Nicaragua temporary residence permit

Under article 25 of Law 761, as reworded by Law 1228 (La Gaceta No. 222, 29 November 2024), temporary residence covers people who come with the intention of living in Nicaragua for three months to one year, renewable, or for as long as the activity that justified their admission lasts. The fourteen subcategories are: scientists, professionals, technicians and specialised staff; economic agents, entrepreneurs, directors, managers and administrative or operational staff of companies; journalists; students; religious workers; self-employed or employed workers; artists; athletes; refugees; stateless persons; retirees (jubilados); rentistas; dependent relatives of people in the previous subcategories; and asylees.

The law defines a rentista as a non-national who receives a stable and permanent income from abroad. Retirees and rentistas may invest in Nicaragua, in the amounts set by the Ministry of Development, Industry and Trade (MIFIC), without losing or changing their migration category. Article 13 of the law also states that no foreigner may hold two migration categories at the same time or carry out activities other than those expressly authorised.

Article 122, as amended in 2024, sets the fees in Central American pesos (CA$), payable in córdobas at the Central Bank of Nicaragua's official rate on the day of payment. Annual temporary residence costs CA$100 for students, workers, artists, athletes, retirees, dependent relatives and asylees (subcategories 4, 6, 7, 8, 11, 13 and 14) and CA$200 for the other subcategories. The residence or nationality form costs CA$3, a change of reason (motivación) for a residence CA$40, and a change of migration classification CA$75. Refugees and stateless persons pay half of the permanent residence fees (article 125).

Article 128 requires a cash guarantee deposit equal to the real price of a return ticket to the country of origin or previous residence, to cover a possible deportation, expulsion or re-embarkation. It is kept for the authorised stay and updated to current air fares, and a refund can be requested within sixty days of final departure or of naturalisation. Exempt are spouses or partners of Nicaraguans married or in a registered union for more than two years, relatives of Nicaraguans up to the second degree, minors, investors certified by MIFIC, free-zone workers endorsed by the national free-zone commission, and people exempt under international agreements.

Article 28 of Law 761 says that residence is requested from the DGME if the applicant is in Nicaragua, or from Nicaraguan diplomatic missions and consular offices if the applicant is abroad. For nationals who need a consulted visa, article 101 provides consulted resident visas for professionals, students and investors; the DGME is the only authority that grants them, and missions abroad forward the applications through the Dirección General Consular of the Ministry of the Interior. The detailed list of documents for each subcategory is set in the regulation of the law, which was not available for this guide.

Article 88 requires the residence card (cédula de residencia) to be requested from the DGME within the thirty days before the authorised stay expires, and renewals must be requested thirty days before the card expires. While a residence application is pending, the applicant must ask the DGME for an extension of stay until the decision is certified (article 12).

Residents must report changes of civil status, address and activity to the DGME within fifteen days, keep and show their identity and migration documents on request, and pay the same taxes and social security contributions as Nicaraguans. Investor residents must give the DGME, at the close of each fiscal year, proof that the economic activity for which they received residence continues. Article 39 also requires residents to show that they have enough resources to support themselves and their family.

The DGME can revoke residence on the grounds listed in article 38, among them breaking the conditions of admission, paid work without authorisation, taking part directly or indirectly in political activity, a final criminal conviction, or, for a temporary resident, being absent from Nicaragua for more than six months, unless the absence is justified by health, studies or family problems. Leaving the country through the land borders requires an exit visa for residents (article 111).

A consulted visa that is refused can be requested again after six calendar months from the refusal (article 103). Against DGME decisions in migration matters, article 180 provides the administrative remedies of review (revisión) and appeal (apelación) under Law No. 290 on the organisation of the executive branch.