Among the safest countries in the Americas
El Salvador closed 2025 with a homicide rate of 1.3 per 100,000 people, lower than that of the United States.
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El Salvador
One of the safest countries in the Americas, on the US dollar, with residency on a pension or passive income, and direct citizenship for a contribution in Bitcoin or USDT.
- Population
- 6.3 million
- Language
- Spanish
- Currency
- US dollar (USD), with Bitcoin legal tender
- Time zone
- CST (UTC−6, no DST)
- Capital
- San Salvador
- GDP per capita
- ~US$5.5K
The US dollar at home
El Salvador has used the US dollar since 2001, so your income, savings, and costs are in one currency.
Citizenship you can pay for in Bitcoin
The Freedom Passport grants direct citizenship for $1M in total, paid in Bitcoin or USDT, covering your spouse and children under 18, with no need to move.
Residency on a pension or passive income
A pension of $1,226/mo or passive income of $1,635/mo qualifies you for residency, with nothing to invest, and your foreign income can be certified as untaxed.
Citizenship after 5 years
Residents can apply for citizenship after 5 years, or after 1 year for nationals by birth of Spain or a Latin American country. El Salvador allows dual citizenship.
Surf, volcanoes, and crater lakes
The Pacific coast has some of Central America's best surf, and the volcanoes and crater lakes of the west are a short drive from the capital.
Three Routes into El Salvador
Each route below is a live client engagement we have advised. Figures and timelines reflect the current state of each program; we update them whenever policy moves.
Freedom Passport
CitizenshipDirect citizenship for a non-refundable $1M in Bitcoin or USDT, covering your spouse and children under 18. No residence period, and most files need no trip to El Salvador.
Retirement Visa
ResidencyTemporary residency on a pension or on steady passive income from abroad, with nothing to invest. Foreign income can be certified as untaxed, and citizenship is open after 5 years of residence.
Residency
ResidencyThe catch-all residency for digital nomads, remote workers, entrepreneurs, and investors who don't fit the Retirement Visa or the Freedom Passport. Fast and low lift: $10K in company shares, 90 days a year in the country, and citizenship after 5 years.
Several routes, several ideal profiles. Which is right for you? The Freedom Consult is where we figure out your ideal path forward, and whether El Salvador is even the right country.
Get my BlueprintA Taste of El Salvador
How long does it take to get Salvadoran citizenship?
How long does it take to get Salvadoran citizenship?
The Freedom Passport grants citizenship in 2-3 months for $1M in total. Through residency, you can apply after 5 years, or after 1 year if you're a national by birth of Spain or a Latin American country.
Should I choose the Freedom Passport or the Retirement Visa?
Should I choose the Freedom Passport or the Retirement Visa?
The Retirement Visa fits most of our clients: It qualifies you on a pension or passive income, with nothing to invest. The Freedom Passport fits applicants who want citizenship now without moving. We map the right route on a Freedom Consult.
Can digital nomads and remote workers move to El Salvador?
Can digital nomads and remote workers move to El Salvador?
Yes. El Salvador Residency is the catch-all route for digital nomads, remote workers, entrepreneurs, and investors who don't fit the Retirement Visa or the Freedom Passport. You qualify through $10K in company shares of your own Salvadoran company, which needs some business activity to renew, and you spend at least 90 days a year in El Salvador.
How does El Salvador tax new residents?
How does El Salvador tax new residents?
El Salvador taxes income from Salvadoran sources, and retirement residents can have their foreign income certified as untaxed. You become a tax resident after more than 200 consecutive days in a calendar year. If you're a US citizen, you file US taxes too. We review your position before you move.
Can my family come with me?
Can my family come with me?
Yes. Your spouse or partner and your children under 18 can join you. The Freedom Passport covers your spouse and children under 18 in the same $1M total.
Will I have to give up my US citizenship?
Will I have to give up my US citizenship?
No. El Salvador allows dual citizenship, and so does the United States.
Eight Factors, Against the US Baseline
The dimensions that decide whether a place is workable once the visa lands.
English
Limited outside business
English works in parts of San Salvador and in the surf towns. Day to day, you'll want Spanish.
Cost of living
Low, in dollars
El Salvador costs far less than most US cities, and prices are in US dollars, so there's no exchange rate to manage.
Taxes
Salvadoran-source income
El Salvador taxes income from Salvadoran sources, and retirement residents can have their foreign income certified as untaxed. US filing continues regardless.
Quality of life
Small country, big variety
Surf beaches, crater lakes, coffee highlands, and colonial towns are all within a few hours of each other.
Safety
Below the US homicide rate
El Salvador closed 2025 with 1.3 homicides per 100,000 people, lower than the United States.
Travel connectivity
Direct flights to the US
San Salvador's international airport has nonstop flights to Miami, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, among others.
Infrastructure
Improving fast
Highways and connectivity in San Salvador and along the coast have improved quickly. Rural areas are more basic.
Healthcare
Private care in the capital
Private hospitals in San Salvador offer good care at a fraction of US prices. Many residents add international insurance too.
Content on El Salvador
Deeper coverage of El Salvador from the Freedom Files library: Long-form articles and video deep dives.
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