El Salvador
• Central America
Overview
El Salvador has undergone dramatic transformation under President Bukele's security policies, with homicide rates dropping 98% since 2015—now among the safest in the Western Hemisphere. The country pioneered Bitcoin as legal tender in 2021, though 2025 IMF-mandated changes made acceptance voluntary. The Freedom Visa program offers immediate citizenship processing for $1M Bitcoin/USDT investment (4-6 weeks), limited to 1,000 participants annually. Territorial taxation exempts foreign-sourced income and there's no capital gains tax on crypto. However, the state of exception suspending constitutional rights raises rule-of-law concerns, and banking infrastructure remains limited despite crypto branding.
Visa Options
Freedom Visa
$1 million Bitcoin or USDT investment grants immediate citizenship processing in 4-6 weeks. Limited to 1,000 participants per year. No income tax on foreign earnings.
Tourist Visa (CA-4)
90-day visa-free entry for US citizens. Part of CA-4 agreement. Dollar economy, no currency exchange needed.
Highlights
- ✓Homicide rate dropped 98% since 2015—now very safe
- ✓No tax on foreign income or Bitcoin capital gains
- ✓Freedom Visa: $1M investment = citizenship in 4-6 weeks
- ✓Dollar economy—no currency exchange needed
- ✓Lower cost of living than neighboring countries
Considerations
- !State of exception suspends constitutional rights—rule of law concerns
- !Bitcoin legal tender modified under IMF pressure (2025)
- !Limited banking infrastructure despite crypto focus
- !Spanish required—limited English outside tourist zones
- !Human rights concerns under current government