Thinking of relocating? Why you should consider living in El Salvador and what you need to know about the free passport offer for professionals made by President Bukele.

The president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, has announced a new program to grant passports to highly qualified professionals. This initiative is the second program aimed at attracting foreigners that he has promoted in less than six months.

President Bukele aims to offer 5,000 passports (nationality, to be precise) to highly skilled foreign workers who choose to relocate to El Salvador. Similar to models in Canada, Australia, or Germany, this program targets scientists, engineers, doctors, artists, and philosophers.

In December 2023, Bukele introduced the Adopting Freedom Visa program, which fast-tracks citizenship for those who donate cryptocurrencies to government development programs. While the number of participants in this program remains undisclosed, the website is still operational.

Those who receive the passports will be able to move to El Salvador tax-free and import their goods without tariffs. This includes business securities such as equipment, software, and intellectual property.

Bukele may utilize the state of emergency, which grants special powers and has been in effect since March 2022, to grant citizenship through this initiative. The president believes that this action will significantly impact the country’s future.

Christian Aparicio, the national director of Education, has confirmed receiving requests from over 400 international experts who are interested in the program. He plans to present a formal list of eligible individuals to the Immigration office in the coming weeks.

El Salvador’s passport ranks 32nd in the world in terms of visa-free entry to other countries. Despite this, the cost of living in El Salvador is lower compared to half of the countries in Latin America, making it an attractive option for some individuals.

However, criticism of Bukele’s management, including concerns about human rights violations, has been raised by organizations like Amnesty International. Despite these issues, El Salvador remains a viable option for those looking to relocate.