that you have the required coverage. This letter should also be accompanied by a copy
- A reference letter from your employer or educational institute (whatever the case may be)
- Ticket reservations for El Salvador as well as onward tickets
- Proof of accommodation in the form of a hotel reservation in El Salvador
- The required visa fees
Business visa
A business visa is required when you plan to engage in short term commerce in El Salvador.
Its documentation requirements are almost the same as that of a tourist visa with the exact specifications.
You will need a valid passport, a business visa application form, photos, bank statements, valid resident visa, proof of travel insurance, evidence of accommodation, and onward tickets.
Additionally, you will need business references, in the form of a cover letter from your employer and an invitation letter from the sponsoring Salvadoran company.
Other visa types
If you hold a British passport but you are planning to enter El Salvador for purposes not related to tourism or business, you need to obtain a visa from the embassy.
Below are the major visa types offered to British nationals. For further information and the entire document list, you should contact the officials at the consular section of the embassy.
Transit visa: A transit visa comes with a maximum validity of three days and allows travelers to transfer via a Salvadorean port to the next country on their itinerary.
Visa on arrival: A VOA is issued to only citizens of particular countries. It can be obtained at the port of entry and only after that, visitors are allowed to pass through immigration.
Student visa: A student visa allows a foreign national to undertake education in an academic institution in El Salvador.
Temporary worker visa: This visa is issued to people who wish to work in an organization in El Salvador.
Spousal visa: Also called a partner visa, it is given to the spouse, civil partner or de facto partner of a Salvadoran native citizen.
Marriage visa: A marriage visa allows a long-term stay in El Salvador, provided he/she is married to a citizen or resident of El Salvador.
Central America Border Control Agreement
El Salvador is one of the nations that form a part of the Central America Border Control Agreement (CA-4). According to this policy, UK travelers can visit any of the four CA-4 countries, namely, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Guatemala, and stay here without a visa, provided their total stay in the area does not exceed 90 days.
All they need to do is complete the immigration process at the entry point of the first nation. After that, they can travel within any of the CA-4 nations without further hassles. The 90-day span starts from the date of arrival in the first nation.
If anyone exceeds the granted 90-day span, they are liable to pay a fine. However, applications for 30-day extensions can be lodged through the immigration department in El Salvador.
UK Emergency Travel Documents
El Salvadorean authorities accept UK Emergency Travel Documents (ETDs) at ports of entry and exit from the nation, provided the ETD is valid for at least 6 months from the date of arrival in the country.