The Salvadoran Constitution treats as Salvadoran by birth anyone born abroad to a Salvadoran father or mother, and it also provides that nationality by birth is not lost by acquiring another. A Salvadoran who naturalises as a U.S. citizen therefore keeps both, and a child born here to a Salvadoran parent has a right to be registered.
Quick facts
Registering is not a naturalisation. It records a status that already exists from birth, which is why the file is about proving the parent’s nationality and the link between parent and child rather than about residence or language.
Fees breakdown
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Registration of a birth that occurred abroad | Consular tariff | Confirm the current amount |
| Apostille on the U.S. birth certificate | $3–$25 | Secretary of State |
| Certified Salvadoran birth record afterwards | Consular tariff or online fee | Needed for everything else |
| Salvadoran passport once registered | $60 USD | Immigration authority |
| Identity document from age 18 | $35 USD | Issued at consulates abroad |
Neither government asks anyone to renounce the other nationality, and holding a U.S. passport does not affect the right to a Salvadoran one.
How to register
- Confirm that the Salvadoran parent can prove nationality with a current identity document or passport.
- Order the long-form U.S. birth certificate for the child from the state vital records office.
- Have it apostilled by the Secretary of State of that state.
- Book at the consulate covering your address, or attend on a walk-in day, with both parents where the consulate requires it.
- Submit originals and copies; the consulate forwards the file for entry in the Salvadoran register.
- Request the Salvadoran birth certificate once registered, then apply for the passport.
Required documents
- Child’s long-form U.S. birth certificate, apostilled, with copies.
- Salvadoran parent’s valid identity document or passport.
- Salvadoran parent’s certified birth record.
- Identity document of the other parent, whatever their nationality.
- Parents’ marriage certificate where applicable, apostilled if issued in the United States.
- Payment in the accepted form.
Where to register
File with the consulate covering your U.S. address. Mobile consular days handle these registrations too, which matters in states with no permanent office.
No offices currently listed.
Additional notes
Adults born in the United States
There is no age limit on registering. Adults are asked for their own photo identification in addition to the documents proving the parental link.
What registration unlocks
A Salvadoran passport, the national identity document at eighteen, inheritance and property rights on the same footing as any citizen, and the ability to register a marriage or a child in turn.
Naturalised U.S. citizens
Salvadorans who became U.S. citizens keep their nationality of origin and can renew a Salvadoran passport at any consulate.
Documents for U.S. immigration files
Consulates do not process U.S. immigration benefits, but they issue the Salvadoran records — passport, identity document, birth and marriage certificates — that those files require.