El Salvador (DNV)
Freelancer Visa (Bitcoin-friendly residency for digital workers)
Launched 2023.
- Income req
- $1K/mo
- Initial validity
- 2 yr
- Renewable
- Yes
- Application fee
- $75
- Permit fee
- $150
- Processing
- 4-8 wks
- Path to PR
- 5 yr
- Path to citizenship
- 5 yr
Income requirements
- Monthly minimum (USD): $1K
- Monthly minimum (native): 1,460 USD
Last 12 months bank statements
USD 1,460/mo (~4x El Salvador minimum wage). El Salvador uses USD natively.
Tax treatment
- Becomes tax resident: After 200 days
- Special regime: Foreign-source income exempt under territorial system; Bitcoin gains exempt under Bitcoin Law (2021)
- Foreign income: Foreign income exempt for residents (territorial). Bitcoin specifically: capital gains on BTC exempt as it's recognized as legal tender.
El Salvador territorial tax + Bitcoin legal tender = unique zero-tax setup for crypto-native nomads. Major political volatility (Bukele administration) is the key risk.
Remote work requirements
- Must work for foreign employer: Yes
- Local clients allowed: No
- Local employment allowed: No
- Self-employed accepted: Yes
- Salaried vs freelance: both
Family inclusion
- Spouse: Yes
- Children under 18: Yes
- Dependent adult children: No
- Parents dependent: No
Family covered.
Path to PR & citizenship
Permanent residency
- Available: Yes
- Years required: 5
PR after 5 years; DNV counts.
Citizenship
- Available: Yes
- Years required: 5
- Language test: Yes
- Language level: Spanish
Naturalization 5 years; Central American spouses 1 year.
Eligibility requirements
- Non-Salvadoran
- USD 1,460+/mo
- Remote work
- Clean criminal record
Recent changes
- 2023
El Salvador Freelancer Visa launched.
- 2024-2025
Bitcoin Law 2021 retained; IMF demanded modifications but BTC remains legal tender.
Notes
El Salvador = USD economy + territorial tax + Bitcoin-friendly + low cost + 5-year citizenship. Security greatly improved under Bukele (post-2022). Political/legal volatility caveat.
EasyPassport is a document-organization tool focused on citizenship by descent. This page is reference research, not legal or financial advice. Always verify with the official program authority.