Everything in the Nicaraguan consular system rests on one document: the birth certificate. Bring it in original and in good condition, or nothing else moves. The passport itself is issued by the immigration directorate in Managua; the consulate takes the application and forwards it.
Quick facts
Since 2025 appointments run through the foreign ministry’s own booking portal, which also covers apostilles. Before that each post handled its own diary, which is why older guidance contradicts itself.
Fees breakdown
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Passport, issue or renewal | Around $50 | Confirm with the post |
| Identity card | Consular tariff | Issued by the electoral council |
| Consular registration card | Consular tariff | Identification for the community |
| Birth certificate from Nicaragua | Charged separately | Ordered through the consulate or from home |
| Sworn declaration for a lost passport | Consular tariff | Plus a police report if stolen |
The procedure is the same whether it is a first passport or a renewal. The only difference is that a renewal also requires the previous book.
How to apply
- Obtain your Nicaraguan birth certificate, original and updated, with two copies.
- Book the appointment through the ministry’s booking portal for the post that covers you.
- Complete the migration form and make the bank payment for the booklet.
- Attend in person with originals and enlarged photocopies, which is the format the network asks for.
- Bring photographs to the published specification and proof of your U.S. address.
- Collect the passport or receive it by the method the post uses.
Required documents
- Original birth certificate, updated and in good condition, with two copies.
- Nicaraguan identity card, original and enlarged photocopy, where you hold one.
- Previous passport for renewals.
- Proof of residence in the United States.
- Bank payment receipt for the booklet and the completed migration form.
- For minors: both parents’ identity documents, originals and enlarged copies.
Where to apply
At the consulate covering your area. Posts operate in the cities with the largest Nicaraguan communities and all depend on the embassy in Washington.
Additional notes
Enlarged photocopies
The requirement for enlarged copies is unusual and genuinely enforced. A standard photocopy can be refused, so ask what size the post expects.
If you have no identity card
The card is not strictly compulsory for a passport but it makes everything simpler. Where you lack one, contact the post before the appointment to agree what else will serve as proof.
Expect a long day
Waits at the busier posts run to hours rather than minutes. Arrive early and bring what you need to sit it out.
Confirm the fee
Nicaragua does not publish a single consular tariff table as consistently as its neighbours. Treat the figure above as a guide and confirm it when you book.