Documents for El Salvador Residency: What to Apostille Before You Travel

Most residency delays do not come from immigration but from a piece of paper: a certificate without an apostille, an expired record, an incomplete translation. And almost everything that must be apostilled is done in your own country, which is exactly the place you are leaving.

This guide is the checklist to have it ready before you buy the ticket.

Apostille: why and where

El Salvador has been part of the Hague Apostille Convention since May 31st, 1996. If your country is too, a public document apostilled there is valid in El Salvador with no consular legalization. That includes the United States, Colombia and Spain, among others.

The immigration law requires documents from abroad to be apostilled or, if the country is not part of the convention, legalized through the consular chain (art. 162; Regulations, art. 149). The apostille is requested in the country that issued the document:

• United States: state documents (birth and marriage certificates) are apostilled by the Secretary of State of the issuing state; federal documents, such as the FBI record, by the State Department's Office of Authentications (form DS-4194, US$20 per document).
• Colombia: online, through the Foreign Ministry. It costs US$11 from abroad and takes at most three business days. The document must carry the handwritten signature of a registered public official.
• Spain: issued by the Ministry of Justice, the High Courts of Justice and, for notarial documents, the Notarial Associations. The electronic apostille is only available for some Ministry certificates.

The checklist: what to apostille before leaving

The passport is not apostilled: you submit a copy of every used page and the original. And sworn statements (of activities, income or support) are not brought from abroad: they are made before a Salvadoran notary.

The limit that sinks the most files: one year

Before the DGME, foreign documents are valid for at most one year from issue, unless the issuing authority sets another expiration. An employment letter or contract is valid for only 30 days (Regulations, art. 151).

An apostille that never expires does not save the document: Colombia's Foreign Ministry, for example, notes that the apostille has no validity period, but El Salvador measures the year on the document itself. If your trip is delayed, check dates before you file.

Translation: done in El Salvador, before a notary

Any document not in Spanish must be translated in full (art. 162). There are two routes (Regulations, art. 150):

• A translation procedure before a Salvadoran notary: the notary appoints an interpreter as an expert, swears them in and signs and seals every page (Law on Notarial Practice in Voluntary Jurisdiction, art. 24). This is the most common route, and you do not need a sworn translator from your country.
• Through your country's embassy or consulate, followed by authentication at El Salvador's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

For documents in English, plan for this step: every page is translated, including the apostille.

Criminal record certificates: how to get them

• United States: the FBI Identity History Summary (form I-783, US$18), which, being federal, is apostilled by the State Department.
• Colombia: the National Police certificate is free, obtained online with the cédula, and apostilled through the Foreign Ministry's online system.
• Spain: the Ministry of Justice criminal record certificate costs EUR 3.86 (form 790, code 006) and can be requested by Spaniards and by foreigners who lived in Spain. If you indicate the country where it will be used, it is issued apostilled.

If you lived in another country in the last two years, the certificate must come from that country (art. 110). Once in El Salvador, if you have been there more than three months or entered more than twice in the last year, you will also be asked for a National Civil Police clearance.

Frequently asked questions

Which documents should I apostille for El Salvador residency?

Criminal record certificates for each adult, marriage and birth certificates, the power of attorney from the non-signing parent (if applicable), the income or pension certificate for rentistas and pensioners, and the children's school transcripts. Sworn statements are made before a Salvadoran notary.

How long are documents valid for El Salvador immigration?

One year from issue, unless the issuing authority sets another expiration; employment letters or contracts, 30 days (Regulations of the immigration law, art. 151).

Do I need a certified translator from my country?

No. The usual route is a translation procedure before a Salvadoran notary, who swears in an interpreter as an expert (Law on Notarial Practice in Voluntary Jurisdiction, art. 24). The translation must be complete.

Does El Salvador accept apostilles?

Yes. El Salvador has been part of the Hague Apostille Convention since May 31st, 1996.