Nicaragua · Country guide

Moving to Nicaragua from the US

Visas, residency routes, citizenship and tax for Americans moving to Nicaragua, with the law behind each rule.

Source-checked15 sources, 9 officialHow we check

Today's rate: $1 = 36.90 córdobasUpdated 14 Nov 2026

CapitalManagua

Visa-free (US)Up to 90 days, extendable to 180

Residency income fromNo amount set in law since 2024

Citizenship7 years after a permanent residence card

Tax on foreign incomeNo: US pensions, Social Security and interest aren't taxed

Dual citizenshipNo: you renounce US nationality

Nicaragua in brief

Visit visa-free: 90 days, extendable to 180 days in total.
Entry can be denied: officials can turn you away on 'sovereignty' grounds, with no appeal.
Retiree rules changed in 2024: the old pension law is gone; retirees now get temporary residence only.
No set income amount: no current minimum pension or income was found in law.
Citizenship is a long road: 7 years from a permanent card, and you renounce US nationality.
Tax is territorial: US pensions, Social Security and interest aren't taxed; work done here is.

About Nicaragua

Nicaragua is a land of lakes and volcanoes, from the Pacific surf towns to a Caribbean coast where most travel is by boat. The Pacific side is dry from November to April and rainy from May to October.

The cone of Concepción volcano under a cap of cloud, rising from green shores across Lake Nicaragua. — Concepción volcano on Ometepe

A sunny León street of single-story yellow and orange houses, with a horse cart at the curb. — A quiet street in León

The stone walls and arched doorways of Masaya's old crafts market, lined with young palms. — Masaya's old stone market

The whitewashed domes and balustrades on the roof of León Cathedral against a clear blue sky. — León Cathedral's white rooftop

By the numbers

6.9 millionPeople, 2025 estimate

Size of AlabamaLand area, 50,000 sq mi

59%Live in cities

About 28 yearsHalf are youngerNeeds review

2World Heritage sitesNeeds review

$3,200GDP per person

Needs reviewWorked out from the official age table; no published figure.

Needs reviewThe count is from news reports; confirming it on the official list.

Regions

Capital Region: Managua, Masaya and the hill 'white towns'; the most populous region.
Northern Pacific Coast: Some of the most active volcanoes on Earth, and home of poet Rubén Darío.
Southern Pacific Coast: Surf beaches, San Juan del Sur and Ometepe island in the big lake.
Northern Highlands: Coffee farms, cigar factories and cool, foggy cloud forest.
Caribbean Nicaragua: Reached mostly by boat, with Miskito, Creole and Garifuna cultures.

Culture and daily life

Language: Spanish full of local slang; Creole English is still spoken on the Caribbean coast.
Food: Gallo pinto (rice and beans) is the staple; a street plate costs about $1–2.
Religion and holidays: Mostly Catholic, with a growing evangelical community; Independence Day is September 15.

Economy and politics, briefly

Stable currency: the córdoba is fixed at about 36.6 per dollar for all of 2026; inflation was 2.1% in 2025.
Politics: Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo govern as co-presidents under a 2025 constitutional change that also set six-year terms.
Growth: the economy grew 4.9% in 2025.

Sources (7)

Cities in Nicaragua

Where our city guides are planned. Hover a city to find it on the map.

All Nicaragua guides

Every rule with its legal source.

Entry and visas90 days visa-free, extendable to 180 Residency3 routes, all with amounts still unsettled Citizenship7 years from a permanent card, then renounce TaxesWhat retirees and remote workers pay

Free tools

Count your days in NicaraguaTourist days used and left, the tax-residency test, and the US 330-day count.Social Security and Medicare in NicaraguaPayments, direct deposit, agreements and what Medicare covers.

Still being checked

Income amounts: the current minimum for retirees and income residents, not set in law since 2024.
Fees: the current immigration fees.
Documents: whether an apostille replaces consular certification for US papers.
Official texts: the 2024 migration reform, to confirm on the official legal site.
Permanent residence: whether any route leads there from retiree or income residence.
Citizenship reform: final publication of the rule requiring renunciation Pending change

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