How to renew or get a Salvadoran passport in the United States

How much a Salvadoran passport costs and how long it lasts

A Salvadoran passport costs $60 at consulates in the US, the same for adults and minors, and it's valid for 6 years from the date of issue.

The 6-year validity comes from the 2019 Special Migration and Foreigners Law (Art. 201), and El Salvador's immigration office, the DGME (Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería), confirms it. Pages that say 5 years are outdated; that was the old rule. Official sources don't set a different validity for minors.

For reference, the passport costs $25 at a DGME office inside El Salvador, but that price doesn't apply at consulates. Outside Central America, the consular fee is $60.

Salvadoran passport for minors

The child applies in person with both parents and a birth certificate issued 1 year ago or less. The fee is the same as for adults: $60.

If one parent can't attend, they can authorize the passport in one of these ways:

• A special power of attorney or notarial act before a Salvadoran notary, plus a copy of their valid DUI or passport. At consulates, the consul acts as a notary: see how a consular power of attorney works.
• An authorization made before a Salvadoran consul ($20).
• A document signed before a US or other foreign notary, apostilled and in Spanish or translated.
• Approval from the PGR (Procuraduría General de la República; free, by appointment) or an authorization from a specialized children's judge.

Special cases: if a parent has died, bring the death certificate. If loss of parental authority is noted on the child's birth certificate, no authorization is needed. Teens over 14 can apply alone only if a children's court or the PGR allows it.

If your child was born in the US, first register the birth at the consulate so they have a Salvadoran birth certificate.

Lost, stolen, or damaged Salvadoran passport

If your passport was lost or stolen, the replacement costs $80: $60 for the new passport plus $20 for a sworn statement you sign at the consulate. For a repeat loss, you pay $260, because a fine of three times the passport fee is added (Art. 212 of the Special Migration and Foreigners Law).

Bring your original, valid DUI or, for a minor, a birth certificate issued within the last year. A police report isn't on the official consular list of requirements, although some news outlets recommend filing one.

Once you report a passport as lost, it's canceled. If you find it later, hand it in to a consulate or the DGME; if you try to use it, it will be seized.

If it's damaged (stains, tears, burns, or loose pages), it has to be replaced by paying for a new one. If the data page or visa pages are missing, it counts as destroyed. The consular page doesn't explain how this case is charged, so ask your consulate before your appointment.

Same-day delivery and urgent travel

Yes, it's usually same day. In 2023, the Foreign Ministry said all its consulates in the US have the immediate passport system, taking under 45 minutes. The Columbus, Ohio, consulate, opened in 2025, has it too.

Delivery may differ at mobile consulates and special service days, so confirm before you go. Mobile consulates serve people first-come, first-served: see how a mobile consulate works.

If you have urgent travel:

• Since passports are usually issued the same day, the first step is getting an appointment. Ask the Virtual Consulate for the earliest date.
• Consulates can also issue a provisional passport to Salvadorans abroad who have no passport, on presentation of a DUI or other proof of identity and nationality. They issued 1,240 between June 2025 and May 2026. We found no published fee, so ask your consulate.

If you'll be in El Salvador, you can apply at a DGME office ($25, walk-in). The DGME's online renewal only works for people physically inside the country.

Common mistakes and scams

• Showing up with an expired DUI: renew it before your passport appointment.
• Bringing a child's birth certificate issued more than 1 year earlier.
• Thinking a simple letter from the absent parent is enough: you need a special power of attorney, a notarial act, or a consular authorization, plus a copy of their ID.
• Trying to renew from the US on the DGME online system, which only works for people in El Salvador.
• Trusting old pages that say the passport lasts 5 years or that ask for photos and enlarged photocopies.
• Using a passport you already reported as lost: it's canceled and can be seized.