Guatemala · Spouse visas
Guatemala Spouse of a citizen
Permanent Residence by Marriage or Registered Union with a Guatemalan
First checked against official sources on , some details partly verifiedChange log
Key facts
Spouse of a citizen is a spouse visas route for Guatemala. Checked 2026-10-10 against the official source.
- Government fees
- $700 · +2 more
Cost, time and long term
Government fees$700 · +2 more
- $700Permanent residence status fee; Central American nationals pay USD 500.
- $25Application filing fee.
- $40 a yearAnnual foreigner fee required to keep the status in good standing.
CitizenshipAfter 5 years as a permanent resident
After 5 continuous years as a permanent resident you can request Guatemalan naturalisation (not available to Central Americans).
Presence rulesStay rule
Permanent residence can be cancelled if you leave Guatemala for more than a year without justification.
What you'll need
Who can apply1
- Married to, or in a legally recognised union de hecho with, a Guatemalan.
What you must show1
- Status fee of USD 700 (USD 500 for Central Americans) plus USD 25 filing fee.
Documents5
- Residence application form and original passport valid at least 6 months with a legalised full copy.
- Certificate of no criminal or police records from the country of origin or residence in the last 2 years.
- Migration movement certificate proving the last entry to Guatemala.
- RENAP certificate of the marriage or union.
- Birth certificate of the Guatemalan spouse with the marriage or union annotation.
Steps1
- File the application with the Instituto Guatemalteco de Migración; biometric registration is due within 30 days.
After you arrive3
- Pay the USD 40 annual foreigner fee to keep the status in good standing.
- Residence can be cancelled after leaving Guatemala for more than a year without justification.
- After 5 continuous years of permanent residence the holder can apply for Guatemalan naturalisation (not Central Americans).
What happens at day 183
How Guatemala decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Tax residence
- More than 183 days in a calendar yearPresence in Guatemala, continuous or not, makes an individual resident (art. 6 no. 1 lit. a)
- Foreign-source income
Territorial
- Special regime
Guatemala territorial income tax · Tax relief
All tax rules for Guatemala Tax records checked
What you need to arrange
- Certified translation
Residence application form and original passport valid at least 6 months with a legalised full copy
- Police certificate and civil documents
Certificate of no criminal or police records from the country of origin or residence in the last 2 years
Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts.
Full official text
For a foreigner married to, or in a legally recognised de facto union with, a Guatemalan. It gives permanent residence directly. 1
What you must show and pay
- A fee of $700 · Permanent residence status fee; Central American nationals pay USD 500. 1
- A fee of $25 · Application filing fee. 1
- A fee of $40 a year · Annual foreigner fee required to keep the status in good standing. 1
Requirements
- Married to, or in a legally recognised union de hecho with, a Guatemalan. 1
- Status fee of USD 700 (USD 500 for Central Americans) plus USD 25 filing fee. 1
- Residence application form and original passport valid at least 6 months with a legalised full copy. 1
- Certificate of no criminal or police records from the country of origin or residence in the last 2 years. 1
- Migration movement certificate proving the last entry to Guatemala. 1
- RENAP certificate of the marriage or union. 1
- Birth certificate of the Guatemalan spouse with the marriage or union annotation. 1
- File the application with the Instituto Guatemalteco de Migración; biometric registration is due within 30 days. 1
- Pay the USD 40 annual foreigner fee to keep the status in good standing. 1
- Residence can be cancelled after leaving Guatemala for more than a year without justification. 1
- After 5 continuous years of permanent residence the holder can apply for Guatemalan naturalisation (not Central Americans). 1
Stay
- Permanent residence.
Official sources
- Residencias permanentes: Residencia Permanente por Matrimonio o Unión de Hecho con Guatemalteco · Instituto Guatemalteco de Migración (Extranjería IGM) · checked 2026-10-11
- Residencias Permanentes (categorías, costos, requisitos) · Instituto Guatemalteco de Migración · checked 2026-10-10
Spouse of a citizen and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse of a citizen | – | – | – |
| Spouse of a citizen Mexico | – | 2 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Partner of a citizen Colombia | – | – | Yes |
| Spouse of a citizen Costa Rica | – | 1 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Spouse of a resident Brazil | – | – | Yes |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Spouse of a citizen?
A fee of $700. Permanent residence status fee; Central American nationals pay USD 500. A fee of $25. Application filing fee. A fee of $40 a year. Annual foreigner fee required to keep the status in good standing.
How long can I stay on the Spouse of a citizen?
Permanent residence.
Is there a tax break for Spouse of a citizen holders in Guatemala?
Guatemala territorial income tax (rentas obtenidas en territorio nacional): Guatemala's Impuesto Sobre la Renta applies only to income obtained within national territory (art. It's separate from the visa and has its own conditions.
Tax
Special regime
Guatemala territorial income tax (rentas obtenidas en territorio nacional)
Tax relief
Details
- Who: Applies to residents and non-residents alike
- Limit: GTQ 300k/yr ≈ $39k
Guatemala's Impuesto Sobre la Renta applies only to income obtained within national territory (art. 3, Decreto 10-2012), whatever the nationality or domicile of the recipient; Guatemalan-source income is defined in art. 4.
Taxed on
Income obtained in Guatemalan territory by category (profit activities, employment income, capital income); employment income of individuals is taxed at 5% up to Q300,000 of taxable income and Q15,000 plus 7% on the excess (art. 73 as enacted in 2012).
Who it applies to
- Applies to residents and non-residents alike; the source rules in art. 4 decide what is taxed. Income generated outside Guatemala is not Guatemalan-source income under arts. 3 and 4.
- Individuals are tax residents if present more than 183 days in a calendar year (continuity not required), or if their centre of economic interests is in Guatemala unless they prove tax residence elsewhere by a certificate from that country's tax authority (art. 6).
Exclusions
- Income from activities carried out within Guatemala, assets located in Guatemala and capital income such as gains on shares of entities whose assets are Guatemalan real estate is Guatemalan-source (art. 4).
- Non-residents with Guatemalan-source income are taxed under title V of the law.
Limits
- GTQ 300,000 a year (≈ $39,200) · Employment-income scale: 5% applies to taxable income up to Q300,000; above it Q15,000 plus 7% of the excess (art. 73, 2012 text)
Days in the country
- More than 183 days in calendar year · Presence in Guatemala, continuous or not, makes an individual resident (art. 6 no. 1 lit. a)
Tax residence
Residence for tax purposes is not tied to immigration status; the alternative test is centre of economic interests in Guatemala.
Visas
The territorial base applies regardless of visa or residence permit.
Checked against official sources on , some details partly verifiedChange log
More in Guatemala
Spouse and partner 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 2026-10-10 against 2 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 permanentes: Residencia Permanente por Matrimonio o Unión de Hecho con Guatemalteco · Instituto Guatemalteco de Migración (Extranjería IGM) · checked 2026-10-11
- Residencias Permanentes (categorías, costos, requisitos) · Instituto Guatemalteco de Migración · 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.