United States (EB-5)Residency
- Min. investment
- $800,000+
- Time to approval
- 2–5 years
- You receive
- Residence permit
Citizenship by Investment
El Salvador Freedom Visa
The only route we advise on paid in Bitcoin or USDT: US$1,000,000 for naturalization with no residence period, capped at 1,000 participants a year.
Time to citizenship
≈ 6 weeks to approval
Minimum investment
$1,000,000+
Travel-access score
128 destinations
Figures as of September 2026, per the official program source — confirmed on application.
Program Overview
About the El Salvador program
In brief
The El Salvador program is a citizenship-by-investment program that grants full legal citizenship. The minimum qualifying investment is $1,000,000+, and approvals typically take ≈ 6 weeks to approval. It requires no residence or relocation, and the passport scores 128 on our travel-access count — destinations reachable visa-free, on arrival, or with an eTA or e-visa granted on arrival terms. Figures are indicative minimums for the main applicant.
El Salvador's Adopting El Salvador program — the Freedom Visa — opened in December 2023 with Tether as its technology partner. A US$1,000,000 contribution in Bitcoin or USDT to the country's economic, cultural and social development programs qualifies the applicant, one spouse and children under 18 for naturalization under Article 156(5) of the migration law, a ground added by Legislative Decree No. 918 the same month.
It is one of the newest programs on this site and publishes the least: an approval standard of up to six weeks, a cap of 1,000 participants, and no statistics on grants to date. Because the contribution is a crypto transfer, the source-of-funds work — exchange records, wallet history, the fiat trail behind the coins — decides the file. Our assessment covers that before any fee is paid.
Presence requirement
No residence period before naturalization; absence rules apply afterwards
Document validity
Citizenship for life, subject to the loss grounds codified in Legislative Decree No. 531 (2026)
Dual nationality
Not addressed by the program; Salvadoran practice on prior nationality is confirmed in the assessment
How it compares
El Salvador against other citizenship programs
Where El Salvador sits among the 10 citizenship by investment programs we advise on. The gold marker is the peer average.
Minimum investment (lower is better)$1,000,000
Peer average $305kAbove the peer average
Time to approval (lower is better)≈ 6 weeks to approval
Peer average ≈ 6 monthsBelow the peer average
Travel-access score (higher is better)128
Peer average 116Above the peer average
Investment is compared on a USD-normalized basis; the label shows this program's own currency. Time uses the upper end of the published range. Figures are indicative.
What Salvadoran citizenship unlocks
Naturalization under Article 156(5) of the migration law — citizenship, not a permit. What it changes from day one:
Capabilities follow from the status itself — citizenship or residence as the program grants it; specifics are confirmed during your assessment.
The Life It Unlocks
Bitcoin country, on your own terms.
Capital that speaks your language
The one program that takes the contribution in the assets you already hold — Bitcoin or USDT — with the fiat trail prepared so it is never questioned.
No years of waiting
Naturalization without a residence period: the application is made online and the government publishes its approval stage at six weeks.
The household in one file
One spouse and every child under 18 naturalize with you — a single application, one contribution, one set of due diligence.
Investment Pathways
Freedom Visa Contribution (Bitcoin or USDT)
From $1,000,000
A non-refundable contribution to El Salvador's economic, cultural and social development programs, paid in Bitcoin or USDT: US$999 on application and the US$999,001 balance after approval. Family applications add US$999 per family member.
Explore your route
From (indicative)
$1,000,000
A non-refundable contribution to El Salvador's economic, cultural and social development programs, paid in Bitcoin or USDT: US$999 on application and the US$999,001 balance after approval. Family applications add US$999 per family member.
Who comes with you
- One spouse of the main applicant
- Children under 18
Family additions are quoted individually — request your exact figure
Application Timeline
Government processing time
The El Salvador authorities publish a processing time for complete files — the numbered stages below show where those months go. Here is the figure to plan around.
≈ 6 weeks to approval
Official processing time, complete files
Plan around the top of the range — 4 months end to end leaves room for queries without changing your plans.
Your dates
Complete files are typically processed in ≈ 6 weeks to approval.
Based on the officially published range — last re-verified September 2026. Government timelines are not guaranteed.
- 1
Weeks 1–2
Preparation & registration
Source-of-funds and crypto-trail file assembled first; then registration on the government portal and the non-refundable US$999 application fee in Bitcoin or USDT.
