El Salvador citizenship by investment

How it works

The programme is capped at 1,000 participants a year. The applicant contributes $1,000,000 in bitcoin or USDT; the contribution is non-refundable.

• No language test and no residence before approval.
• Applications are filed online; after the check the contribution is paid, then biometrics in San Salvador.
• A spouse and children under 18 can be included.

How the programme works in 2026

The programme the press calls the Freedom Visa, officially Adopting El Salvador, takes 1,000 participants a year. The applicant contributes $1,000,000 in bitcoin or the USDT stablecoin. The contribution is non-refundable; the stablecoin issuer provides the payment rails, so funds move wallet to wallet without converting to fiat dollars.

One key detail: the programme grants residence with a right to fast-track citizenship. The organisers promise a passport within months, but El Salvador's Constitution ties naturalisation to residence. So we check the real timeline to a passport for each case and state it before payment, not after.

Who it suits and who it does not

• Suits holders of large crypto capital with clean wallet history who value speed, no language test, no residence before approval and a crypto-friendly country.
• Suits families: a spouse and children under 18 can be included.
• Does not suit anyone who cannot document where the crypto came from: anti-money-laundering checks are strict.
• Does not suit those who only want a travel passport: Caribbean programmes reach the same countries for $200,000-250,000.

What it costs, item by item

The contribution is set in dollars, so when paying in bitcoin the rate on the transfer date matters. Budget separately for network fees and any spread.

Documents and where to get them

• Passport valid for at least a year.
• Birth certificate with apostille.
• Police clearance with apostille from your country of citizenship and the country where you have lived recently.
• Proof of origin of the crypto: wallet history, exchange statements, tax returns showing gains.
• For family: marriage and children's birth certificates with apostille.
• Photos and completed forms.

All documents are translated into Spanish.

Steps and timeline

1. Pre-check, 1-2 weeks. We review wallet history, sources of income and sanctions lists before filing.
2. Online application and deposit. Forms, documents and the $999 deposit.
3. Due diligence, 4-8 weeks. Government background and anti-money-laundering checks.
4. Contribution transfer. After approval, $1,000,000 wallet to wallet.
5. Biometrics and residence document. A visit to San Salvador.
6. Citizenship. Under the procedure confirmed for your case.

Source-of-funds check

The main filter is not the amount but the origin of the crypto. Reviewers look at how the coins reached the wallet: purchase on an exchange with verified identity, mining, sale of a business, salary. Mixers, links to sanctioned addresses and gaps in history are common reasons for refusal. Collect exchange statements for all years and tax returns showing crypto gains in advance.

How to get approved the first time

• no proof of where the crypto came from;
• a criminal record or open criminal case;
• sanctions-list matches for the applicant or the source of funds;
• incomplete file: missing apostille, expired police certificate;
• contradictions between forms and documents.

What changed by 2026

In January 2025 El Salvador amended its bitcoin law: accepting bitcoin is no longer mandatory and taxes cannot be paid in it. The National Bitcoin Office still operates, and so does the investor programme. Since March 2024 foreign income and investments brought into the country are exempt from income tax. The quota remains 1,000 participants a year.

Citizenship: the standard route

Dual citizenship is allowed. A naturalised citizen can lose the passport after living 2 consecutive years in the country of former citizenship or 5 consecutive years abroad without permission.

What the passport gives

The passport opens about 131 destinations visa-free or with visa on arrival, including the Schengen area and most of Latin America. El Salvador is part of the Central American free-movement area with Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, where people travel on an ID card.

Taxes

Income tax works on a source basis: since 2024 foreign income and investments brought into the country are not taxed. Salvadoran-source income is taxed at up to 30%. Your tax residence in the country where you live does not disappear and needs separate planning.

Comparison with other programmes

El Salvador wins where capital is already in crypto with transparent origin. If price matters, Caribbean programmes are 4-5 times cheaper.

What we do

We review wallet history before filing, collect and translate documents, prepare the source-of-funds explanation, and support due diligence, the contribution transfer and biometrics. We state the timeline to a passport and all costs before the first payment, and fix our fee in writing after a free consultation.

Benefits of El Salvador citizenship

How to get citizenship, step by step

FAQ

130+ visa-free countries with an El Salvador passport