Nicaragua residence for spouses and family of Nicaraguans

Article 36 of Law 761, as reworded by Law 1228 (La Gaceta No. 222, 29 November 2024), allows people of other nationalities to obtain residence in two cases: as fathers and mothers of children born in Nicaragua, and through marriage or a stable de facto union with a Nicaraguan that has been declared and legally recognised in Nicaragua. Article 29 lists among the permanent residence subcategories foreigners with ties of affinity or consanguinity with Nicaraguans, namely the spouse, parents, minor children, and persons with disabilities or adults declared incapable.

Permanent residence is granted for periods from three months up to five years and is renewable; the resident establishes a legal or habitual domicile in Nicaragua.

Under article 122 as amended in 2024, five-year permanent residence for immigrants and for relatives of Nicaraguans (subcategories 1 and 4 of article 29) costs CA$250, against CA$500 for the other permanent subcategories. The residence form costs CA$3. Amounts are in Central American pesos, payable in córdobas at the official rate.

The cash guarantee deposit of article 128, equal to a return ticket, does not apply to spouses or stable partners of Nicaraguans whose marriage or union is registered in the Nicaraguan civil registry and has lasted more than two years, to relatives of Nicaraguans up to the second degree of consanguinity, or to minors.

The residence card is requested from the DGME within the thirty days before the authorised stay ends, and renewed thirty days before it expires (article 88). Residents must report changes of civil status, address and activity within fifteen days. A permanent resident who is away from Nicaragua for more than a year can have residence revoked unless health, studies or family problems are proven, and residents leaving through land borders need an exit visa.

Article 53, as amended in 2024, allows Nicaraguan nationality to be granted by reason of marriage or stable union with a Nicaraguan duly registered in the civil registry, and to people with Nicaraguan children who prove two continuous years of residence. Granting nationality is described as a sovereign act, so an application can be approved or refused. The fee for acquiring nationality is CA$500.

If the marriage or stable union is dissolved, the resident loses this status from the date of the corresponding resolution but may apply for another subcategory if the requirements are met. A foreign spouse or partner who stops meeting family-law obligations can have the classification cancelled. Residence is not lost on the death of the spouse or partner, except where there is a final judgment for a crime against the spouse or partner; even then, a parent of Nicaraguan-born children can access the status provided by law.

Article 38 adds specific grounds for revocation: residence granted on the basis of a marriage with a Nicaraguan that was entered into to obtain a migration benefit, and domestic violence proven by a court judgment.