- 2
Up to 6 weeks
Government review
The Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería reviews and verifies the application; the portal states approvals typically take up to six weeks.
- 3
On approval
Approval & contribution
Official notification by email, then the US$999,001 balance (plus US$999 per family member) is transferred in Bitcoin or USDT and verified.
- 4
Following payment
Naturalization & passport
Naturalization proceeds under Article 156(5); the passport is applied for afterwards and collected in El Salvador or at the nearest consulate.
Requirements
- Main applicant of good character; every file is reviewed and verified by the government before approval
- US$1,000,000 in Bitcoin or USDT, with the lawful source of the funds and the on-chain path of the coins documented
- Nationals of Cuba, North Korea, Iran and Syria, residents of Crimea and the occupied Ukrainian regions, and OFAC-sanctioned persons are ineligible
- Places are capped at 1,000 participants
Family Eligibility
- One spouse of the main applicant
- Children under 18
Required documents
The standard checklist for a single applicant. Add your family in the Grenada cost calculator and this list adapts to everyone applying with you.
PassportEvery applicantValid passport for the main applicant, spouse and each child under 18.
Police clearanceAdult applicantsFrom the country of citizenship and any country of residence, for the government's background review.
Source-of-funds & crypto trailMain applicantThe heart of the file: the fiat origin of the wealth, exchange statements, wallet addresses and transaction records for the Bitcoin or USDT to be contributed.
Portal applicationMain applicantRegistration on adoptingelsalvador.gob.sv and the record of the US$999 application fee paid in BTC or USDT.
Contribution receiptMain applicantEvidence of the US$999,001 balance and the US$999 per-family-member fee, transferred after approval and verified by the program.
Civil documentsIf marriedMarriage certificate, and birth certificates for children under 18, with certified Spanish translations.
Naturalization stageEvery applicantNaturalization under Article 156(5) after payment; the passport is then applied for and collected in El Salvador or at the nearest consulate.
Exact formats — apostille or legalization, sworn translation, issue dates — vary by your country of origin and are confirmed document-by-document during your engagement.
What to Weigh
Honest advice includes the trade-offs. Before committing to the El Salvador program, consider:
- Launched in December 2023 with no published grant statistics — a short track record and, at US$1,000,000, the highest single-route contribution among the citizenship programs we advise on.
- The contribution is paid in Bitcoin or USDT. The program, your banks and any future immigration authority will want the fiat origin and the on-chain path of the coins; unexplained wallet history stops a file.
- Naturalized citizenship can be lost: two years' residence in your country of origin, or five consecutive years abroad without authorization, under Legislative Decree No. 531 in force since 31 March 2026.
Does El Salvador fit you?
Three questions, scored by the same engine as our Program Finder — with an honest answer, even when it isn't this program.
What are you ultimately looking for?
What investment level are you comfortable with?
How soon do you want this in hand?
Travel access with El Salvador citizenship
Where a El Salvador citizen can travel, and what each destination requires. Entry is always at the discretion of the destination authority — confirm before booking.
128travel-access score, our count — 79 visa-free + 31 on arrival + 6 eTA + e-visas granted on arrival terms
110 of 198 destinations need no visa arranged before travel. Passport Index formula; ranked #32 worldwide by score · #79 of 199 individually.
