El Salvador: all programs

El Salvador at a glance

El Salvador is the smallest and most densely populated country in Central America, with about 6.3 million people on the Pacific coast between Guatemala and Honduras. The capital is San Salvador and the language is Spanish. The official currency since 2001 is the US dollar, and bitcoin became legal tender in 2021, though acceptance has been voluntary since 2025.

The economy rests on remittances from relatives in the US, about a quarter of GDP, garment manufacturing, services, coffee and sugar, while tourism is growing thanks to the surf coast and volcanoes. Since 2022 the country has been known for a sharp drop in street crime.

Who the move suits

• holders of large crypto capital with a clean history, for whom there is a programme with a fast track to a passport;
• retirees and people with foreign income who value the dollar, a warm climate and affordable living;
• surfers and remote workers who want to live by the ocean;
• entrepreneurs working with Central America and the US.

It is harder for those who do not speak Spanish and expect developed urban infrastructure: without a car and the language life here is difficult.

Where to live

• San Salvador - the Escalón and San Benito districts with restaurants, malls and embassies, with the satellite city of Santa Tecla nearby.
• The La Libertad coast - the surf beaches of El Tunco and El Zonte, 40-60 minutes from the capital, with many foreigners and remote workers.
• Santa Ana - the country's second city in the west, near volcanoes and coffee plantations, cheaper than the capital.
• Suchitoto - a colonial town by a lake, calm and popular with retirees.

Entry rules

Whether you need a tourist visa depends on your passport; citizens of Russia, for example, do not. The passport must be valid for at least 6 months from entry, and border officers may ask for a return ticket and travel funds. From Europe people fly via Madrid, and from elsewhere via US and Mexican cities; transit through the US requires a US visa. For long-term living you apply for temporary residence at the migration service.

The first 30 days in the country

1. Housing. For the first weeks people rent a flat in Escalón or San Benito, or by the ocean in La Libertad, and sign a long lease after viewing. Rent is higher in gated communities.
2. Documents. Temporary residence requires police clearance certificates, civil status certificates and proof of income, apostilled and translated into Spanish. The apostille is issued in the country of origin, so the papers are prepared before arrival.
3. Account. The bank asks for a passport and resident document, proof of address, the tax number of your country of residence, a reference letter from your current bank and an explanation of why you need the account. Documents are signed at a branch.
4. Car. Public transport is weak; in the city people use app-based taxis, and living outside the city requires a car.
5. Language. English is not widely spoken: banks, notaries and the migration service work in Spanish.
6. Taxes. You are tax resident if you live in the country more than 200 days a year. Foreign income is not taxed even then.

Budget for the first 3 months

One person needs from $4,500 for three months; a family needs more. Everything is priced in US dollars, so there is no exchange-rate risk. A manager will do the full calculation for your family in the chat.

Residence options

• Temporary residence - for retirees and people living on foreign income, contract workers, investors and spouses of citizens, issued for a year with renewal;
• permanent residence - after several years of temporary residence;
• the programme for large investors - a contribution of $1,000,000 in bitcoin or a dollar stablecoin, no more than 1,000 participants a year, residence and a fast track to citizenship, see El Salvador citizenship by investment;
• citizenship by naturalisation - after 5 years of residence, shorter for people born in Spain and Latin America.

Documents include police certificates, civil records and proof of income, apostilled and translated into Spanish. We assemble the package, file it and guide you through every stage.

Taxes

El Salvador taxes only local-source income: since the 2024 reform foreign dividends, interest and capital gains are not taxed for residents or non-residents. A resident is someone living in the country more than 200 days a year. A resident's local income is taxed at rates up to 30% with small incomes exempt, and non-residents pay 30%. Corporate tax is 30%, 25% for small businesses, and VAT is 13%. How crypto is taxed is covered in our article on crypto tax in El Salvador.

Cost of living

All prices are in US dollars, so there is no currency risk for dollar incomes. Local food and groceries are cheap, a car is almost essential, and electricity is a noticeable cost because of air conditioning.

Property for foreigners

Foreigners buy urban property on the same terms as locals: a notary handles the deal and ownership is registered in the national registry. Rural land has restrictions: the constitution lets a foreigner own it if their country grants the same right to Salvadorans. On the coast demand is growing around La Libertad and the surf beaches, and in the capital in gated communities. We find the property, check the land status and registry and close the deal.

Banks

Banks operate in US dollars, so an account carries no exchange-rate risk for a dollar holder. Accounts are opened for those with a link to the country: living there, property or business.

• Documents: passport and resident document, proof of address, the tax number of your country of residence, source-of-funds documents and a reference letter from your current bank.
• Process: a file translated into Spanish, a branch visit to sign and verify identity, then online banking and cards.
• Reasons for refusal: no link to El Salvador, inflows without a clear origin, including from crypto exchanges, and incomplete tax residence details.

For money from crypto the bank asks for detailed proof of the source of funds. We help open a personal or business account.

Safety

Since March 2022 a state of exception has been in force and is regularly extended: tens of thousands of suspected gang members have been detained, homicides have fallen several times over, and on this measure El Salvador has become one of the calmest countries in Latin America. The other side is that human rights groups criticise mass detentions and restricted rights, and police may check documents. Everyday risks are petty theft and road accidents.

Climate and daily life

The climate is tropical at 25-32°C all year, with a rainy season from May to October. The country has around twenty volcanoes and earthquakes happen, so buyers check construction quality. English is not widely spoken in daily life, so Spanish is needed from the first weeks.