Travel Documents & Airport Requirements

Entry Requirements

The information below addresses entry requirements for U.S. citizens.  All others should consult with the Salvadoran consulate for visa and entry requirements.  CGEE will assist you in reviewing information, but the responsibility for obtaining and paying for proper documentation is yours.

• Passport: When you arrive in El Salvador, keep any documents inserted into your passport or given to you by immigration officials upon arrival in El Salvador.  You will need to present them upon departure.

• Entry Requirements: There is no special visa requirement for short-term stays in El Salvador of less than 90 days.  You will receive a entry card on the plane in route or at the airport.  On this form, you should state that your reason for visiting El Salvador is “tourism.”  If you check that your purpose is to study, customs officials might mistakenly assume that you are enrolling in a Salvadoran university and need a student visa.  Upon arrival at the airport in San Salvador, present the entry card and your passport at Salvadoran immigration, along with USD $12 in cash for the purchase of a tourist card.  

• Exit Taxes: There is also a USD $40 exit tax.  This normally is included in the cost of your airfare.  Check with your travel agent.  If you used frequent flyer miles to book your ticket, you may need to pay USD $40 in cash to leave El Salvador.

When you arrive at the airport in El Salvador:

You may be asked by the officials what your itinerary and schedule is.  If so, simply respond: you don't yet know what your schedule is.  (You will receive a daily schedule upon arrival in El Salvador).  Identify yourself as a tourist if asked; the official purpose of your trip is educational tourism.  Keep a close watch on your bags and documents at the airport.

• Extended Stay: For those who have an extended stay in El Salvador that requires a visa, be sure to check that your passport has at least two blank pages in the visa section.  This is a new security requirement for those who travel with a U.S. passport.

Luggage:

Due to limited luggage capacity in most vehicles in El Salvador, please pack only one large, soft-covered bag and one carry-on, plus a purse or day pack.  Pack as lightly as you can.  In general, if you cannot comfortably walk five city blocks with all of your gear, you have packed too much.

International travel baggage restrictions and fees for excess cargo vary by airline and destination.  Consult with your airline for specific information.