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El Salvador's $1M Freedom Passport, explained.
El Salvador's Freedom Visa — the $1 million bitcoin or USDT citizenship-by-investment programme. What it grants, who it is for, and how it compares to Caribbean CBI.
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The short answer
The Freedom Visa grants El Salvador citizenship and a passport in exchange for a $1,000,000 investment in bitcoin or USDT, with 1,000 places offered per year. It is a citizenship programme, not a residency one, and it is administered with Tether through a designated agent.
In December 2023 El Salvador legislated a citizenship-by-investment programme priced at $1,000,000, payable in bitcoin or USDT, capped at 1,000 grants a year and administered in partnership with Tether.
What it grants
Citizenship and a Salvadoran passport, not a residence permit. Applicants are not required to live in the country, and dual citizenship is permitted, so no existing nationality needs to be renounced.
What it costs
- $1,000,000 investment in BTC or USDT
- Professional, due-diligence and government processing fees on top
- Places capped at 1,000 per year
Who it is actually for
Not retirees, and not people looking for a cheaper life — the rentista and pensionado routes cost a rounding error by comparison and reach the same place more slowly.
It is for holders of large crypto positions who want a second citizenship denominated in the asset they already hold, in a jurisdiction that taxes territorially and has written bitcoin into law. That is a narrow group, and the programme was designed for it.
How it compares
| Programme | Cost | Grants |
|---|---|---|
| El Salvador Freedom Visa | $1,000,000 | Citizenship |
| St Kitts & Nevis | from $250,000 | Citizenship |
| Dominica | from $200,000 | Citizenship |
| Portugal golden visa | from €500,000 | Residency first |
On price alone the Caribbean programmes win, and their passports open more borders. The case for El Salvador is the denomination, the tax treatment and, for some buyers, the politics.
Before you consider it
Take advice from a cross-border tax lawyer before moving a seven-figure sum, and confirm the programme’s current terms directly — this is a young scheme and the details have moved since launch. If you want an introduction to a firm that handles these files, tell us what you need.
Questions people actually ask
How much is the El Salvador Freedom Passport?
$1,000,000 in bitcoin or USDT, plus professional and due-diligence fees. Places are capped at 1,000 a year.
Is it citizenship or residency?
Citizenship, with a passport, which is what distinguishes it from most golden-visa programmes that grant residency first.
How does it compare to Caribbean citizenship programmes?
It costs roughly four to five times a St Kitts or Dominica contribution. The El Salvador passport has weaker visa-free access. The differentiators are the bitcoin denomination and the territorial tax system.
Last checked September 11, 2026. Rules and prices change — if you find something out of date, tell us.
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