Thailand to El Salvador visa requirements

Yes, a visa is required. Thailand ordinary passport holders are NOT on El Salvador's visa-exempt (Group A) list, so they must obtain authorization before travel, either a Salvadoran consular/consulted visa or the online Permiso Especial de Ingreso (PEI). As of 2026, a Thai ORDINARY passport holder needs a visa to enter El Salvador for tourism. El Salvador exempts about 89 jurisdictions (mainly the Americas, EU/Schengen, UK, Japan, South Korea, Australia, NZ) from visas, allowing them to buy a USD 12 tourist card on arrival for up to 90 days. Thailand is not in that exempt group for ordinary passports; only Thai diplomatic, official and service passports are visa-exempt. Ordinary Thai citizens therefore fall under the "visa required" category and must be authorized in advance. Because there is no resident Salvadoran consulate in Thailand issuing tourist visas, most Thai travelers use the official online Permiso Especial de Ingreso (PEI) at elsalvadorpei.migracion.gob.sv, a pre-entry authorization costing USD 100, or apply for a consular/consulted visa through the nearest Salvadoran diplomatic mission. Approval is at the discretion of the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (DGME) and is not guaranteed. Always confirm with the DGME or a Salvadoran consulate before booking, as policy can change. El Salvador is in Central America, not the Schengen area, so the Schengen 90/180 rule and ETIAS do not apply to this trip.