Every way into Nicaragua.

Nationals of about 128 countries classified as "Visa Consultada" (Category C) under Disposition 002-2026 must obtain a consular visa that is reviewed and pre-authorised by the Direccion General de Migracion y Extranjeria in Managua before travelling. The application is filed at a Nicaraguan consulate and forwarded to migration headquarters for clearance, so processing can be slow and outcomes are discretionary. Once issued, the visa allows short stays for tourism or business of up to 90 days. The fee is set by the consulate and not centrally published.

Max stay

90 days

Nationals of countries in the visa-exempt group ("Libre Visado") - including the United States, Canada, most of the EU and many Latin American states - enter Nicaragua for tourism on a tourist card bought on arrival for about USD 10 in cash, normally valid for up to 90 days. Under migration Disposition 002-2026 (in force 16 February 2026) the country list was reorganised into a visa-free group of about 69 nationalities and a "Visa Consultada" (Category C) group of about 128 nationalities; nationals not in the visa-free group must obtain a pre-approved consular visa instead. The stay can be extended at a migration office for additional periods (commonly cited at about USD 25 per 30 days, to a typical maximum of 90 extra days). The tourist card does not authorise work or residence.

Government fee

$10

Max stay

90 days

Validity

90 days

Under the Central American Single Visa (CA-4) agreement referenced in Article 14 of Ley 761, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador operate a shared border-control area: foreigners admitted to any one CA-4 country may move freely among all four for a combined period of up to 90 days without further immigration formalities at internal land borders. The 90-day allowance is shared across the bloc, so time spent in the other three countries counts against the Nicaraguan limit. An extension of up to 30 days can be requested from migration authorities. CA-4 nationals (Hondurans, Guatemalans, Salvadorans) also move within the region with their national ID.

Max stay

90 days

Validity

90 days

Travellers passing through Nicaragua are admitted as "viajeros en transito" under Article 21 of the General Migration and Foreigners Law (Ley 761), with a maximum authorised transit stay of five days. Visa-free nationals transit on the tourist card; Category C nationals need the appropriate consular or transit visa. International transport crew are exempt from the visa requirement under Article 19. Onward travel evidence is normally required.

Max stay

5 days

Validity

5 days

Foreign nationals admitted to a Nicaraguan educational institution apply for temporary residence in the student sub-category under Article 25 of Ley 761. Residence is granted for the study period (one to three years, renewable) and requires an acceptance/enrolment letter from the Nicaraguan university. As with all residence applications, foreign documents must be authenticated/apostilled and translated into Spanish. The permit is typically issued for one year at a fee of about USD 155. Studies do not authorise general employment, and continuous legal study can later count toward permanent residence after three years.

• Study: Enrolment at the admitting Nicaraguan institution.
• Residency after 4 years

Government fee

$155

Validity

365 days

Foreigners without residence who hold a job contract with a lawfully constituted Nicaraguan company can obtain a work permit from the Direccion General de Migracion y Extranjeria (DGME). The employment contract must first be certified by the Ministry of Labour (MITRAB), and the employer must submit a letter assuming responsibility for the worker plus company incorporation and legal-representative documents. The permit is granted for between 3 and 12 months and costs about USD 50 per month of authorised stay. Workers already holding temporary residence in the worker sub-category may instead work under that residence. Foreign workers also become affiliated to social security (INSS).

• Work: Authorises employment with the sponsoring employer for the permitted period.
• Residency after 4 years

Government fee

$50

Max stay

365 days

Validity

365 days

Articles 16-17 of Ley 761 create the temporary migrant-worker status for foreigners who enter to carry out economic, social, cultural, academic, scientific or religious activities for a defined period. The DGME, in consultation with the Ministry of Labour, authorises a special permit to stay and work for up to one year. The law also defines cross-border (transfronterizo) workers from neighbouring countries who are authorised to enter and leave daily to work in the border zone. Non-residents may not undertake paid activity except where specially authorised. This is a short, work-tied authorisation rather than a residence track.

