Honduras · How long you can stay
How long can a US citizen stay in Honduras?
Short answer
US visitors get 90 days, plus one 30-day extension in justified cases. Visa-free entry is widely reported but not yet confirmed on an official Honduran list.
The rules for a US passport
| Visa needed? | No visa is reported for US citizens Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Days allowed | 90 days |
| Can you extend? | Once, by 30 days, in justified cases; about $20 a month (2004 fee) |
| What you can't do | Paid activity. Remote work for a foreign employer isn't addressed Needs review |
| Overstay penalty | Deportation, or a fine instead; fines run from half to three monthly minimum wages |
| Passport validity | At least 3 months |
Not yet verified Rules read in the 2004 migration regulation; the visa list and current fees aren't confirmed.
Needs review Remote work while visiting.
Good to know
- Neighbors: your 90 days may be shared with Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua Not yet verified
- Want to stay longer? You can apply for residency inside Honduras; a change of status costs $100 (2004 fee).
- At the border: officers may ask for proof of funds, and health checks apply when officials require them.
Sources (3)
Legal basis and exact figures
- Law: Reglamento de la Ley de Migración (2004) arts 18 (no lucrative activity; proof of means), 19 (change of status), 21, 22(7), 113 (3 months' passport validity; health checks, 113(4)), 115(4), 116(3) (90 days), 117 (one 30-day extension), 121(4) (deportation commutable to 10% of the service-sector minimum wage per month), 136(3) (half to three minimum wages), 144; tariffs art 126(11) USD 100, art 127(10) USD 20 a month, 127(19)-(20) USD 3 land entry and air exit.
- CA-4: the convention (2005) art VI lets category A nationals move freely in the four states; the shared 90-day rule is said to be in its Manual de Procedimientos (art VII), which wasn't read. Annex I list illegible; the US State Department page wasn't readable.
Every rule, with its legal basis
The rules
| Rule | What it says |
|---|---|
| Do you need a visa? | Not yet verified from an official Honduran list: the US is widely reported as category 'A' (visa-exempt) under the CA-4 classification. The CA-4 convention (2005) lets category A nationals enter through any peripheral border post and move freely within Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua (art VI), but its Annex I country list was not legible and the US State Department page returned 403. |
| Working as a visitor | Tourists may not carry out lucrative activities during their stay (Reglamento de Migración art 18); non-residents may only perform the activities authorised on entry (art 19). Remote work for a foreign employer is not addressed: Needs review. |
| How long you can stay | Initial stay for tourists: 90 days (Reglamento art 116(3)), without prejudice to treaties. The CA-4 convention says stay is authorised per its Manual de Procedimientos (art VII); the widely reported rule that the 90 days are shared across all four CA-4 countries comes from that manual, which was not read. |
| Extending your stay | In duly justified situations the immigration authority may grant one single extension of 30 days after the 90 days (Reglamento art 117, final paragraph). Request before the authorised stay expires (art 107 asks for the request three days before expiry for visa holders). |
| Passport | Non-residents' passports must have at least three months' validity (Reglamento art 113). Airline rules not checked. |
| Health requirements | Entrants must present a medical certificate, undergo examination or quarantine when Honduran health authorities consider it necessary (Reglamento art 113(4)). Yellow-fever and other current health rules not checked. |
| Switching to residency | Non-residents may request a change to another category or status if justified and requirements are met (Reglamento art 19). Residence applications can be filed in Honduras at the SGJD (art 21); in-country applicants need no consular entry request (art 22(7)). Change-of-status tariff USD 100 (art 126(11), 2004). |
| Fees | USD 20 per month of extension for non-resident foreigners (Reglamento art 127(10), 2004 tariff; current amount not verified). |
| Overstaying | Overstaying is irregular stay (art 115(4)) and grounds for deportation; the INM may commute deportation to a fine of 10% of the service-sector minimum wage per month of overstay (art 121(4)). Overstay is also an infraction fined at half to three minimum wages (art 136(3)). Deportees may ask for re-entry pardon after two years (art 144). Current minimum wage and collection practice not checked. |
| At the border | 2004 tariffs list USD 3 for non-Central American foreigners entering by land and USD 3 for foreigners leaving by air (art 127(19)-(20)); airport and other taxes not checked. Officers may require proof of sufficient means (art 18). Minors' rules (art 118) apply to departures. US State Department and US Embassy pages could not be read. |
Links
Count your days in Honduras → Entry and visas in full → The full Honduras guide →
Questions people ask
Do US citizens need a visa for Honduras?
No visa is reported for US citizens (Not yet verified)
How many days can a US citizen stay in Honduras?
90 days
Can a US citizen extend a stay in Honduras?
Once, by 30 days, in justified cases; about $20 a month (2004 fee)
Can I work in Honduras as a tourist?
Paid activity. Remote work for a foreign employer isn't addressed (Needs review)
What happens if you overstay in Honduras?
Deportation, or a fine instead; fines run from half to three monthly minimum wages
How long must my passport be valid for Honduras?
At least 3 months