Citizenship
El Salvador Freedom Citizenship
Citizenship through a substantial non-refundable contribution to El Salvador's national development.
- Minimum
- $1,000,000
- Timeline
- Up to 3 months
- Residence
- Minimal
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- Minimum
- $1,000,000
- Timeline
- Up to 3 months
- Outcome
- Direct citizenship
- Presence
- Minimal
- Visa-free access
- 130 destinations
- Dual citizenship
- Permitted
- Family
- Spouse + children
The opportunity
Why El Salvador
The Adopting El Salvador Freedom Citizenship Program is a USD 1 million contribution route covering the main applicant, one spouse and all children under 18. The programme's official site names it the Freedom Citizenship & Passport Program, also called the Freedom Visa or Freedom Passport.
The source accepts USD and specified cryptocurrency payment routes. Wealthy Expat does not facilitate cryptocurrency liquidation, currency exchange or movement of client funds.
El Salvador's Legislative Assembly approved the enabling reform to the Ley Especial de Migración y Extranjería, Legislative Decree No. 918, on 20 December 2023, allowing foreign nationals who make a qualifying investment or donation to obtain Salvadoran nationality by naturalisation. It was published in the Diario Oficial on 9 January 2024.
Passport and mobility
130
visa-free or visa-on-arrival destinations
- Schengen travel
Shown only where verified.
Who it suits
May fit. May not.
El Salvador suits applicants who want a second citizenship. The two lists show where it fits and where another program serves better.
May fit if you want
- Applicants who want citizenship without living in El Salvador before applying.
- Applicants able to document the lawful source of a USD 1,000,000 contribution, whether in USD or the specified cryptocurrencies.
- Applicants whose own country allows dual nationality, and who are comfortable applying online and collecting the passport in El Salvador or at a qualified Salvadoran consulate or embassy.
May not fit if you need
- Applicants seeking a lower-cost citizenship-by-investment route — at USD 1,000,000 this is among the highest published contribution amounts of Wealthy Expat's citizenship programmes.
- Applicants who need Wealthy Expat to arrange or move cryptocurrency on their behalf — that service is not offered.
- Applicants who cannot document the lawful origin of their funds to the standard required by the programme's background and source-of-funds screening.
Qualifying routes
Available routes
One route qualifies: Freedom Citizenship contribution. The minimum is $1,000,000.
- Government contribution
$1,000,000
Freedom Citizenship contribution
Non-refundable contribution for the main applicant, one spouse and all children under 18.
What it costs
El Salvador citizenship by investment costs
What the program costs beyond the qualifying investment, item by item.
Qualifying investment
$1,000,000
Freedom Citizenship contribution
What the investment covers
USD 1,000,000 in total for the main applicant, one spouse and all children under 18. It includes the non-refundable USD 999 application processing fee paid to start the evaluation; the remaining USD 999,001 is paid after approval.
Costs beyond the investment
- Naturalisation and passport fees, main applicantThe programme does not state passport costs. The general fee schedule of the 2019 migration law lists USD 700 for naturalisation, and the programme does not say whether it applies. The official site describes one USD 999 fee within the family total; Wealthy Expat confirms with the programme whether any further fee applies to each family member before quoting a family figure.
- Naturalisation and passport fees, spouseThe same as the main applicant's: the programme states no amount.
- Naturalisation and passport fees, each child under 18The same as the main applicant's: the programme states no amount.
Professional fees are quoted individually after eligibility review. Government fees change without notice; every figure is verified before engagement.
Qualifying investment
$1,000,000
Freedom Citizenship contribution
USD 1,000,000 in total for the main applicant, one spouse and all children under 18. It includes the non-refundable USD 999 application processing fee paid to start the evaluation; the remaining USD 999,001 is paid after approval.
- Naturalisation and passport fees, main applicantThe programme does not state passport costs. The general fee schedule of the 2019 migration law lists USD 700 for naturalisation, and the programme does not say whether it applies. The official site describes one USD 999 fee within the family total; Wealthy Expat confirms with the programme whether any further fee applies to each family member before quoting a family figure.
- Naturalisation and passport fees, spouseThe same as the main applicant's: the programme states no amount.
- Naturalisation and passport fees, each child under 18The same as the main applicant's: the programme states no amount.
Professional fees are quoted individually after eligibility review. Government fees change without notice; every figure is verified before engagement.
Single applicant, couple or family of four
$1,000,000 + fees
The amount is the same for every household size; some government fees are charged for each person.
Not a quotation. Figures are indicative and subject to verification.
Requirements
El Salvador citizenship requirements
Who can apply is set by two rules on background and qualification. A spouse and minor children can join the same application.