198 destinations shown
 Albania | Visa-free | 90 days |
|---|---|---|
 Andorra | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Argentina | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Austria | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Bahamas | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Barbados | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Belarus | Visa-free | 30 days |
 Belgium | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Belize | Visa-free | 30 days |
 Bosnia & Herzegovina | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Brazil | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Bulgaria | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Chile | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Colombia | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Costa Rica | Visa-free | 30 days |
 Croatia | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Cyprus | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Czechia | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Denmark | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Dominica | Visa-free | 21 days |
 Dominican Republic | Visa-free | 30 days |
 Ecuador | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Estonia | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Finland | Visa-free | 90 days |
 France | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Georgia | Visa-free | 360 days |
 Germany | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Greece | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Grenada | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Guatemala | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Haiti | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Honduras | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Hong Kong SAR China | Visa-free | 30 days |
 Hungary | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Iceland | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Ireland | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Italy | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Jamaica | Visa-free | 30 days |
 Japan | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Kiribati | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Kosovo | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Latvia | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Liechtenstein | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Lithuania | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Luxembourg | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Malaysia | Visa-free | 30 days |
 Malta | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Micronesia | Visa-free | 30 days |
 Moldova | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Monaco | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Montenegro | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Netherlands | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Nicaragua | Visa-free | 90 days |
 North Macedonia | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Norway | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Palestinian Territories | Visa-free | — |
 Panama | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Paraguay | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Peru | Visa-free | 180 days |
 Philippines | Visa-free | 30 days |
 Poland | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Portugal | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Romania | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Russia | Visa-free | 90 days |
 San Marino | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Seychelles | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Singapore | Visa-free | 30 days |
 Slovakia | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Slovenia | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Spain | Visa-free | 90 days |
 St. Vincent & Grenadines | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Sweden | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Switzerland | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Trinidad & Tobago | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Türkiye | Visa-free | 90 days |
 United Arab Emirates | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Uruguay | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Uzbekistan | Visa-free | 30 days |
 Vatican City | Visa-free | 90 days |
 Bangladesh | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 Burundi | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 Cambodia | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 Cape Verde | Visa on arrival | — |
 Comoros | Visa on arrival | 45 days |
 Djibouti | Visa on arrival | 90 days |
 Egypt | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 Guinea-Bissau | Visa on arrival | 90 days |
 Iran | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 Jordan | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 Laos | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 Macao SAR China | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 Madagascar | Visa on arrival | 90 days |
 Malawi | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 Maldives | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 Marshall Islands | Visa on arrival | 90 days |
 Mauritius | Visa on arrival | 60 days |
 Mozambique | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 Nepal | Visa on arrival | 150 days |
 Palau | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 Rwanda | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 Samoa | Visa on arrival | 90 days |
 Senegal | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 Sri Lanka | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 St. Lucia | Visa on arrival | 42 days |
 Tanzania | Visa on arrival | — |
 Thailand | Visa on arrival | 15 days |
 Timor-Leste | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 Tuvalu | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
 Zambia | Visa on arrival | 90 days |
 Zimbabwe | Visa on arrival | 90 days |
 Côte d’Ivoire | Electronic travel authorisation | 90 days |
 Israel | Electronic travel authorisation | 90 days |
 Kenya | Electronic travel authorisation | 90 days |
 South Korea | Electronic travel authorisation | 90 days |
