Guatemala · How long you can stay
How long can a US citizen stay in Guatemala?
Short answer
No visa needed: US citizens get up to 90 days, and can extend once to 180 days in total. Paid work isn't allowed while visiting.
The rules for a US passport
| Visa needed? | No, a valid US passport is enough for a visit |
|---|---|
| Days allowed | Up to 90 days per entry |
| Can you extend? | Yes, once, for up to 180 days in total; the filing fee is $25 |
| What you can't do | Business activity without permission (fine about $650). Remote work for a US employer isn't addressed Needs review |
| Overstay penalty | About $2 (Q15) a day, and you may be ordered to leave within 10 days |
| Passport validity | Valid when you enter, with one blank page |
Not yet verified Rules read in archived copies of the official texts; the final check at the official source is pending.
Needs review Remote work as a visitor, and whether the 90 days are shared across the region.
Good to know
- Extending: apply before your stay ends, with an exit ticket, an international credit card or a registered Guatemalan guarantor.
- Want to stay longer? You can apply for residency inside Guatemala; your stay is covered while the case is open.
- Neighbors: whether your 90 days are shared with El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua is unclear Needs review
Sources (9)
Legal basis and exact figures
- Law: Código de Migración (Decreto 44-2016) art 74 (90 days; lawful purposes), arts 193(e), 194(4) (Q5,000 fine for unauthorised commercial activity), 194(2) and 195 (Q15 a day overstay, payable in USD at the Banguat rate; order to leave within 10 days); Reglamento General art 49; Reglamento de Visas (IGM-015-2025) arts 5, 9, 14, 15, 21; Tarifario IGM-029-2023 numeral 2.2 (USD 25).
- CA-4: the shared 90-day period (Section VI.1-3) is written for Category B nationals; for Category A nationals such as US citizens, Section VI.8 leaves the stay to each state's rules. The State Department page (April 2025) doesn't mention CA-4.
- Border: electronic immigration and customs declaration on entry and exit; declare USD 10,000 or more. Exit taxes and minors' rules not checked. Texts read through Internet Archive copies of the IGM files.
Every rule, with its legal basis
The rules
| Rule | What it says |
|---|---|
| Do you need a visa? | No visa: the United States is in IGM Categoría A ('exento de visa'); nationals enter with a valid passport (Reglamento de Visas IGM-015-2025 art 9; IGM Categoría A list, 2023 image). US State Department agrees ('You do not need a visa'). |
| Working as a visitor | Tourist/traveller status is for lawful purposes without the aim of residence (Code art 74). Being caught in commercial activities without authorisation is a fault fined Q5,000 with an order to stop (arts 193(e), 194(4)). The law read does not address remote work for a foreign employer while a tourist: Needs review. Paid consulting at the request of a Guatemalan institution is a separate 180-day status (art 74 second paragraph). |
| How long you can stay | Up to 90 days per entry as tourist (Code art 74; Reglamento General art 49; Reglamento de Visas art 14). CA-4: the regional agreement's shared 90-day period is written for Category B nationals (Section VI.1-3); for Category A nationals such as US citizens, permanence when moving to another CA-4 state follows each state's rules (Section VI.8). The commonly published rule that US citizens share one 90-day CA-4 allowance was not found in the text read: Needs review. |
| Extending your stay | One extension only, for a period equal to that granted on entry, total not exceeding 180 days (Reglamento General art 49; Reglamento de Visas art 14). Apply at IGM before the stay expires with form, passport with last entry stamp, exit ticket or international credit card or a registered Guatemalan guarantor, and payment (Reglamento de Visas art 15). |
| Passport | Valid and current passport required (Reglamento de Visas art 5). US State Department: valid when you enter and one blank page. A six-month validity rule applies to visas placed in passports (art 3), not to visa-exempt entry; airline rules not checked. |
| Health requirements | US State Department: no vaccinations required. Guatemalan health-entry rules (e.g. yellow fever for travellers from risk countries) not read in an official Guatemalan source. |
| Switching to residency | Temporary residence may be requested in Guatemala while in regular migratory status (Code art 76); filing a temporary or permanent residence application authorises the stay while it is processed, so no overstay accrues (Reglamento de Residencias art 4). To leave and re-enter during processing, a 'visa por expediente de residencia en trámite' is needed (90 days, not extendable; art 42; Reglamento de Visas art 21). |
| Fees | USD 25 'ingreso de solicitud de prórroga de visa de turista o viajero' (Tarifario IGM-029-2023 numeral 2.2; same on the IGM tariff page, Nov 2026). No separate grant fee shown. |
| Overstaying | Q15 per day of overstay without a pending extension request (Code art 194(2)), payable in USD at the Banguat reference rate of the payment day; an order to leave within 10 days may be added (art 195). After the extended stay expires the IGM may impose expulsion and cancel the visa, plus the fine (Reglamento de Visas art 15). State Department: fine paid to IGM before departure. |
| At the border | All travellers complete an electronic immigration and customs declaration to enter and exit; USD 10,000 or more must be declared with source and purpose (US State Department). Not checked: exit/airport taxes, minors travelling alone, proof of funds or onward ticket at entry (only required for the extension). |
Links
- Reglamento de Visas Guatemaltecas, Acuerdo IGM-015-2025 + Acuerdo AMN-04-2025
- IGM: Clasificación de países, Categoría A (exento de visa) list
- US State Department: Guatemala international travel information
- Código de Migración, Decreto 44-2016 del Congreso de la República (IGM-hosted text)
- Reglamento General del Código de Migración, Acuerdo IGM-017-2023 approved by Acuerdos AMN
- Acuerdo Regional de Procedimientos Migratorios CA-4 (30 June 2005, in force 1 July 2005)
- Reglamento de Residencias Guatemaltecas, Acuerdo IGM-016-2025 (approved by Acuerdo AMN-05-
- Reglamento de Tarifas por Servicios Migratorios, Acuerdo IGM-029-2023 (approved by AMN 004
- IGM: Tarifario de Servicios Migratorios (web page, new site)
Count your days in Guatemala → Entry and visas in full → The full Guatemala guide →
Questions people ask
Do US citizens need a visa for Guatemala?
No, a valid US passport is enough for a visit
How many days can a US citizen stay in Guatemala?
Up to 90 days per entry
Can a US citizen extend a stay in Guatemala?
Yes, once, for up to 180 days in total; the filing fee is $25
Can I work in Guatemala as a tourist?
Business activity without permission (fine about $650). Remote work for a US employer isn't addressed (Needs review)
What happens if you overstay in Guatemala?
About $2 (Q15) a day, and you may be ordered to leave within 10 days
How long must my passport be valid for Guatemala?
Valid when you enter, with one blank page