El Salvador · Student
El Salvador Student residence
First stay: 1 yr
Temporary residence — studies (Form F10)
Checked against official sources on , some details partly verifiedChange log
Key facts
Student residence is a student route for El Salvador. You can work locally. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
- Government fees
- $125
- Processing
- 45 working days
- First stay
- 1 yr
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
The student residence can be extended for as long as you remain an active student; each extension needs a certificate of enrolment.
Asamblea Legislativa de El SalvadorDirección General de Migración y Extranjería, El Salvador
Permanent residenceTime here doesn't count
Student residence does not lead to permanent (definitive) residence, and you must leave the country when your studies end unless you change status.
Processing45 working days
The extension (form F-25) 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 doesn't count toward permanent residence
- Needs a place at a school or university in El Salvador
What you'll need
Who can apply1
- Applicants are regular students in technical, university or specialised courses, or researchers or unpaid interns.
What you must show1
- Extension fee USD 125 (one time) for a non-Central American temporary resident, up to one year.
Documents3
- A passport copy and a criminal record certificate from the home country or where the applicant lived in the last two years are submitted.
- A notarised sworn statement from the person providing financial support states the commitment, its duration and the income source.
- An original enrolment certificate, or proof of the enrolment process, states the class start date.
Steps1
- The initial fee for non-Central Americans is USD 140 for up to one year, paid against a payment order.
After you arrive3
- Extension needs an original enrolment certificate stating the class start date.
- Interns, graduation processes, practices, scholarships and exchanges instead need a letter from the designating institution.
- Paid work is allowed only where it does not limit student status, and this residence does not lead to definitive residence.
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 1 year at first, renewable
- 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 regular students in officially recognised public or private institutions, including researchers; extension needs an enrolment certificate or an assignment letter for interns and exchange students. 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
- Applicants are regular students in technical, university or specialised courses, or researchers or unpaid interns. 4 3
- Extension fee USD 125 (one time) for a non-Central American temporary resident, up to one year. 2
- A passport copy and a criminal record certificate from the home country or where the applicant lived in the last two years are submitted. 4
- A notarised sworn statement from the person providing financial support states the commitment, its duration and the income source. 4
- An original enrolment certificate, or proof of the enrolment process, states the class start date. 4
- The initial fee for non-Central Americans is USD 140 for up to one year, paid against a payment order. 4
- Extension needs an original enrolment certificate stating the class start date. 2
- Interns, graduation processes, practices, scholarships and exchanges instead need a letter from the designating institution. 2
- Paid work is allowed only where it does not limit student status, and this residence does not lead to definitive residence. 3
Stay
- Residence for up to one year with multiple entries and exits, extendable while the studies continue; it does not lead to definitive residence.
- First stay: up to 12 months, decided case by case.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Work
Part-time or contract-based paid work is allowed where it does not limit student status, on terms set by regulation.
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-25: prórroga de residencia temporal para estudiar · Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería, El Salvador · checked 2026-10-12
- 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
- Instructivo F-10: residencia temporal con autorización para estudios · Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería · checked 2026-10-10
Student residence and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student residence | – | 1 yr, renewable | Yes |
| Student residence Mexico | Needs income of MXN 26k+ a month ≈ $1,410 | – | – |
| Student visa V Colombia | – | 2 yr | Yes |
| Student stay Costa Rica | – | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Student visa Brazil | – | 1 yr, renewable | Yes |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Student 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 Student residence?
Residence for up to one year with multiple entries and exits, extendable while the studies continue; it does not lead to definitive residence.
How long does the Student residence take to process?
The extension (form F-25) has a maximum response time of 45 working days if the file is complete.
Can I work on the Student residence?
Yes. Part-time or contract-based paid work is allowed where it does not limit student status, on terms set by regulation.
Can I bring my family on the Student residence?
A family member can apply for temporary residence to accompany the holder (form F9; extension F24).
Does the Student residence lead to permanent residence in El Salvador?
Time on the Student residence doesn't count toward permanent residence in El Salvador.
Is there a tax break for Student 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
Study 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 4 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-25: prórroga de residencia temporal para estudiar · Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería, El Salvador · checked 2026-10-12
- 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
- Instructivo F-10: residencia temporal con autorización para estudios · Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería · checked 2026-10-10
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.