El Salvador
El Salvador runs the world’s only citizenship-by-investment programme paid in cryptocurrency: a 1,000,000 USD contribution in Bitcoin or Tether, fully remote, for a passport reaching about 130 countries including the Schengen area. The honest verdict: it is by far the most expensive CBI for that mobility, so it makes sense as an ideological, Bitcoin-forward choice, not as value per dollar against a Caribbean passport.
Citizenship by investment — key figures
- From
- $1 000 000≈ $1 335 000 — estimated total, family of four, fees included
- Processing time
- 2–4 months
- Physical presence
- None. There is no residency requirement, no language test and no interview; the process is fully remote.
Investment routes
| Route | Official minimum | Real total, family of four |
|---|---|---|
| Donation | $1 000 000 | ≈ $1 335 000 |
Last verified
Tax at a glance
- Territorial in effect, with foreign income and remittances untaxed since a 2024 reform
- Bitcoin is legal tender, and there is no capital gains tax on Bitcoin
- Local income is taxed up to 30%; VAT is 13%
- No wealth tax and no inheritance tax
- The passport does not by itself make you tax-resident
Compare it with another jurisdiction
| — | Nauru | Vanuatu |
|---|---|---|
| Official minimum | $90 000lower | $130 000 |
| Real total, family of 4 (fees included) | ≈ $120 150lower | ≈ $173 550 |
| Announced processing | 3–4 months | 1–2 monthsfaster |
| Presence required | None.Identical on this line | None.Identical on this line |
| Investment routes | DonationIdentical on this line | DonationIdentical on this line |
| A route returns the capital | NoIdentical on this line | NoIdentical on this line |
| Open to Russian applicants | YesIdentical on this line | YesIdentical on this line |
| Region | PacificIdentical on this line | PacificIdentical on this line |
Open the country page · NauruOpen the country page · Vanuatu
Frequently asked questions
Why is El Salvador’s citizenship so expensive?
Do I have to pay in Bitcoin?
Do I need to live in or visit El Salvador?
Freedom. Anywhere.
Find my programme
What we do for you
Citizenship or residence, the honest answer often is not the one you arrived with. We take the whole procedure with you — eligibility, the route that fits your situation, the file, the follow-up — with one person on your side throughout.
For El Salvador specifically, you are talking to someone who already knows the file: who to speak to on the ground, what the unit actually asks for, and the points where applications stall.
- One point of contact, from the first call to the certificate
- Vetted partners on the ground — law firms, licensed agents, banks — introduced, not listed
- It starts with a short qualifying call, and no, it is not a sales call
Prefer to write? Leave us a message and we come back with a slot that suits you.