• Work: Authorises the specified temporary work for up to one year.

Max stay

365 days

Validity

365 days

The Residente Rentista category under Law 694 (2009) was for foreigners aged at least 45 with a stable, permanent income generated abroad - from dividends, rents or similar lawful sources - of at least USD 750 per month, plus USD 150 per month per accompanying family member. Like the pensioner route it was processed through INTUR and originally carried permanent residence with the same import/tax exemptions. CRITICAL CHANGE: the November 2024 reform repealed Law 694; rentiers no longer receive permanent residence or the fiscal benefits and now apply for ordinary temporary residence (about USD 155 for one year, renewable). The USD 750 income benchmark still frames how passive-income applicants are assessed. Post-reform detail is sparse.

• Study: Residents may study in Nicaragua.
• Residency after 4 years
• Family: Spouse, children and parents may be included with an extra USD 150/month income shown per member.

Government fee

$155

Validity

365 days

Min. income / month

$750

The investor ("inmigrante con capital") permanent-residence route under Articles 32 and 35 of Ley 761 is available to foreigners who invest capital in any lawful economic activity in Nicaragua - real estate, a business, agricultural projects or state/bank securities. Investor status is certified by the Ministry of Development, Industry and Commerce (MIFIC) through a Foreign Investment Registration Certificate; under the Foreign Investment Law (Law 344) the minimum recognised foreign investment is USD 30,000. With that certificate the applicant files for permanent residence, whose card is valid five years and renewable (fee about USD 610). Nicaragua's territorial tax system exempts foreign-source income. Two years of permanent residence as an investor can lead to naturalisation.

• Work: Investors may run and work in their own enterprise; territorial tax exempts foreign income.
• Study: Investors and their families may study in Nicaragua.
• Residency after 2 years
• Family: Spouse and children of the investor have their own permanent-residence sub-category.

Government fee

$610

Validity

1,825 days

Min. investment

$30,000

The Residente Pensionado category was created by Law 694 (2009) for foreigners aged at least 45 who receive a stable, permanent pension or retirement income from abroad of at least USD 600 per month, plus USD 150 per month for each accompanying family member. Applications were processed through the Nicaraguan Tourism Institute (INTUR) and granted residence with tax exemptions on household goods (up to USD 20,000), a vehicle (up to USD 25,000, renewable every four years) and home-construction materials. CRITICAL CHANGE: the November 2024 migration reform repealed Law 694, so pensioners no longer obtain permanent residence or the old fiscal benefits and are now channelled into ordinary temporary residence (about USD 155 for one year, renewable). The USD 600 income test still anchors how pensioner income is assessed in practice. Sourcing on the post-reform procedure is thin.

• Study: Residents may study in Nicaragua.
• Residency after 4 years
• Family: Spouse, children and parents may be included with an extra USD 150/month income shown per member.

Government fee

$155

Validity

365 days

Min. income / month

$600

Ley 761 grants residence on family grounds in two main forms: foreigners who have a Nicaraguan child born in the national territory (Article 36) may obtain residence by family tie, and the spouse, children and parents of a Nicaraguan or of another resident (Articles 30.4-30.5) qualify as residents through that bond. These family routes generally lead to permanent residence (card valid five years, fee about USD 610). Foreigners with a Nicaraguan child can naturalise after two years of permanent residence. The standard residence documents plus proof of the family relationship are required, authenticated/apostilled and translated into Spanish.

• Work: Family residents may work and undertake lawful activity.
• Study: Full access to study.
• Residency after 2 years
• Family: Spouse, children and parents qualify under the family sub-categories.

Government fee

$610

Validity

1,825 days

Under Article 37 of Ley 761, foreigners who marry or form a registered stable de-facto union with a Nicaraguan - inside or outside the country - may obtain residence by marital tie. Residence is lost if the marriage or union is dissolved (though the holder may then qualify under another category), and a foreign spouse keeps residence on the death of the Nicaraguan partner except in defined cases. The spouse can naturalise after two years of continuous residence. The standard residence document set applies, with the marriage or union certificate; the permit is typically issued for one year first (fee about USD 155) before progressing to permanent residence.