Who can apply
Background
- Complete background and sanctions screening.The programme's terms say the authorities review criminal and police records and the applicant's presence on control lists, blacklists and grey lists.
Qualification
- Document the lawful source of the contribution, whether in fiat currency or cryptocurrency.The programme's terms say the authorities check the applicant's economic capacity and that the funds do not come from illicit activities. Wallet-ownership checks, if any, come from the payment provider or Wealthy Expat, not from a published programme rule.
Family inclusion
Spouse
IncludedOne spouse.
Minor children
IncludedAge limitUnder 18
How it works
How to become a citizen of El Salvador
The application runs in five steps. An official source gives a processing time of up to 3 months.
Private eligibility review
Discuss your objectives, family circumstances and the qualifying-fund evidence you can provide.
Application fee
Pay the non-refundable USD 999 application fee, part of the USD 1,000,000 total, to start the evaluation.
Background and source-of-funds checks
The authorities review criminal and police records and watch lists, and check your economic capacity and that the funds do not come from illicit activities.
- Duration
- Approvals typically take up to 6 weeks, as stated on the programme site.
Remaining contribution
After approval, pay the remaining USD 999,001 through the secure payment link the programme sends; naturalisation starts once the payment is verified.
Citizenship and passport
The Salvadoran government decides on nationality by naturalisation, and under the programme's terms the authorities may decline to grant a passport at their discretion. The passport is collected in person in El Salvador or at the nearest qualified Salvadoran consulate or embassy.
- Duration
- Passport within three months, as stated on the programme site.
- Official processing time
- Up to 3 months
Alternatives
Compared with alternatives
How El Salvador compares with two citizenship-by-investment programs that have a lower entry point: Turkey from $400,000 and Argentina from $350,000.
This program
El Salvador Freedom Citizenship
- Minimum
- $1,000,000
- Timeline
- Up to 3 months
- Family
- Spouse + children
You are here
Turkey Citizenship by Investment
- From
- $400,000
- Timeline
- 3 to 5 months
- Family
- Spouse + children
Argentina Citizenship
- From
- $350,000
- Timeline
- Variable
- Family
- Spouse + children
Questions
Program FAQ
Short answers to six questions about El Salvador Freedom Citizenship.
No period of residence in El Salvador is required before applying. After naturalisation, a naturalised Salvadoran loses that nationality by living more than two consecutive years in the country of origin or by more than five consecutive years of absence from El Salvador without a permit; a permit can cover up to seven years.
The source states the program accepts specified cryptocurrency payment routes alongside USD. Wealthy Expat does not facilitate cryptocurrency liquidation, currency exchange or movement of client funds.
El Salvador does not itself require you to renounce your current nationality, but its Constitution guarantees dual nationality only to Salvadorans by birth. For naturalised citizens, keeping a former nationality depends on reciprocity and on whether your own country allows dual nationality; check your own country's rules.
El Salvador's Legislative Assembly approved Legislative Decree No. 918 on 20 December 2023, adding numeral 5 to article 156 of the Ley Especial de Migración y Extranjería. It was published in the Diario Oficial on 9 January 2024. Press reports gave the vote as 63 in favour and 11 against.
The Henley Passport Index (checked 20 October 2026) lists El Salvador at 38th, with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 130 destinations.
Yes. Freedom Visa and Freedom Passport are names the programme's official site uses for the same programme, which it calls the Freedom Citizenship & Passport Program. Despite the word "visa", the programme leads to Salvadoran nationality by naturalisation and a Salvadoran passport, not to a visa. It is a non-refundable contribution of USD 1,000,000 that covers the main applicant, one spouse and all children under 18. The Salvadoran government decides on nationality after background and source-of-funds checks, and under the programme's terms the authorities may decline to grant a passport at their discretion.
Sources
Official sources
Checked against official sources on .
- Adopting El Salvador: the programme's official site (fees, family, process and terms) (opens in a new tab)
- Legislative Assembly: Legislative Decree No. 918 of 20 December 2023 (opens in a new tab)
- Legislative Assembly: Legislative Decree No. 531 of 17 March 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Legislative Assembly: Constitution of the Republic, consolidated text (opens in a new tab)
- Legislative Assembly: Ley Especial de Migración y Extranjería of 2019 (opens in a new tab)
Guide · lead magnet
El Salvador Citizenship Guide
The El Salvador Freedom Citizenship brochure: requirements, costs, timeline and the steps we walk clients through, in one document. Delivered by email.
Next step
Have your eligibility reviewed before you commit.
A specialist checks your profile against the current rules, confirms the right route and quotes the full cost picture. No documents are collected at this stage.
- Program: El Salvador Freedom Citizenship, included automatically