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El Salvador
El Salvador visit visa for Pakistan passport holders
VisitVisaInfo Editorial Team
Our El Salvador guide is built from official government and embassy sources.
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El Salvador · Izalco Volcano · Angela Rucker, USAID · Public domain
Summary
- Visa type
- Consulted visa (category C) from a Salvadoran mission
- Stay limit
- As granted
- Entries
- As issued
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of El Salvador classifies Pakistan as category C, “visa consultada”, for ordinary passports. Diplomatic, official and service passports are category A and exempt. A consulted visa is the strictest of the three categories: the application is referred to the migration authorities for approval before a visa can be issued. Requirements go to the nearest Salvadoran diplomatic or consular mission.
El Salvador, the smallest country in Central America, is known for its Pacific surf breaks at El Tunco and El Zonte, the volcanoes of Santa Ana and Izalco, and the colonial town of Suchitoto. Pakistani ordinary passport holders need a visa.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes a country-by-country table that sorts every nationality into three categories. Pakistan is in category C, the “visa consultada” or consulted visa, for ordinary passports. Diplomatic, official and service passports are category A and visa-exempt.
Category C is the strictest. Your file is referred to the migration authorities for approval before any visa is issued, so it takes longer than a standard consular visa. Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Afghanistan are in the same category.
Apply through the nearest Salvadoran embassy or consulate with form VCA-4, a passport valid six months, a flight itinerary, any hotel booking and proof of funds. Business travellers add an invitation letter and a CV, and investors add a Ministry of Economy registry resolution.
El Salvador shares this classification with Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, and the table lists no exceptions for Pakistan. The Ministry does not publish the visa fee, so confirm it with the mission.
Checklist
Document requirements
- Completed VCA-4 visa application form
- Passport valid at least six months
- Travel itinerary with airline, flight number and dates of entry and exit
- Hotel reservation, if applicable
- Proof of financial means for the trip and stay
- For business visits: letter of support or invitation, and a CV or proof of profession
- For investors: resolution from the Investment Registry of the Ministry of Economy
Pakistan is category C (consulted visa) for ordinary passports and category A (visa-exempt) for diplomatic, official and service passports. The table lists no separate treatment for Pakistan by Guatemala, Honduras or Nicaragua, the other members of the Central America-4 visa arrangement.
Checklist source: rree.gob.sv
Money and time
Fees and timeline
Fees
Official fee
Fee not published
Check the current fee with the Salvadoran embassy or consulate where you apply. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs page on consular visas does not publish the amount.
Fee source
Timeline
Processing and appointments
Not officially published. Consulted visas need approval from the migration authorities, so apply well ahead of travel.
Official links
How to apply
You will leave VisitVisaInfo for an official government or designated VAC website.
Check another passport
Not travelling to El Salvador on a Pakistani passport? Pick other countries and the flight animation takes you to that guide.
Official statistics
Visa ratio
Not officially published
El Salvador does not publish visa approval or refusal rates for Pakistani applicants.
A percentage is shown only when an official source published one for this route. Blog tables and estimates are left out.
Quick answers
FAQ
Do Pakistanis need a visa for El Salvador?
Yes. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists Pakistan as category C, “visa consultada”, for ordinary passports.
What does category C mean?
It is a consulted visa: the application is sent to the authorities for approval before the visa is issued. Category A countries need no visa, and category B countries get a consular visa without consultation.
Are diplomatic passports treated differently?
Yes. Pakistani diplomatic, official and service passports are category A, which means visa-exempt.
Where do I apply?
Send the requirements to the nearest Salvadoran diplomatic or consular mission.
What form do I use?
Form VCA-4, the visa application form used across the Central America-4 arrangement.
How long must my passport be valid?
At least six months before it expires.
What travel details are required?
An itinerary showing the airline, flight number and your dates of entering and leaving El Salvador, plus a hotel booking if you have one.
Do I need to show money?
Yes. You must show financial backing for your trip and your stay in the country.
What extra papers do business travellers need?
A letter of support or invitation, and a CV or documents proving your profession.
How do investors apply?
Investors must also present a resolution from the Investment Registry issued by El Salvador’s Ministry of Economy.
Does the visa cover Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua too?
The four countries share one visa classification table, and it lists no different treatment of Pakistan by the other three. Check each country’s own rules before you plan an overland trip.
What is a courtesy visa?
A visa granted under Salvadoran law for official, cultural or sporting missions, mission staff, and participants in seminars or courses, among others.
How much does the visa cost?
The Ministry page does not publish the fee. Check the current fee with the mission where you apply.
Is there an official refusal rate for Pakistanis?
No. El Salvador does not publish visa refusal figures by nationality.
Which other countries are in category C?
The same table places Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Yemen and several African states, among others, in category C for ordinary passports.
Which nationalities need only a consular visa?
Category B, the consular visa without consultation, covers countries such as India, China, the Philippines, Egypt and Thailand for ordinary passports. The mission can issue these without referring the file for approval.
Does a hotel booking have to be confirmed?
The Ministry lists a hotel reservation as a requirement where it applies. If you are staying with friends or family, give their address and be ready to show an invitation.
Can I send my documents to any embassy?
The Ministry says requirements must be sent to the nearest Salvadoran diplomatic and consular mission to start the visa application.
How do I contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?
Call +503 2231-1000. The Ministry is on Boulevard Cancillería, Calle El Pedregal, Antiguo Cuscatlán, La Libertad.
Checked against
Official sources
- Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de El Salvador: emisión de visa consular y de cortesíaEl Salvador source: rree.gob.sv/emision-de-visa-consular-y-de-cortesia/
Last checked for El Salvador visas on 23 October 2026. Rules change without notice, so confirm on the official pages before you apply or travel.
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