El Salvador country guide
Retirement · Last checked 2026-08-08
Residencia Temporal Pensionados (F7)
A permanent, stable foreign pension of at least three current commerce-and-services minimum wages
El Salvador’s F7 pensioner residence is a one-year, multiple-entry temporary category for a person receiving a permanent and stable monthly pension from abroad.
- Country
- El Salvador
- Applicant basis
- A permanent, stable foreign pension of at least three current commerce-and-services minimum wages
- Responsible authority
- Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería
- Official route status
- Current official route
- Information available
- Detailed guide
- Last checked
- 2026-08-08
Supported requirements
What the current source supports
- Document a monthly, permanent, stable foreign pension of at least three current minimum wages for the commerce-and-services sector, intended for subsistence in El Salvador.
- Submit the F7 request, a copy of the valid passport and all used pages, and the original passport for comparison.
- Provide an original police or criminal-record certificate from the country of origin or any country of residence during the two years before entry. Foreign documents must be apostilled or authenticated and translated into Spanish as applicable.
- Provide current Salvadoran National Civil Police clearance after more than three months in El Salvador or more than two entries during the preceding year.
- Provide the original pension-provider certificate and a notarized declaration stating the income source and amount and that the applicant will not perform remunerated activity in the country.
Applicant scope
Who this route generally serves
- Generally designed for
- Foreign retirees able to document a permanent, stable foreign pension equal to at least three current commerce-and-services minimum wages.
- Legal basis named by the authority
- Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería, Articles 109(6), 110–113, 144, and 146–148, with Article 119 amended by Legislative Decree 531 of 2026; and DGME packets F7 and F22.
Route lifecycle
What to confirm from application onward
- Financial basis
- At least three current monthly minimum wages for the commerce-and-services sector in a permanent, stable pension from abroad. The indexed threshold is not converted to a fixed dollar figure.
- Government service fees
- For the statute’s one-year pensioner term, F7 states USD 70 for a Central American applicant and USD 140 for a non-Central American applicant. F22 states renewal charges of USD 55 and USD 125 respectively. Payments are non-refundable; confirm the live charge and nationality treatment before paying.
- Administrative service targets
- The F7 and F22 packets each state a maximum 45-working-day response period when all requirements are met. This is an official service target, not an approval or processing guarantee.
- Initial status
- Temporary residence for one year with multiple entries under Article 109(6).
- Renewal
- Apply during the 30 calendar days before expiry. F22 requires the renewal request, passport comparison and updated copies where applicable, and a notarized declaration confirming the pension source, amount, family maintenance where relevant, and no remunerated activity.
- Dependents
- F7 supplies a documented accompanying process for a spouse or partner and children under parental authority, including relationship, identity, and applicable adult background evidence. The pensioner must document family maintenance; approval is not automatic and no unsupported numeric increment is added.
- Work rights
- A pensioner may not perform remunerated work, except specialized work or teaching for the State, municipalities, or autonomous official institutions as stated in Article 144.
- Presence considerations
- The pensioner-specific Article 148 rule remains stricter than the 2026 general temporary-resident minimum: pensioner status is lost if absence exceeds six consecutive months or six months in intervals during one calendar year, unless justified.
- Permanent residence
- The statute permits a pensioner to seek definitive residence through a separate application, and DGME lists a separate F33 route. Temporary pensioner status does not automatically grant definitive residence.
- Citizenship relationship
- Naturalization is a separate legal process and is not established by pensioner residence.
Official evidence
Sources for this route
Instructivo F-07 — residencia temporal para personas pensionadasDirección General de Migración y Extranjería · ES · Last checked 2026-08-08Residencias temporalesDirección General de Migración y Extranjería · ES · Last checked 2026-08-08Instructivo F-22 — prórroga para personas pensionadasDirección General de Migración y Extranjería · ES · Last checked 2026-08-08Residencias definitivasDirección General de Migración y Extranjería · ES · Last checked 2026-07-27Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería — Decreto 286Asamblea Legislativa · ES · Last checked 2026-08-08Reformas a la Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería — Decreto 531Asamblea Legislativa · ES · Last checked 2026-08-08Preguntas frecuentes de extranjeríaDirección General de Migración y Extranjería · ES · Last checked 2026-08-08
General planning information only—not legal, tax, or investment advice. A listed route does not determine eligibility. Verify current rules with the responsible authority before acting.