Documents

The Basics...

All U.S. citizens traveling to Honduras as tourists require a valid passport. No visa is needed. Nationals of other countries must inquire at the nearest Honduran Consulate on whether or not a visa is required. Weapons and ammunition cannot be introduced into the country, unless properly authorized by the Ministry of Defense. Such authorizations must be applied for through a local tour operator.

There are regularly scheduled flights between the U.S. and Honduras on American, Continental, Taca, Lacsa, Iberia, and Copa Airlines. Please contact the airlines for schedule and fare information. There are international airports at Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, La Ceiba, and Roatan.

Tourists who travel to Honduras by car must present the car's documents as well as a driver's license at the border. They will be issued a 30 day circulation permit, which can be extended to up to six months.

Government offices are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Saturdays, business workings hours are from 8:00 am to noon. There are many banks located around the country, most of them are affiliated to international banks. Banks provide regular services, including currency exchange. Regular business hours are Monday through Friday 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

HONDURAN RESIDENT VISA REQUIREMENTS FOR U.S. CITIZEN

Before requesting the Resident Visa, the Applicant should have the following:

1. Passport, valid for a year, at least.

2. 1. - Certificate of Birth;

2. - Police Record;

3. - Health Certificate;

4. - Certificate of Income (Bank References or a letter from the employer will be acceptable).

All of the above documents should be authenticated by:

1. - The Secretary of State of the corresponding
State where document was issued.

2. - The Department of State Authentication Office.

3. - By the nearest CONSULATE OF HONDURAS. A service charge of US$50.00 per document should be paid by cash or Money Order (payable to the CONSULATE OF HONDURAS).

3. Three (03) passport size photos of the applicant.

The applicant should take the documents to the nearest CONSULATE OF HONDURAS, where the following forms have to be filled and/or signed:

1. - Application, to be filled and signed before the Consul, and payment of US$150.00 (One hundred and fifty dollars), required per person.

2. - A sworn statement declaring that the applicant does not belong now, nor has belonged anytime in the past to the Communist Party, to be signed in the presence of a Consular officer, and payment of US$50.00 (Fifty dollars), required per person.

3. - A Sworn statement declaring that the applicant will abide by the laws of Honduras, to be signed in the presence of a Consular Officer, and payment of US$50.00 (Fifty dollars), required per person.

After filling out the above requirements that the applicant will be issued a tourist visa that will be used to travel to Honduras where the application for residence and other documents will be filled at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tegucigalpa, D.C., Honduras. The applicant must continue the procedure, through a lawyer, in order to obtain the resident visa.

For further information, please contact the nearest
CONSULATE OF HONDURAS.

HONDURAN CITIZENSHIP REQUIREMENTS

A United States citizen may apply for Honduran nationality when one or more of the following requirements have been met:

1. After residing in Honduras for three consecutive years.

2. Those obtaining their naturalization by Decree of the National Congress for their extraordinary services to Honduras.

3. The immigrants that, as part of selected groups brought by Honduran government for scientific, agricultural or industrial purposes, meet the legal requirements after one year of residing in the country; and,

4. Those marrying a Honduran by birth.

Except in the case referred to in number two above, the applicant should resign to his or her previous nationality and express, before competent authorities, the wish to acquire the Honduran nationality.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR A PENSION OR RENTIST RESIDENCE

Birth Certificate.
Marriage Certificate ( If applying as a couple )
Health Certificate
Police Records
Statement from a Pension Fund stating that applicant receives a pension of at least $600.00 a month ( Pensionado Residency)

Statement from a Financial Institution stating that the Applicant receives an income of at least $1,000.00 a month from investments, stocks, etc. he or she has in the Institution ( Financial, Stock Exchange, etc.) ( Rentista Residency )
Photostat copy of the Applicant's Passport.
3 color pictures face front of the applicant.

All of the above must be certified by a Notary and Authenticated by the nearest Honduran Consulate, after which they are ready to be legalized in Honduras. ( Some Consulates require that the documents be Certified by a Court Clerk before they Authenticate them, contact must be made with the Consulate prior to getting the documents to them. )

The Applicant has a choice of filing their petition to enter Honduras as an Immigrant at the Honduran Consulate where her or his papers are authenticated or file her or his petition directly at the Honduran Tourism Institute in Tegucigalpa.

The above specified Residencies are the ones which are granted by the Honduran Tourist authority and have been established to promote retirement in Honduras or investment in the Tourist Sector of Honduras.

However there are other options of Residence through the Government and Justice Ministry in which the Applicant must qualify as an employee of a company, Rentist proving an income of $600.00 a month, a specialist in a certain field that has no Hondurans qualified as such, etc. This status does not grant a duty free option for a vehicle and other items for tourist related projects.

We strongly suggest that for applicants that are going to live in the Bay Islands to file for the Pensionado or Rentist status. This status requires that the petitioner live four months of the year in Honduras, these may be a total of and not necessarily four consecutive months and to convert either the $600.00 or $ 1,000.00 a month through a local bank. It is important to exchange any funds that are to be used towards construction, purchasing of land and other activities through the local banking system so that these funds can be credited towards the exchange requirement, this is specially so if the materials and other expenses are to be done locally.

The Pensionado and Rentist status also allows for dependents to obtain that status if they are a married couple or if the person is eighteen years or younger, should the person still be going to College they may qualify under the same status if there is proof of the person being enrolled in a College.

Should a couple be able to prove that both of them have incomes be that through a pension or investment, we suggest that they file on an individual basis and petition for a separate tax exemption, thus they are able to import duty free two vehicles and other tourist oriented articles.

An Investors Residency is also granted by the Honduran Government in order to qualify for this status you must prove: that you will be investing in: industry, Agro industry, agriculture, mining, energy or tourism. With the application the interested party must file a) a description of the Project he or she will develop and the amount of funds he will invest in the project, which can not be under 1,000,000.00 lempiras and this amount must be used to purchase assets in Honduras , b) Deposit in the Central Bank of Honduras Lps. 1,500.00, c) A commitment to file within 60 days after the Residency is issued and investment plan, d) Accredit that the applicant has already invested at the time of filing his application a sum of 450,000.00 lempiras in his or her project and e) File an investment schedule, said schedule will be supervised by the Directorate General of Immigration and the Secretary of Industry, Commerce and Tourism.

Fees for handling a Pensionado or Rentista as an individual petition are on average: $ 800.00 and if two are filed the second petition is handled for $ 400.00. Obtainment of a Residence in which a couple file together and obtain a dependent status are: $ 1,150.00. Investors Residency fees are $ 1,500.00 Please bear in mind that the fees are for handling the Residency Permit and that the fees or taxes which will be paid at the Consulate are paid for by the interested party and are not included in the fee schedule as detailed in this document.

When you visit the Honduran Consulate please notify them that you are interested in filing all the paperwork above mentioned, however that your Attorney in Honduras has notified you that the second paragraph of Article 8 Decree 93-91 allows those who are already residing in Honduras to file the application to enter Honduras as a Resident directly at the Honduran Tourism Institute and not have to go through the Consulate, but that you need to have the rest of the documentation Authenticated at the Consulate. Likewise the Consulate personnel may request that the documents be translated before they are authenticated, you will have to play it by ear as if they insist on doing it, the best is to accept it or your documents may not be authenticated.