On December 28th 2023, the National Assembly approved a new law that sets out the structure of the Ministry of the Interior, a ministry that will replace the Ministry of Governance (Ministerio de Gobernación – MIGOB).
The previous Ministry of the Interior was part of the structure of the government of Nicaragua from 1979 until 1990.
The overall function of the Ministry of the Interior is to implement, maintain and execute the necessary measures to “guarantee citizen security, the State and internal order in the national territory”.
Integrated into the Ministry of the Interior will be Nicaragua’s National Police (Policía Nacional).
From the old Ministerio de Gobernación will be the General Directorate of the Penitentiary System, the General Directorate of Immigration and Foreigners and the General Directorate of the Firefighters of Nicaragua. In addition, the Ministry of the Interior will ensure and guarantee compliance with Law No. 1115, General Law of Regulation and Control of Organizations without Profit Purposes as well as Law no. 1040, Law on the Regulation of Foreign Agents.
The organizational chart of the Ministry of the Interior shows that the senior management will be made up of the Minister, the Director of the National Police and the Vice Minister. The new law permits departmental delegations in order to coordinate the actions of the various departments of the Ministry of the Interior.
The full legal text has been published in La Gaceta (the official Government of Nicaragua bulletin) and can be found at this link.
What does this mean to Foreign Visitors and Residents?
The short answer for all well intentioned foreigners is nothing, other than an administrative change in the umbrella ministry that the immigration department falls under.
However, it is a timely reminder that the world is changing rapidly when it comes to migration. Nicaragua has long since made it clear on their immigration web site that they will use “Migración and Sovereign Security Laws to grant or deny a stay or entry visa as well as a temporary or permanent residence as a sovereign act of the State of Nicaragua”.
Comparative Ministries in Other Countries
There are numerous countries with a Ministry of the Interior and many more with similar names. All of them have the responsibility of looking after the home affairs of their country.
In the USA the Department of Homeland Security is responsible for many of the areas that a Ministry of the Interior would be in other countries; public security, anti-terrorism, border security, immigration and customs, cyber security, and disaster prevention and management.
Canada has the Department of Public Safety. It coordinates all federal departments and agencies responsible for national security and the safety of Canadians, such as Canada Border Services Agency, Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), Correctional Service of Canada and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
Great Britain has the Home Department (formerly and better known as the Home Office) that is responsible for; immigration, security, law and order, fire and rescue services.
Cuba has a Ministry of the Interior and it’s probably the closest comparison to Nicaragua’s recreated ministry. It is responsible for the home affairs of Cuba through; the National Police Force, Intelligence, State Security, Border Guards, Fire Department, Penitentiaries and Directorate of Identification, Immigration and Aliens.
Updated Entry Requirements Nicaragua – August 2023
