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Passport & Visa Requirements:
US, Canadian & Mexican Citizens:
- Valid Passport
- $10.00 USD Tourist Card to be
purchased at airport upon arrival
- Return Ticket
When you arrive in El Salvador, your first stop will be Immigration. The Officer will process the landing card which is handed to you on board the aircraft and which should be completed prior to landing collect the $10.00
USD Tourist card fee (US, Canadian and Mexican citizens only). They will stamp a copy of the landing card or tourist card which you must keep in your passport at all times. It will be requested by the airline when departing El Salvador. It is a good idea to jot down the Tourist Card number in a separate place in case of loss.
Citizens of other countries, please contact us at skal@hotelsal.com. or contact the El Salvador Consulate nearest you or airlines serving El Salvador for details. These regulations change periodically. Everyone will need a valid passport. Some citizenships require a consular visa from a Salvadoran Consulate or Embassy. Other
Information:
Minors:
Any person under 18 years of age is considered a minor. Strict regulations govern travel by minors into El Salvador. If
travelling alone, the minor must have a notarized consent form signed by both parents. If
travelling with only one parent, the minor must have a notarized letter of consent signed by the parent not
travelling. If travelling with only one parent and the other parent is deceased or the child has only one legal parent, a notarized statement must be obtained as proof.
Customs:
After immigration you will be in the baggage claim area. Once you have retrieved your bags present your Customs Card to the Customs officer (handed out in-flight and which should be completed prior to landing). Here you will be asked to press a button on what looks like a traffic light: green light means proceed to the exit, red light means the luggage will be briefly searched. Then you can proceed to the exit. Porters are available at $1.00
USD per bag; there are no self-service carts in the airport. You are allowed to bring with you 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars and two liters of alcohol, per person.
Baggage:
Check your baggage to San Salvador (SAL) regardless of your connecting flights. Make sure the baggage tag reads SAL.
Money/Currency/Banking:
The US dollar (USD) is accepted everywhere in El Salvador and is an official currency together with the Colon (8.75 colones per US dollar). Bank hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, and 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays. You will find ATM's throughout the country. ATM machines dispense
US dollars only.
Credit Cards:
Credit cards are widely accepted, with Visa, MasterCard and American Express being the most widely accepted. When checking into your hotel you will be asked for a charge card for incidental charges, and asked to sign a blank charge slip. This is a common practice in hotels.
Tipping:
A 10% gratuity is customary for most services. Some restaurants add this 10% gratuity on the bill; such is the case if you see an amount next to any of the following words “propina”, tip or gratuity. In general, one should tip service people that you normally tip when traveling (hotel maids, bellhops and waiters).
Sales Tax:
There is a 13% sales tax in El Salvador and it is included in all prices you see on price stickers, shops and menus. Only hotel rates do not include the tax, which is added to the bill. The Congress fee includes this tax.
Skål International El Salvador:
Telephone: (503) 500-0744
Fax: (503) 500-0750
E-mail: skal@hotelsal.com
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