Producers, promoters and organizers of public shows and events must first obtain a certificate of approval from the Ministry of the Interior.
The newest ministry in Nicaragua; The Ministry of the Interior (formerly the Ministerio de Gobernación or MIGOB) will be responsible for the Ministerial Agreement 05-2024 that became in effect when published in a La Gaceta number 47 dated March 12th 2024.
The agreement regulates “producers, promoters and organizers of activities, events or public artistic shows” and gives the Ministry of the Interior the power to “implement any necessary measures to guarantee citizen security and internal order in the national territory”.
Foreigners
The rules apply to “natural or legal persons” (individual citizens and businesses) of Nicaragua as well as foreigners. They require foreign producers, promoters and organizers of other nationalities to form an association (partner up) with Nicaraguan producers, promoters and organizers from within Nicaragua.
A registry of producers, promoters and organizers of public artistic activities, events or shows will be maintained by the Ministry of the Interior who are held as the competent authority for the application of the new regulations with the ability to regulate, supervise and sanction the said producers and organizers.
Free Application
There is no cost for the application to register and obtain approval for an event which is conducted at the Ministry of the Interior HQ in Managua. Part of the application process will require producers, promoters and organizers to provide the Ministry of the Interior with full details of the event. This could include estimated numbers in attendance to equipment that will be used.
In the case of additional documents being required, applicants will have five business days to complete the application to the satisfaction of the requirements before the event can be authorized, 30 days prior to the event date.
One of the obligations of the producers, promoters and organizers is to “refrain from intervening, financing or promoting issues, activities or topics of internal and external politics or activities that generate the result of political proselytism (proselitismo politico)”.
Nicaraguan producers, promoters and organizers must present the application form to the Ministry of the Interior with a valid Nicaraguan identity card (foreigners must present a valid residency card or passport), in addition to their RUC (Registro Único de Contribuyente) which is their individual tax registry number, local business license (Matricula) and certificate of conduct from the National Police of Nicaragua (PN) among other business documents.
In addition, other existing local and national permits may be required prior to approval, for example; Municipal “Permiso”, Fire Department for site inspection, Immigration for performing artists and Customs for temporary import of equipment.
