Immigration Rules for Entering Nicaragua

Many people ask questions on social media relating to the immigration rules for entering Nicaragua.

The good news is that it’s really simple for most countries as the majority of foreign citizens don’t need a visa and simply have their passports stamped showing their stay expires 90 days after they arrive (e.g. USA, Canada, Australia, Great Britain and the EU). See other countries below under visas.

In general the “must haves” are a passport with at least 6 month validity (more below). For Covid-19 rules and as of the date of this article, you need your proof of negative Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test for COVID-19, for a test that was taken no more than 72 hours prior to your arrival in Nicaragua. (Note: According to the Ministry of Health, MINSA; Non-national travelers arriving with a fever or respiratory symptoms will not be allowed to enter.)

On the subject of Covid-19, immigration asks that you please remember to respect the front line staff at airports and borders by using the handwashing and sanitizing stations, maintaining your distance and using your masks.

Tourist Card

You also need to pay for a Tourist Card from INTUR, the tourist institute but collected by Migracion. Its US $10 at the airport but US $12 at Peñas Blancas (Costa Rica Border).

In April 2021, the Migration and Immigration Directorate at the Peñas Blancas Border Post published this press release about entering Nicaragua.

https://www.migob.gob.ni/migracion/puesto-fronterizo-de-penas-blancas-garantiza-servicio-agil-y-eficiente/

last year about the border.

For 99% of visitors, the above is all you need to know.

The answers to the questions often asked about “what else can they ask for” are more detailed and very much depend on an individual traveler’s circumstances and/or the discretion of the immigration officer(s) processing your entry.

They can include; a visa or visa application, proof of return or onward travel and the proof that you are solvent (have enough money for your stay), or any other requests or inquiries in order to satisfy themselves of your immigration clearance. One requirement of entry is to “Comply with the procedures and fees established for immigration clearance”. Here are a few more of them;

Visas (check requirement here)

There are actually three categories of Visa; 

Category A – Visa Exempt (No Visa Required)

Category B – Consular Visa – A Border Visa granted upon entry

Category C – Visa by Consultation – Application is made in your country, normally at the Nicaraguan diplomatic or consular mission. You need a Category C visa if that country is not on either the list of visa exempt or visa on arrival countries.

Passports

The general rule is that you need a valid passport with at least 6 months left on it. Yes, it’s true that there are reciprocal agreements with certain countries (USA being one of them) that entry has to be granted even with less than 6 months on the passport. In fact immigration do reference that on their page; Ingreso de visitantes de otras Nacionalidades. 

However, there are as many examples of that not working out as there are that it did. The US State Department travel advice for Nicaragua does confirm that a US passport need only be valid for the length of stay. But in the main passport section it also advises to always have at least 6 months on your passport “as you never know what might happen or where you might need to go in a hurry”. Good advice.

Proof of Return Ticket or Onward Travel

Seasoned travelers will be aware of this old chestnut of non-legal residents arriving on a one way ticket. The truth is that more often than not it will be your airline that may have a problem with this at check-in, if at all.  It is possible that immigration at this end could ask you to prove that you have a ticket or some kind of proof of how you will be leaving. In fact they have included it in previous publications regarding entry requirements but not in the latest media and it’s not a requirement listed on their web site about immigration rules for entering Nicaragua under Entry of visitors of other Nationalities.

Solvency

Even more unlikely (but it’s on the books) is that if requested, you may have to prove you have enough money for your trip. The amount is based on three months of the current minimum wage for the industrial sector in Nicaragua. That amount today would be US$510, so you can see why it’s unlikely you will be asked. (Ley 761, LEY GENERAL DE MIGRACIÓN Y EXTRANJERÍA, Article 46.)

Pre-Registration

Some visitors have used the little known immigration system that allows for a pre-registration of intended arrival which is designed to help avoid delays or crowds at the different border posts. Probably not an issue right now but you may come across it as you do your research. You can download the form by clicking on the “download in English” link on the form which will then download directly to your documents.

NOTE: We did hear from somebody who, as recently as April 2021, was required to show Tica Bus the acknowledgment to this form from Migracion in Nicaragua.  They had to wait in El Salvador for a week because Tica Bus needed that confirmation before they were allowed to board the bus.

Yellow Fever (not immigration per se but worth a mention as an entry item)

Something else you might need in order to enter Nicaragua (depending on where you are coming from, where you have been and when) is your Yellow Fever certificate. Those countries are: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela and all countries of the African Continent except the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, São Tomé and Príncipe as well as Somalia.

Finally, for information on the customs declaration form for Nicaragua, please check out this link: https://nica-biz.com/2021/03/03/customs-nicaraguas-self-declaration-form/

Kelvin Marshall, Nica-Biz