 St. Kitts & Nevis | Electronic travel authorisation | 90 days |
 Suriname | Electronic travel authorisation | 90 days |
 Antigua & Barbuda | eVisa | — |
 Armenia | eVisa | 120 days |
 Australia | eVisa | — |
 Bahrain | eVisa | — |
 Benin | eVisa | — |
 Bhutan | eVisa | — |
 Bolivia | eVisa | — |
 Botswana | eVisa | — |
 Burkina Faso | eVisa | — |
 Cameroon | eVisa | — |
 Chad | eVisa | — |
 Congo - Kinshasa | eVisa | 7 days |
 Cuba | eVisa | 90 days |
 Equatorial Guinea | eVisa | — |
 Ethiopia | eVisa | 90 days |
 Gabon | eVisa | 90 days |
 Guinea | eVisa | 90 days |
 Guyana | eVisa | — |
 India | eVisa | 30 days |
 Indonesia | eVisa | — |
 Iraq | eVisa | — |
 Kazakhstan | eVisa | — |
 Kyrgyzstan | eVisa | — |
 Liberia | eVisa | — |
 Libya | eVisa | — |
 Mauritania | eVisa | 90 days |
 Mongolia | eVisa | — |
 Namibia | eVisa | — |
 Nigeria | eVisa | 90 days |
 Oman | eVisa | — |
 Pakistan | eVisa | — |
 Papua New Guinea | eVisa | — |
 Qatar | eVisa | — |
 São Tomé & Príncipe | eVisa | — |
 Saudi Arabia | eVisa | — |
 Sierra Leone | eVisa | — |
 Somalia | eVisa | — |
 South Sudan | eVisa | 90 days |
 Syria | eVisa | — |
 Tajikistan | eVisa | — |
 Togo | eVisa | 15 days |
 Uganda | eVisa | — |
 Ukraine | eVisa | — |
 Vanuatu | eVisa | — |
 Vietnam | eVisa | 90 days |
 Afghanistan | Visa required | — |
 Algeria | Visa required | — |
 Angola | Visa required | — |
 Azerbaijan | Visa required | — |
 Brunei | Visa required | — |
 Canada | Visa required | — |
 Central African Republic | Visa required | — |
 China | Visa required | — |
 Congo - Brazzaville | Visa required | — |
 Eritrea | Visa required | — |
 Eswatini | Visa required | — |
 Fiji | Visa required | — |
 Gambia | Visa required | — |
 Ghana | Visa required | — |
 Kuwait | Visa required | — |
 Lebanon | Visa required | — |
 Lesotho | Visa required | — |
 Mali | Visa required | — |
 Mexico | Visa required | — |
 Morocco | Visa required | — |
 Myanmar (Burma) | Visa required | — |
 Nauru | Visa required | — |
 New Zealand | Visa required | — |
 Niger | Visa required | — |
 North Korea | Visa required | — |
 Serbia | Visa required | — |
 Solomon Islands | Visa required | — |
 South Africa | Visa required | — |
 Sudan | Visa required | — |
 Taiwan | Visa required | — |
 Tonga | Visa required | — |
 Tunisia | Visa required | — |
 Turkmenistan | Visa required | — |
 United Kingdom | Visa required | — |
| United States | Visa required | — |
 Venezuela | Visa required | — |
 Yemen | Visa required | — |
Last updated 14 September 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this citizenship or residency?
Citizenship by naturalization. Legislative Decree No. 918 added investors and donors in government programs as a naturalization ground — Article 156(5) of the migration law — with no residence period, and directed the migration directorate to run an expedited procedure. A passport is applied for after naturalization and collected in El Salvador or at the nearest consulate.
Can I pay in dollars by bank transfer?
The program runs on Tether's payment infrastructure and states every fee in Bitcoin or USDT only. USDT is dollar-pegged, so a client without crypto holdings can acquire it through a regulated exchange — a route we plan with source-of-funds evidence at every step, because the exchange record becomes part of the file.
Who cannot apply?
The program excludes nationals of Cuba, North Korea, Iran and Syria; residents of Crimea and the self-proclaimed Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine; and anyone on the OFAC sanctions lists. Every other applicant is reviewed and verified before approval.
How long does it take?
The government publishes only the approval stage: typically up to six weeks after the online application. Naturalization and passport issuance follow the contribution with no published standard, so we plan in months, not weeks, and never promise a date.
Regulatory framework
Legislative Decree No. 286 of 2019, as reformed by Legislative Decree No. 918
Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería (Special Law on Migration and Foreigners)
Reform adopted 20 December 2023 · Diario Oficial No. 5, Tomo 442, 9 January 2024 · in force eight days after publication
Article 156(5) — naturalization for foreigners who meet the requirements of government programs attracting investors or donors supporting El Salvador's economic, social and cultural development
The reform adds a fifth naturalization ground to Article 156: foreigners who satisfy a government program for investors or donors, funded by capital in legal-tender currency (Bitcoin has been legal tender since Law No. 57 of 2021) or by sustainable investment projects. It sets no amount and no residence period — those sit in the Adopting El Salvador program — and it directs the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería to run a secure and expedited naturalization procedure for this class. A later reform (Legislative Decree No. 531, in force 31 March 2026) codified the grounds on which naturalized citizens lose nationality, including two years' residence in the country of origin or five years' absence without authorization.
View the lawLegislative Decree No. 918 (PDF), asamblea.gob.sv
Sources & verification
Program terms are set by the issuing government and may change without notice — figures last re-verified against the official source in September 2026. Investment figures are indicative minimums for the main applicant; fees, due diligence, and family additions are quoted individually. Government timelines are not guaranteed.
Official program authority
- 01Government of El Salvador — Adopting El Salvador program portalRetrieved 2026-09-18
- 02Asamblea Legislativa de El Salvador — Legislative Decree No. 918 (PDF)Retrieved 2026-09-18
Alternatives
Related Programs
Families often weigh this program against these alternatives.
St. Kitts & NevisCitizenship
- Min. investment
- $250,000+
- Time to approval
- 4–6 months
St. LuciaCitizenship
- Min. investment
- $240,000+
- Time to approval
- ≈ 3 months
- Travel-access score
- 136 destinations
Is El Salvador right for your family?
A private assessment covers eligibility, total cost, and timeline for your situation — and says so if another route fits better.
El Salvador · ≈ 6 weeks to approval