• Work: Spouse residents may work and undertake lawful activity.
• Study: Full access to study.
• Residency after 2 years
• Family: Route is built on the marital tie; children of the union are Nicaraguan or qualify by family link.

Government fee

$155

Validity

365 days

Ley 761 (Articles 53-56) sets the residence-based naturalisation rules. The general rule is four years of permanent residence (from the date of obtaining the permanent-residence cedula), with renunciation of the prior nationality. Nationals of Spain and of Central American countries, and the foreign spouse of a Nicaraguan, may naturalise after only two years of continuous permanent residence and without renouncing their original nationality (Central Americans need only show intent to naturalise after one year of residence). Investors who establish a qualifying enterprise, and foreigners with a Nicaraguan child, may also naturalise after two years of permanent residence. The DGME decides within about 30 days. Nicaragua does not operate a citizenship-by-investment programme.

• Work: On naturalisation the person becomes a national with full, unrestricted rights.
• Study: Full access to education as a national.
• Residency: This is the citizenship step itself, reached after 4 years of permanent residence (2 years for Spanish/Central American/investor/spouse/Nicaraguan-child cases).
• Family: Naturalisation extends to the minor children of the naturalised foreigner under Article 57.

Processing time

30 days

Ley 761 lists "religiosos" as a distinct temporary-residence sub-category (Article 25). Foreign clergy, missionaries and members of recognised religious organisations may obtain temporary residence for one to three years (renewable) on the basis of a posting with a registered church or religious body in Nicaragua. The standard residence documentation applies, with a support letter from the religious institution confirming the assignment. The permit is typically issued for one year (fee about USD 155). Note that the operating environment for some religious organisations in Nicaragua has been politically restrictive in recent years.

• Work: Authorises religious duties for the sponsoring organisation.
• Study: Residents may study.
• Residency after 4 years

Government fee

$155

Validity

365 days

Temporary residence under Article 25 of Ley 761 is for foreigners who intend to live in Nicaragua for one to three years (renewable) for a defined purpose - the sub-categories include scientists/professionals/technicians, business managers and staff, journalists, students, religious workers, independent or employed workers, artists, athletes, refugees, stateless persons and asylees, plus their dependent family within the second degree. The permit is commonly issued for one year at a time at a fee of about USD 155. Since the 2024 reform repealed Law 694, pensioners and rentiers also fall under this temporary-residence framework. Applicants file with the Direccion General de Migracion y Extranjeria and must legalise/apostille and translate foreign documents into Spanish.

• Work: Work allowed where the residence sub-category authorises it (e.g. worker, professional); some sub-categories also require a labour authorisation.
• Study: Temporary residents may study in Nicaragua.
• Residency after 4 years
• Family: Dependent family within the second degree of consanguinity and first of affinity are considered temporary residents.

Government fee

$155

Validity

365 days

Permanent residence under Articles 29-30 of Ley 761 lets a foreigner reside in Nicaragua indefinitely. Eligible sub-categories include immigrants, investors (immigrant with capital), spouses/children/parents of those holders, foreigners with a family tie to a Nicaraguan, refugees, temporary residents with more than three years of legal stay, and - directly - Central American nationals and nationals of countries with reciprocal dual-nationality agreements. The residence card (cedula de residencia) is valid five years and renewable, at a fee of about USD 610. A permanent resident loses status if absent from the country for more than one year without justified cause. Since the 2024 reform, pensioners and rentiers are no longer in this permanent-residence category.

• Work: Permanent residents may work and undertake lawful economic activity.
• Study: Full access to study.
• Residency: This is permanent residence; naturalisation after 4 years of permanent residence (2 years for Spanish/Central American/investor/spouse-of-Nicaraguan cases).
• Family: Spouse, children and parents of qualifying holders have their own permanent-residence sub-category.

Government fee

$610

Validity

1,825 days