El Salvador · Investing
El Salvador Investor residence
First stay: 2 yrs
Temporary residence — investor (Form F4)
Checked against official sources on , some details partly verifiedChange log
Key facts
Investor residence is an investing route for El Salvador. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
- Government fees
- $125
- Processing
- 45 working days
- First stay
- 2 yrs
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fee $125; decision: 45 working days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government fees$125
- $125Extension fee for a non-Central American temporary resident, up to one year (US$240 for up to two years; Central Americans US$55 or US$100).
RenewalRenewable, 5 years max
Temporary residence can be extended, and the extension must be requested within 30 days before it expires. Total time on temporary residence cannot exceed 5 years except in specially approved cases.
Asamblea Legislativa de El SalvadorDirección General de Migración y Extranjería, El Salvador
Permanent residenceAfter 3 years of residence
Temporary residents can apply for permanent (definitive) residence after 3 years of temporary residence immediately before the application.
CitizenshipAfter 5 years of residence
Foreigners of any origin can apply for Salvadoran naturalisation after 5 years of residence in the country, counting both temporary and permanent residence.
Processing45 working days
The extension (form F-19) has a maximum response time of 45 working days if the file is complete.
Where to applyWhere to apply
You can apply from abroad; if you do, you must register with the immigration authority within 5 working days of first entering El Salvador.
Presence rulesAbsence limits
Temporary residence is lost if you are away from El Salvador for more than six consecutive months, or six months in total in one year, unless the absence is justified.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Time on this route is capped at 5 years in total
What you'll need
Who can apply1
- For migration purposes an investor is a president, board member, legal representative or shareholder of a company legally established in El Salvador, or the owner or general manager of a business with an active investment under the Investment Law.
What you must show and pay1
- A fee of $125 · Extension fee for a non-Central American temporary resident, up to one year (US$240 for up to two years; Central Americans US$55 or US$100).
After you arrive4
- Extension needs notarised copies of the updated foreign capital registry issued by the Oficina Nacional de Inversiones.
- Extension needs proof of income tax paid for the last year by the investing company.
- Extension needs the current commercial enterprise registration.
- The response comes within 45 working days.
When you become tax resident
How El Salvador decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
Up to 5 years in total
- Tax residence
- More than 200 days in a calendar yearNatural persons residing temporarily or permanently in the country for more than 200 consecutive days in a calendar year are domiciled for tax purposes.
- Foreign-source income
Foreign-source excluded
Since the 2024 reform of art. 3 of the Ley del Impuesto sobre la Renta, values received in any form that were obtained abroad, including capital movements, remuneration and returns, nominally obtained or received by individuals, companies or entities domiciled or not in El Salvador from any kind of foreign source do not constitute income.
- Special regime
Foreign-source income excluded from taxable income · Tax relief
Decree 969 (12 March 2024) excludes from "renta" all sums, capital movements, remuneration or emoluments obtained abroad from any foreign source, by domiciled or non-domiciled natural or legal persons.
All tax rules for El Salvador Tax records checked
Full official text
Temporary residence for foreigners holding investment registered with the Oficina Nacional de Inversiones; extension needs the updated foreign capital registry, the company's latest income tax payment and a valid business registration. 1 2 3
What you must show and pay
- A fee of $125 · Extension fee for a non-Central American temporary resident, up to one year (US$240 for up to two years; Central Americans US$55 or US$100). 2
Requirements
- Extension needs notarised copies of the updated foreign capital registry issued by the Oficina Nacional de Inversiones. 2
- Extension needs proof of income tax paid for the last year by the investing company. 2
- Extension needs the current commercial enterprise registration. 2
- The response comes within 45 working days. 2
- For migration purposes an investor is a president, board member, legal representative or shareholder of a company legally established in El Salvador, or the owner or general manager of a business with an active investment under the Investment Law. 3
Stay
- Residence with multiple entries and exits for up to 2 years, extendable.
- First stay: up to 24 months, decided case by case.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Family
A family member can apply for temporary residence to accompany the holder (form F9; extension F24).
Official sources
- Residencias temporales (forms F3 to F31) · Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería, El Salvador · checked 2026-10-10
- Instructivo F-19: prórroga de residencia temporal para inversionista · Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería, El Salvador · checked 2026-10-10
- Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería (Decreto Legislativo 286/2019, D.O. 75, tomo 423, 25 April 2019), arts. 108-109, 120, 125, 144-145 · Asamblea Legislativa de El Salvador (copy published by the Dirección General de Aduanas) · checked 2026-10-12
Investor residence and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investor residence | – | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Investor residence Mexico | Needs an investment of MXN 5.4M+ ≈ $294k | 4 yr | With a permit |
| Investor M · Property Colombia | Needs an investment of COP 612.8M+ ≈ $192k | 3 yr | Limited |
| Investor residence · $200k Costa Rica | Needs an investment of $200k+ | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Investor · R$500k in a company Brazil | Needs an investment from BRL 150k ≈ $30k | – | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Investor residence?
A fee of $125. Extension fee for a non-Central American temporary resident, up to one year (US$240 for up to two years; Central Americans US$55 or US$100).
How long can I stay on the Investor residence?
Residence with multiple entries and exits for up to 2 years, extendable.
How long does the Investor residence take to process?
The extension (form F-19) has a maximum response time of 45 working days if the file is complete.
Can I bring my family on the Investor residence?
A family member can apply for temporary residence to accompany the holder (form F9; extension F24).
Does the Investor residence lead to permanent residence in El Salvador?
Time on the Investor residence counts toward permanent residence in El Salvador, which the rules allow after 3 years of residence. Time on the Investor residence counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence.
Is there a tax break for Investor residence holders in El Salvador?
Foreign-source income excluded from taxable income (Decree 969): Decree 969 (12 March 2024) excludes from "renta" all sums, capital movements, remuneration or emoluments obtained abroad from any foreign source, by domiciled or non-domiciled natural or legal persons. It's separate from the visa and has its own conditions.
Tax
Special regime
Foreign-source income excluded from taxable income (Decree 969)
Tax relief
Details
- On: Foreign-source income and capital movements
Decree 969 (12 March 2024) excludes from "renta" all sums, capital movements, remuneration or emoluments obtained abroad from any foreign source, by domiciled or non-domiciled natural or legal persons.
Taxed on
Foreign-source income and capital movements
Who it applies to
- Natural persons, legal entities and entities without legal personality, domiciled or not in El Salvador.
Exclusions
- Salvadoran-source income remains taxable under the standard scale.
Tax residence
Applies whether or not the recipient is domiciled in El Salvador.
Visas
Applies to any resident status, including temporary rentistas and pensioners.
Checked against official sources on Change log
More in El Salvador
Investment visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-12 against 3 official sources. Status: partly verified; the page marks the facts an official source does not fully confirm.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Residencias temporales (forms F3 to F31) · Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería, El Salvador · checked 2026-10-10
- Instructivo F-19: prórroga de residencia temporal para inversionista · Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería, El Salvador · checked 2026-10-10
- Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería (Decreto Legislativo 286/2019, D.O. 75, tomo 423, 25 April 2019), arts. 108-109, 120, 125, 144-145 · Asamblea Legislativa de El Salvador (copy published by the Dirección General de Aduanas) · checked 2026-10-12
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.