If you are looking for a getaway, you might as well visit the incredible country of Guatemala. The beautiful country will offer you an unforgettable experience. To visit the country, first, you need to see if you need a Guatemala visa or if you can enter and visit Guatemala with just a valid passport.
Who Needs a Visa for Guatemala?
You don’t need a Guatemala visa if you are a citizen of one of the following countries. You can enter Guatemala and stay there for 90 days with just a valid passport:
- All EU citizens
- Israel
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Andorra
- Japan
- San Marino
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Kuwait
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Argentina
- Liechtenstein
- Saudi Arabia
- Australia
- Madagascar
- Singapore
- Bahamas
- Malaysia
- Solomon Islands
- Bahrain
- Marshall Islands
- South Africa
- Barbados
- Mexico
- South Korea
- Belize
- Monaco
- Switzerland
- Brazil
- New Zealand
- Taiwan
- Brunei
- Nicaragua
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Canada
- North Macedonia
- Turkey
- Chile
- Norway
- Tuvalu
- Colombia
- Panama
- Ukraine
- Costa Rica
- Paraguay
- United Arab Emirates
- Dominican Republic
- Peru
- United Kingdom
- El Salvador
- Qatar
- United States
- Fiji
- Russia
- Uruguay
- Honduras
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Vanuatu
- Iceland
- Saint Lucia
- Vatican City
*Everyone else needs a visa to enter and visit the Republic of Guatemala.
Guatemala Visa Requirements
To apply for a Guatemala visa, you must gather the following documents and submit them at the nearest embassy/consulate of Guatemala in your home country:
- A passport that is valid for at least six months before your return date from Guatemala.
- One passport-size photo that is recently taken and is in colours.
- Application form. Download the Guatemala application form online, complete it and sign it at the end.
- Valid travel health insurance. Your health insurance must be valid, covering any expenses you might have while in Guatemala.
- Accommodation proof. Adocument proving that you have a place to stay while in Guatemala. This document can be a rental agreement, a hotel reservation, a letter of invitation, etc.
- A cover letter explaining the purpose of your visit to Guatemala.
- An invitation letter written by a friend or relative living in Guatemala. The invitation letter must prove that you have a sponsor and a place to stay in the country.
- A bank statement document proving that you are financially stable and that you can finance yourself while in Guatemala.
- A criminal record document. The criminal record is a document issued by the police authorities of your home country; this document must prove that you don’t present a threat to the country of Guatemala .
- Flight itinerary document. The flight itinerary document must include details of your flight, such as flight date and time, a return flight ticket, the name of the airline company, etc.
How to Apply for Guatemala Visa?
Here are all the steps you need to follow to apply for a Guatemala visa:
- Book a visa appointment at the nearest embassy/consulate of Guatemala in your home country.
- Gather and submit the requested documents at the embassy/consulate of Guatemala in your home country. See the documents on “Guatemala Visa Requirements”.
- After fulfilling all the requested steps, you must wait for a response from the embassy/consulate of Guatemala to which you have submitted your documents. The processing time for a Guatemala visa is 5 to 15 working days.
Guatemala Visa Types
The duration of a Guatemala visa is three months. If you apply for a Guatemala temporary residence permit, you are allowed to stay in Guatemala for two years:
- A short-stay visa is issued for different purposes, such as:
- Tourism.
- Visits.
- Business meetings.
- Health controls, etc.
- A temporary residence permit is issued for different purposes, such as:
- Work.
- Study.
- Business/Investment.
- Family reunion
- Retirement. If you are a foreign citizen looking to retire in Guatemala, you can apply for a Guatemala retirement visa.
Guatemala Visa Fees
When applying for a Guatemala visa, you must finish an amount of fee payment for your visa application. When submitting your documents, you can complete the fee payment at the embassy or consulate of Guatemala in your home country.
The payment for a Guatemala visa is:
- $25 for a tourist visa.
- $25 for a simple visa.
- $100 for a multiple entry visa.
If you apply for a Guatemala temporary residence permit, depending on the purpose of your stay in Guatemala, you must finish the payment of:
- $50 for a religious temporary residence permit.
- $100 for student temporary residence permit.
- $200 for refugees or political asylees temporary residence permit.
- $25 for income application or extension of residence.
If you apply for a Guatemala permanent residence permit, you must finish the payment of:
- $700 for permanent residence.
- $500 for central Americans applying for a Guatemala permanent residence.
- $100 for a religious permanent residence permit.
- $400 for annuitants or pensioners applying for a Guatemala residence permit.
Residence Permit for Guatemala
A Guatemala residence permit will allow you to stay in Guatemala for three months. However, your residence permit is renewable. You must follow the steps below to apply for a Guatemala residence permit:
- Gather the following documents and submit them to the Guatemalan Immigration Central Office:
- A passport that is valid and in good condition.
- Two recent passport-size photos.
- A letter of invitation from a friend or relative living in Guatemala.
- Bank statement document.
- Before your residence permit expires, apply for a ‘Visa Ordinaria’, which will allow you to stay in Guatemala for another six months.
- If your ‘Visa Ordinaria’ is expired, apply for a Visa Ordinaria Extensions. You will be issued an extension of your residence permit for another two years. After two years, you will officially qualify as a legal permanent resident of Guatemala.
Why Should You Visit Guatemala?
If you are wondering whether you should visit the Republic of Guatemala or not, listed below, you will find ten interesting reasons why you should visit this incredible country.
- The deepest lake in Central America is located in Guatemala.
- More than 30 volcanos are located in Guatemala, three of which are active.
- You can climb at 3 am at the tallest Mayan temple in the world and experience a breathtaking sunset view.
- You can hike in active volcanoes.
- There are plenty of beautiful waterfalls you can go to.
- Guatemala is known for its delicious food and coffee.
- You can visit Lake Atitlán, one of the most beautiful lakes in the world.
- Different colourful markets will offer you everything you need.
- You have beaches with white sand and crystal clear water.
- The aeroplane tickets, accommodation, food, and the lift style in Guatemala are cheap.