El Salvador investor residence: a working business, or $1 million in crypto

The immigration agency's published forms don't state a minimum. They require the investment to be registered as foreign capital with the Oficina Nacional de Inversiones (ONI) and the business to be operating, shown with leases, payroll or recent tax returns. Guides quote very different figures, so confirm the current threshold with a Salvadoran immigration lawyer before you commit money. The separate Freedom Visa requires $1 million in bitcoin or USDT.

No. Since March 2024, El Salvador exempts foreign-source income, including dividends, interest and capital gains from securities abroad. Income from a Salvadoran business is taxed on a progressive scale up to 30%, with the first $6,600 exempt. You still file with the IRS, and the foreign earned income exclusion only covers earned income, not investment returns.

Yes. The Freedom Visa, launched in December 2023, asks for a $1 million contribution in bitcoin or USDT and a $999 nonrefundable deposit that's credited toward it. It's capped at 1,000 people a year, applicants must pass know-your-customer checks, and families can apply together. It grants residence and eligibility for Salvadoran citizenship. The government hasn't published how many it has approved.

Yes, if you join a government-promoted program. An April 2025 reform (Article 152, numeral 13, of the migration law) grants permanent residence to foreigners who invest in or donate to programs run by the central government, with no temporary residence first. The fee is $690 for up to a year, and each program sets its own terms. Standard business investors start with temporary residence.

At least 90 calendar days a year, in one stretch or several. That rule came in with Legislative Decree 531, in effect since March 31, 2026. Before it, being away more than three consecutive months or four total months in a year cost temporary residents their status. Exceptions now need documented force majeure and approval from the immigration agency (DGME).

DGME's investor extension form lists $125 for up to one year or $240 for up to two years for applicants from outside Central America, and says processing takes about 45 business days once the file is complete. File in the 30 calendar days before your card expires. Legal help is extra: one San Salvador firm charges $800 for an investor filing.

No. U.S. citizens can visit without a visa for up to 90 days. That 90 days is shared across El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua under the CA-4 agreement. You can carry at most $10,000 in cash in or out, so move investment capital by bank transfer.

Americans need five years of residence, temporary and permanent combined, before applying to naturalize. Spaniards and Latin Americans by origin need one year, and spouses of Salvadorans need two. A naturalized citizen loses Salvadoran nationality after more than two consecutive years living in their country of origin, or more than five consecutive years abroad without permission.