Travel Consideration: El Salvador

US State Department Travel Considerations for El Salvador

El Salvador has a developing economy. Tourism facilities are not fully developed. The capital city is San Salvador.

A current U.S. passport and a one-entry tourist card are required to enter El Salvador. The tourist card may be obtained for a fee from airlines serving El Salvador. Travelers who plan to remain in El Salvador for more than thirty days can apply for a multiple-entry visa, issued free of charge, from the Embassy of El Salvador or from a Salvadoran consulate in the U.S. Travelers may be asked to present evidence of U.S. employment and adequate finances for their visit at the time of visa application or upon arrival in El Salvador. An exit tax must be paid, either in Salvadoran Colones or U.S. dollars, when departing El Salvador from Comalapa International Airport.

Travelers should be aware that airlines operating out of the international airport of El Salvador require that passengers boarding flights bound for the United States have appropriate travel documents. Certificates of naturalization and birth certificates are not accepted as travel documents. Passengers must have a valid, current U.S. passport to return to the United States, and information to the contrary from sources inside the United States should be disregarded. U.S. citizens traveling to El Salvador for any reason without valid passports must apply for a passport in person at the U.S. Embassy in San Salvador before attempting to return to the U.S. Citizens applying for passports overseas are reminded that original proof of citizenship and identity is required before a passport can be issued. Photographic proof of identity is especially important for young children because of the high incidence of fraud involving children.


Minors traveling on Salvadoran passports must have the written permission of both parents to depart El Salvador. This restriction does not apply to U.S. citizen minors, but it may be prudent for minors traveling on a U.S. passport to include a notarized statement from a parent or guardian as a precaution.

For additional information on entry and exit requirements, travelers may contact the Embassy of El Salvador at 2308 California Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20008, telephone 202-387-6511; or a Salvadoran consulate in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York or San Francisco.

The peace accords signed in 1992 between the Government of El Salvador and the rebel group known as the FMLN ended a bitter civil war in El Salvador. Areas formerly considered conflictive zones or zones of concentration for demobilizing guerrillas are now open for travel. The U.S. Embassy, however, warns its personnel to drive with their doors locked and windows raised, to avoid travel after dark, and to avoid travel on unpaved roads at all times because of random banditry, carjackings, criminal assaults and lack of police and road service facilities. Most fatal accidents or robberies and assaults occur during the evening or early morning hours. Travelers with conspicuous amounts of luggage, late-model cars and foreign license plates are particularly vulnerable, even in the capital. Many Salvadorans are armed and shoot-outs are not uncommon. Foreigners, however, may not carry guns, even for their own protection or for use on the road from the United States, without first procuring from Salvadoran officials a firearms license. Failure to do so will result in detention and confiscation of the firearm, even if it is licensed in the United States.

Mine removal efforts ceased several years ago, but land mines and unexploded ammunition in back-country regions still pose a threat to off-road tourists, backpackers and campers.

Visitors to the beach areas of El Salvador should use caution when swimming in the Pacific Ocean due to strong undertow currents along much of the coast.

Violent crime as well as petty crime are prevalent throughout El Salvador. U.S. citizens are often victims. Visitors should avoid carrying valuables in public places. Armed assaults and carjackings take place both in San Salvador and in the interior of the country, but are especially frequent on roads outside the capital where police patrols are scarce. Criminals have been known to follow travelers from the international airport to private residences or secluded stretches of road where they carry out assaults and robberies. Criminals often become violent quickly, especially when victims fail to cooperate immediately in surrendering valuables. Frequently, victims who argue with assailants or refuse to give up their valuables are shot.

Kidnappings for ransom are an ongoing problem. U.S. citizens resident in or visiting El Salvador should exercise caution at all times and review basic personal security procedures.

Visitors to El Salvador should use caution when climbing volcanoes or hiking in other remote locations. Incidents of armed robberies of climbers and hikers are common.

Medical care is limited. Emergency services, even in San Salvador, are very basic. Ambulance services are not staffed by trained personnel and lack life-saving necessities such as oxygen. Physicians in the major hospitals are generally well-trained, often in U.S. hospitals, but nursing and support staff are not up to U.S. standards. State-of-the-art technology for dealing with life-threatening emergencies is rarely available. Serious medical problems requiring hospitalization and/or medical evacuation to the United States can cost thousands of dollars or more. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services. Most hospitals accept credit cards for hospital charges, but not for doctors' fees.

U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States. U.S. Medicare and Medicaid programs do not provide payment for care outside the United States. Uninsured travelers who require medical care overseas may face extreme difficulties. Check with your own insurance company to confirm whether your policy applies overseas, including provision for medical evacuation. Ascertain whether payment will be made to the overseas hospital or doctor or whether you will be reimbursed later for expenses you incur. Some insurance policies also include coverage for psychiatric treatment and for disposition of remains in the event of death. Useful information on medical emergencies abroad, including overseas insurance programs, is provided in the Department of State's brochure "Medical Information for Americans Traveling Abroad," available via the Bureau of Consular Affairs home page or via autofax at 202-647-3000.

U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning El Salvador is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstances.


Safety of public transportation: Poor
Urban road conditions/maintenance: Fair
Rural road conditions/maintenance: Poor
Availability of roadside assistance: Poor
Road conditions throughout the country are not up to U.S. standards. Mini-buses, buses and taxis are often poorly maintained. Drivers are often not trained and generally do not adhere to traffic rules and regulations. The Embassy recommends that its personnel avoid using mini-buses and buses, and use only taxis that are radio-dispatched. Robberies and assaults on buses are commonplace. Further information on traffic and road conditions is available in Spanish from Automovil Club de El Salvador, telephone 011-503-221-0557.

While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses. Persons violating El Salvador's laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in El Salvador are strict and convicted offenders can expect lengthy jail sentences and fines.

The Salvadoran constitution prohibits foreigners from participating in domestic partisan political activities, including public demonstrations. To do so is a violation of visa status, punishable by detention, fines and/or deportation.

Tap water in El Salvador is often not potable and should be boiled or chemically treated to help prevent cholera and other gastrointestinal disorders. Incidents of these disorders occur throughout the year, but are more prevalent during the hottest months of the year, March and April. Travelers should exercise care by drinking only bottled water and avoiding uncooked food and food from street vendors.

El Salvador has seen a modest increase in the number of cases of dengue fever in the past few years. Dengue is transmitted by mosquito bite, and there is no vaccine. Travelers should take steps to avoid mosquito bites, such as wearing clothing that covers most of the body and using insect repellant containing "deet".

Information on vaccinations and other health precautions may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747); fax 1-888-CDC-FAXX (1-888-232-3299), or via their Internet site at http://www.cdc.gov.

U.S. citizens living in or visiting El Salvador are encouraged to register at the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in San Salvador and obtain updated information on travel and security in El Salvador and neighboring countries. The U.S. Embassy is located at Final Boulevard Santa Elena, Urbanizacion Santa Elena, Antiguo Cuscatlan, San Salvador; telephone 011-503-278-4444; fax 011-503-278-6020. The Embassy's website can be accessed at http://www.usinfo.org.sv. The consular section is open for citizen services from 8:00 to 11:30 a.m. on normal Embassy work days.

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