Salvadoran Residence

Dear American Citizen:

We hope this information will clarify your concern regarding the necessary requirement for an American Citizen to become a legal resident in El Salvador.  Salvadoran Immigration can provide a better answer to your question.  However, our understanding is that:
Salvadoran Immigration provides a general list of requirements;
http://www.seguridad.gob.sv/Web-Seguridad/Migracion/formularios01.htm
but Salvadoran Immigration Officials have expressed their desire to treat each application on a case by case basis since the documentation presented by American Citizens varies depending on the state or jurisdiction where the documents were issued.

The general requirements to obtain a work permit (for a local company) are as follows:

a)   Application completed by the company hiring the applicant stating wages, duration of the employee services.

• Apostille birth certificate (translated into Spanish, following Salvadoran regulations).
• Apostille police records (translated into Spanish, following Salvadoran regulations).

The records should reflect residence of the applicant for the past two years in the country where he/she lived.

• Medical report from a Salvadoran physician stating that the applicant does not suffer from a contagious disease.
• Two copies of the applicant’s passport or evidence of the applicant’s citizenship.
• Two copies of the company’s constitution (deed) with whatever modifications the company experienced.

g)   Complete application for the Salvadoran Labor Department.
h)  Fee, which will depend on the type of residence the applicant, is approved for.

The general requirements to obtain a work permit for an applicant married to a Salvadoran national are as follows:

• Application filled out by the interested party.
• Apostille birth certificate (translated into Spanish, following Salvadoran regulations).
• Apostille police records (translated into Spanish, following Salvadoran regulations).

The records should reflect residence of the applicant for the past two years in the country
where he/she lived.

• Sworn statement from the Salvadoran spouse stating that he/she has the means to assist his/her spouse economically or applicant’s evidence of income (pension, etc.).
• Medical report from a Salvadoran physician stating that the applicant does not suffer from a contagious disease.
• Two copies of the applicant’s passport or evidence of the applicant’s citizenship.
• Fee, which will depend on the type of residence the applicant, is approved for.

American citizens should be aware that any documents (i.e.: birth certificate, marriage certificates, divorced decrees, police record checks, etc) presented to the Salvadoran government (GOES) must be “Apostille” from the country of origin, also all types of documents must be issued within the last sixty (60) days otherwise they are consider invalid.

The documents must be apostille originals only, no photocopies or copies certify by notaries, remember that the U.S. Embassy in El Salvador cannot provide certifications for any U.S. documents.

(Apostille – An “Apostille” is a form of authentication issued to documents for use in countries that participate in the 1961 Hague Convention.

http://travel.state.gov/law/info/judicial/judicial_2545.html

A list of countries that accept apostilles is provided by the U.S. Department of State and is available at http://www.hcch.net/index_en.php?act=conventions.authorities&cid=41

El Salvador and the United States are signatory members of the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents, commonly referred to as the "APOSTILLE Convention."  El Salvador adhered to the convention in July 1995.  The convention abolishes the requirement for Diplomatic or Consular legalization of public documents originating in one convention country and intended for use in another.  Documents issued in a convention country which have been certified by a convention "APOSTILLE" are entitled to recognition in any other Convention country without any further authentication.  Such recognition is an obligation on the part of the United States to the other countries party to the convention, and the federal courts and state authorities have been alerted to this obligation.  Consular Officers in Convention countries are prohibited from placing a certification over the Convention Apostille.

In the case of federal documents, the authority to Apostille a federal document is the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications http://www.state.gov/m/a/auth/c16921.htm  In the case of state documents the Secretary of State of the state issuing the document has this authority.

If you are required to present a legalized ("authenticated") U.S. public document (e.g., a birth certificate, school transcript, articles of incorporation, etc.) for use in El Salvador, you must have the appropriate authority in the United States affix an Apostille certificate to the document.  Each of the 50 states has appointed its own Apostille authority, most commonly that state's Secretary of State.  You can find the appropriate authority, along with their address, phone number, other contact information, and schedule of fees at the following Internet website:

http://travel.state.gov/family/abduction/hague_issues/hague_issues_562.html

If you need help with your application you may consider hiring the services of a Salvadoran attorney to assist you with the paperwork.

Please confirm all this information with Salvadoran Immigration you may contact
Salvadoran Immigration at:

• Dirección General de Migración (DGME) - Centro de Gobierno

9ª Calle Poniente / 15 Avenida Norte (Alameda Juan Pablo II)
Edificio Ministerio de Gobernación
     San Salvador
     Tel: 2555-7765 / 2555-7700 / 2555-7777   Fax: 2271-1850

E-mail: denuncias.migracion@seguridad.gob.sv
(To make inquiries about general services, to file complaints, etc)

E-mail: extranjeria.citas@seguridad.gob.sv
(To make an appointment)

Website: http://www.seguridad.gob.sv/Web-Seguridad/Migracion/migracion.htm
(At this site you may download different forms, and after you have presented your initial application, you may request a password to log-on and inquire about your case)

We hope this information is helpful.

Sincerely,

ACS Staff