Travelers holding passports from India or any of over 50 African nations will be required to pay the fee of $1000, as stated in a statement dated October 20 on El Salvador's port authority website.
The government of El Salvador has introduced a $1,000 fee for passengers originating from either Africa or India in a move aimed at deterring migration to the United States through the country in Central America. Travelers using passports from India or any of the more than 50 African nations will be obligated to pay this fee, as specified in a statement by El Salvador's port authority posted on its website on October 20. The funds generated from this fee will be allocated to enhance the nation's primary international airport, as noted by the authority.
This week, El Salvador's President, Nayib Bukele, had a productive meeting with Brian Nichols, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, where they discussed various topics, including El Salvador's support for the international mission in Haiti, initiatives to stimulate foreign direct investment in El Salvador, bilateral collaboration concerning the rule of law, and shared efforts to address irregular migration.
Irregular migration has been a pressing issue, with the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol encountering a record 3.2 million migrants across the United States during the fiscal year 2023, which concluded in September. Numerous migrants, including those from Africa and other regions, reach the U.S. via Central America.
Including value-added tax (VAT), the total additional cost for travelers from the affected countries amounts to $1,130. This new fee was put into effect on October 23 due to the increased use of El Salvador's main international airport, as stated in the announcement. Furthermore, airlines are mandated to provide daily notifications to Salvadoran authorities about passengers originating from a list of 57 countries in Africa and India. One of the airport's major users, the Colombian airline Avianca, has started informing travelers from these countries that they must pay the mandatory fee before boarding flights to El Salvador.
0 Comments