How to Get El Salvador CitizenshipKey facts
- Residence for naturalisation
- 5 years
- Language
- None
- Dual citizenship
- Accepted
- Civic test
- No civic knowledge requirement
- Criminal record
- A criminal record or good character condition applies
- Income condition
- No income condition in the law
- Dual citizenship in detail
- Accepted in both directionsNew citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship.Citizens who naturalise abroad keep their citizenship.
- Available routes
- Region
- Americas
- Law in force as of
- 1 January 2024
- Last checked
- Not yet checked by our team
The rule text in the sections below was coded for the law on 1 January 2024. A November 2026 search found no later change for this country, but this has not been verified.
Naturalisation (residence)
Residence in El Salvador is the basis of this route, together with the other conditions below. Even if the legal conditions are satisfied, authorities may still decide to refuse.
- Residence
- 5 years
Person has been resident in El Salvador for 5 years.
- Previous citizenship
- New citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship
- Language
- No language requirement
- Civic knowledge
- No civic knowledge requirement
- Criminal record
- A criminal record or good character condition applies
Person manifests the will to adhere to the law and authorities of El Salvador.
- Income or economic resources
- No income condition in the law
Marriage or civil partnership
Marriage to a citizen of El Salvador is the basis of this route, together with the conditions below. Even if the legal conditions are satisfied, authorities may still decide to refuse.
Person is the spouse of a citizen and has been resident in El Salvador for 2 years, either before or after the marriage was celebrated and manifests the will to adhere to the law and authorities of El Salvador.
Descent (citizen parent)
For a person with a parent who is a citizen of El Salvador, the rules below set out how this route works. Citizenship arises directly under the law of El Salvador, without any authority making a decision.
Person is born abroad to a citizen.
Birth in the country
This route concerns people born in El Salvador, and only in the situations described below. Citizenship arises directly under the law of El Salvador, without any authority making a decision.
Person is born in El Salvador.
Former citizens (reacquisition)
This route covers people who previously held citizenship of El Salvador, subject to the conditions below. Citizenship must be granted under the law of El Salvador once an application meets the legal conditions.
Person is a former citizen by birth or by naturalization.
Citizens of specific countries
For citizens of certain countries, the law of El Salvador sets separate rules, shown below.
Person is a citizen of a country formerly part of the Federal Republic of Central America and has been resident in El Salvador for 1 year.
Person is a citizen by birth of Spain or an Hispanoamerican country and has been resident in El Salvador for 1 year. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation.
Refugees
This route covers people recognised as refugees in El Salvador, subject to the conditions below. Even if the legal conditions are satisfied, authorities may still decide to refuse.
Person who is a refugee and who has obtained definitive residence in the country can apply for citizenship three years after the application to obtain the status of refugee. Applicant can be exempted from any requirement he cannot fulfil.
Stateless persons
Statelessness, or the risk of it, is the basis of this route in El Salvador. Even if the legal conditions are satisfied, authorities may still decide to refuse.
Person who is stateless and who has obtained definitive residence in the country can apply for citizenship three years after the application to obtain the status of stateless. Applicant can be exempted from any requirement he cannot fulfil.
Special achievements
For people whose achievements or contributions are recognised by El Salvador, the rules below set out what applies. Even if the legal conditions are satisfied, authorities may still decide to refuse.
Person has rendered notable services to El Salvador.
Not available in El Salvador: Child of a new citizen, Adoption, Other family members of citizens, Ethnic or cultural affinity, Residence during childhood, Very long residence, Public or military service, Investment. Coded by GLOBALCIT for 1 January 2024 and updated with in-force changes.
Dual citizenship
Both groups can hold a second citizenship under the law of El Salvador: new citizens, and citizens who naturalise abroad.
- New citizens
- New citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship
- Citizens who naturalise abroad
- Citizens who naturalise abroad keep their citizenship
Compare with neighbours
Among the 7 countries in Central America with a residence route, 5 years is the most common requirement, and El Salvador follows it.
See how El Salvador compares with every country in the residence ranking
| Country | Residence | Language | Dual citizenship |
|---|---|---|---|
 Belize | 5 years | None | Accepted |
 Costa Rica | 7 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
 Guatemala | 5 years | Test or certificate | Accepted |
 Honduras | 3 years | None | Citizens abroad only |
 Nicaragua | 4 years | Test or certificate | Citizens abroad only |
 Panama | 5 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
Official sources
This page was located by search and has not yet been checked by our team.
Naturalisation provisions: Legal basis: Constitution Art. 92(2), Nationality law Art. 156, 157.
Cite this page
TravelDecl. (n.d.). How to Get El Salvador Citizenship. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/el-salvador/
<a href="https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/el-salvador/">How to Get El Salvador Citizenship</a> (TravelDecl, retrieved 5 November 2026)
Sources and licence
Vink, van der Baaren, Bauböck, Džankić, Honohan, Manby (2025). GLOBALCIT Citizenship Law Dataset v3.1. Global Citizenship Observatory, https://hdl.handle.net/1814/73190. CC BY 4.0. Modified by TravelDecl.
Modified by TravelDecl: updated with changes after 1 January 2024.
GLOBALCIT codes the law as written. Fees, processing times, quotas and how officials apply the rules in practice are not in this dataset: check them with the official authority.
FAQ
How many years to become a Salvadoran citizen?
The residence period for ordinary naturalisation in El Salvador is 5 years. Other legal conditions also apply.
Does El Salvador allow dual citizenship?
Yes, in both directions: new citizens and citizens who naturalise abroad can hold another citizenship.
Do I need a language test for Salvadoran citizenship?
A language test is not part of the requirements for Salvadoran citizenship.
Is there a civic knowledge test for Salvadoran citizenship?
Civic knowledge is not assessed as part of the naturalisation process for Salvadoran citizenship.
Do I have to give up my current citizenship to get Salvadoran citizenship?
No, you do not have to give up your current citizenship to get Salvadoran citizenship. The law of your current country may have its own rules on this.
Can I get El Salvador citizenship by marriage?
Yes, El Salvador provides a marriage route. Procedure: discretionary.
Can I get El Salvador citizenship by descent?
Yes, the law of El Salvador provides citizenship by descent from a citizen parent. Procedure: automatic.
Can I get El Salvador citizenship by investment?
The data shows no investment route for El Salvador.
Related pages
Also see: El Salvador passport, visa-free access and entry rules. Latest law changes.
Corrections to this page are handled by Sarah Kim, Fact-Checker.