Salvadoran mobile consulates: how to find one near you and what to bring

What a Salvadoran mobile consulate is and what it offers

A mobile consulate is a service day when staff from a Salvadoran consulate travel to another city in their jurisdiction to serve people who live far from the office. They set up for a day at places like churches, community centers or businesses.

Most events offer passports. Some also offer the DUI, with the RNPN (El Salvador's national ID registry), and other services. Several are passport-only, so check the announcement.

Fees are the same as at the consulate, set by the official consular fee schedule. You can go regardless of your immigration status in the US. Events are meant for Salvadorans living in the organizing consulate's jurisdiction, and their minor children, following each service's rules for minors.

If you only need to renew or replace a DUI, you may not have to wait for an event: since July 2026, you can renew the DUI online for $55, with home delivery.

How to find a mobile consulate near you (2026 dates)

Mobile consulate dates are announced one event at a time. No official central calendar could be verified, so your own consulate is the best source.

Where to look:

• Your consulate's official social media. The accounts are linked from the Foreign Ministry's official directory of embassies and consulates.
• Foreign Ministry news on rree.gob.sv, which posts some mobile consulates and extended-hours days.
• The official appointment portal, which includes information on mobile consulates and extended-hours days.
• The Virtual Consulate, free at 1-888-301-1130 or on WhatsApp at +503 7070-1071, if you can't find anything.

For example, in 2025 there were official events in Grand Island (Nebraska), Louisville (Kentucky), Lancaster and Pacoima (California), Midland (Texas), Glenwood Springs (Colorado) and Des Moines (Iowa).

Be wary of dates posted on unofficial websites. Official Foreign Ministry sites end in rree.gob.sv. If you see an announcement somewhere else, confirm it on the consulate's official accounts before you drive out, especially if you're taking a parent or grandparent.

Do you need an appointment? Walk-in vs. portal booking

Many mobile consulates are first-come, first-served, with no appointment. That's how the Foreign Ministry announced, for example, the events in Grand Island (Nebraska, October 2025), Louisville (Kentucky, July 2025) and Lancaster (California, November 2025).

Not every event works the same way, though. The Foreign Ministry's appointment portal has a "Consulado móvil" appointment type, which means some events do use appointments. Keep two portal rules in mind:

• No rescheduling. Appointments for mobile consulates and extended-hours days can't be moved to another date in the portal.
• One appointment, one service. Each appointment covers a single service. A passport and a DUI need two appointments.

At walk-in events, arrive early: space can be limited. Have everything ready so a missing document doesn't cost you your turn.

Appointments are always free. No one is authorized to charge you to "hold a spot" at a mobile consulate. In 2022, the Chicago consulate warned about people charging unauthorized fees around mobile consulate events in Indianapolis.

What to bring to a Salvadoran mobile consulate

Bring the same original documents the consulate would ask for at its office. A mobile event doesn't change the requirements.

• First adult passport: original, valid DUI.
• Passport renewal: valid DUI plus your expired or expiring passport.
• Lost or stolen passport: valid DUI and a sworn statement you sign there ($20, on top of the $60).
• Child's passport: a Salvadoran birth record issued within the last 12 months, and both parents with a valid DUI or Salvadoran passport. If one parent can't come, bring their authorization made before a Salvadoran notary or at a consulate, plus a copy of their ID.
• DUI, if offered: the same requirements as at the consulate for your case.
• Payment. No general official information on payment methods at mobile consulates was found, so check the announcement.

You don't need printed photos for a passport: your photo, fingerprints and signature are taken on site. Where the on-site ("in situ") passport system is used, the passport may be ready the same day, but that isn't confirmed for every event.

Mobile consulate vs. extended-hours day: the difference

The difference is location. At a mobile consulate, staff travel to another city. On an extended-hours day (jornada extraordinaria), the consulate serves people at its own office, outside regular hours, often on a Saturday.

For example, the Silver Spring, Maryland consulate announced an extended-hours day on Saturday, December 20, 2025, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., for passports and DUI.

Both are announced on each consulate's official social media and the Foreign Ministry's news page. On regular weekdays, consulates generally open Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., per the official directory. If the mobile event is far away, compare which option works better for you.

Common mistakes and scams

• Assuming every event offers the DUI: several are passport-only.
• Trusting dates on unofficial websites without checking the consulate's official accounts.
• Paying someone to hold your spot: no one is authorized to charge for that.
• Bringing a child without the absent parent's authorization.
• Booking a mobile consulate appointment expecting to change the date later: it can't be rescheduled.
• Showing up late to a walk-in event: space can run out.