Nicaragua

Nicaragua visa and entry guide

  • 6 visa types
  • checked 25 October 2026

How visas for Nicaragua work

Nicaragua's tourism institute (INTUR) publishes the country's migration requirements for visitors on its official portal. Its list of countries under the free-visa regime includes the United States, Canada, Australia, many EU states and many Latin American countries, while countries such as China (ordinary passports), India, Cuba and Haiti appear among those needing a consulted visa (Category C). Visitors need a passport valid for six months, must complete an electronic migration form before arrival and, if they are not CA-4 nationals, pay USD 10 for a tourist card.

The visitor rules above come from INTUR. Visas, residence and nationality are handled by the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (DGME) of the Ministry of the Interior, whose website could not be accessed for this guide because of an automated access check. The residence, work, family and refugee pages of this guide are therefore based on the law itself: Law No. 761, the General Migration and Foreigners Law, in its consolidated text of January 2024 and as amended by Law No. 1228 of 29 November 2024, and Law No. 655 on the Protection of Refugees. Document lists for each residence subcategory are set in the law's regulation, which could not be consulted.

Which visa do I need?

Holiday or short visit: no visa if your nationality is on the free-visa list; otherwise a consulted visa. Complete the electronic form and, unless you are a CA-4 national, pay the USD 10 tourist card.

Living in Nicaragua for study, work, retirement or business: temporary residence, three months to one year, renewable.

Coming to work: the work status with the right to work (three to twelve months) or temporary residence as a worker.

Married to a Nicaraguan or parent of a Nicaraguan-born child: residence by family ties.

Settling for the long term, investing or joining a close relative: permanent residence, up to five years renewable.

Fleeing persecution or serious violence: a refugee claim at the border or a DGME office.

Visa types for Nicaragua

Visits and short stays

  • Tourist visa Visitor entry (Libre visado and tourist card)

    Nicaragua's tourism institute (INTUR), on its official visitor portal, lists the countries whose citizens can enter under the free-visa regime (libre visado) according to current migration rules, among them the United States, Canada, Australia and many EU states; Category C nationals need a consulted visa.

Work

  • Work visa Work authorisation and residence for workers (condición migratoria con derecho al trabajo)

    Foreigners who come to Nicaragua to work must request from the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (DGME) a migration status with the right to work, granted for three to twelve months and extendable, under article 16 of Law 761 as amended in November 2024.

    Maximum stay: Work status for three to twelve months, extendable

Family

  • Spouse and partner visa Residence by marriage, stable union or Nicaraguan children (residencia por vínculo familiar)

    Nicaraguan law lets foreigners obtain residence through their marriage or legally recognised stable de facto union with a Nicaraguan, or because they are the parents of children born in Nicaragua.

    Maximum stay: Permanent residence granted for three months up to five years at a time, renewable

Residence

  • Residence permit Temporary residence (residencia temporal, Ley 761)

    Nicaragua grants temporary residence through the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (DGME) of the Ministry of the Interior.

    Maximum stay: Three months to one year, renewable, or the length of the activity that justified admission
  • Permanent residence Permanent residence (residencia permanente, Ley 761)

    Permanent residence in Nicaragua is granted by the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (DGME) to foreigners who establish their legal or habitual domicile in the country.

    Maximum stay: Granted for three months up to five years at a time, renewable

Asylum and international protection

  • Asylum and international protection Recognition of refugee status (Ley 655, Ley de Protección a Refugiados)

    Nicaragua's refugee procedure is governed by Law No.

    Processing time: Written decision within thirty days of the claim; silence counts in the applicant's favour

Frequently asked questions

Who needs a visa for Nicaragua?

It depends on nationality. INTUR's free-visa list includes the United States, Canada, Australia, many EU states and many Latin American countries; nationals listed under Category C, such as Cuba, Afghanistan and ordinary passport holders of China and India, need a consulted visa approved in advance.

What do I need to complete before flying?

The mandatory electronic migration form, which must be submitted before arrival.

How much is the tourist card?

USD 10 for every traveller whose nationality is not covered by the CA-4 agreement between Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala.

Is a yellow fever certificate needed?

Only if you arrive within six days of leaving a country with yellow fever transmission risk on the WHO list, such as several South American and most African countries.

Who issues residence permits in Nicaragua?

The Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería of the Ministry of the Interior; applicants abroad can apply through Nicaraguan embassies and consulates.

Embassies and consulates

Last checked 25 October 2026. Each visa page lists the official sources it is based on.