POSTERN

El Salvador

Ley Especial para Residentes Rentistas. Residence for people living on foreign income or a pension. The old Rentista law was repealed in 2019; today it is a one-year renewable permit under the migration law, with definitive residence possible after a year.

Free, with the law behind every answer

Ley Especial para Residentes Rentistas

One-year renewable temporary residence, then definitive (permanent) residence after a year.

Who qualifies

Whether you keep your U.S. citizenship depends on the option you choose later.

1

It could fit.

Residence for people living on foreign income or a pension. The old Rentista law was repealed in 2019; today it is a one-year renewable permit under the migration law, with definitive residence possible after a year.

Every option that fits your family

Not legal advice.

2

What it takes.

Time
Up to 45 working days for a complete file.
Cost
$55 for a Central American or $125 for another nationality for up to 1 year; $100 or $240 respectively for up to 2 years.
The hard part
The applicant must document the source and amount of income in a notarised declaration and may not take paid work except specialised public-service or teaching work.
3

Citizens by 2033.

If your first permit is issued in 2027 and you keep living there, this is the road.

  1. 2027
    First residence permit

    1 year, renewable for 1 year at a time.

  2. 2028
    Permanent residence

    Definitive residence after three years of temporary residence. Spaniards and Spanish-speaking Americans qualify after one year, and so do rentiers and pensioners. Central Americans can get it directly. The card is renewed for one to four years at a time.

  3. 2032
    Apply for citizenship
  4. 2033
    Citizenship
Time away
Temporary and definitive residence both count toward the five years, and a definitive-residence card is needed to apply. Temporary residents lose their status after more than six months away in a row, or six months in total in a year. Definitive residents may be away up to two years.
Two passports
It depends on the rules at the time and on your home country.
  • One-year renewable permits under the 2019 migration law, with definitive residence possible after one year; the old Rentista law was repealed.
  • How long the decision takes isn’t published; we allow a year.
  • Whether you can keep your current citizenship depends on the rules at the time and your home country.
The law behind these dates
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Living there.

Time you must spend there
Temporary residents lose the status after more than 6 consecutive months abroad or 6 months in total during a year; definitive residents may be abroad for up to 2 years.
Tax
Qualifying foreign income can be certified as non-taxable in El Salvador.

We never file a tax return. We tell you what applies and brief the professional who does.

5

Start today.

  1. Request the Ministerio de Hacienda resolution qualifying foreign income as non-taxable, then file for residency.Open migracion.gob.sv ↗
  2. Gather these documents.
    • Proof of how you will support yourselves
    • Request your FBI Identity History Summary
    • Health cover for the move
6

Postern can’t run this for you yet.

The official application forms, submission and recovery specification are not complete. Postern cannot run this application yet.

Options open to you today →
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ISSUED TO

YOUR FAMILY

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