Looking for a guide to travel to Nicaragua? If you still don’t know What is needed to travel to Nicaragua, we are going to explain everything you have to prepare for entering and leaving Nicaragua. general information and Requirements to travel to Nicaragua with its customs, laws and limitations in Nicaraguan customs. You have available this travel guide with the emergency telephone numbers, the best time to travel to nicaragua and everything you need to know to travel safely.

guide to travel to Nicaragua

NICARAGUA DATA

Capital Nicaragua (See map)
Languages Spanish, English (has a strong presence)
Currency Nicaraguan Cordoba
Visa? Nope
Voltage 120 volts

General information of Nicaragua

With the current situation you may have to fill out some kind of form to travel to Nicaragua or covid Nicaragua requirements, so we recommend you check What is needed to travel to Nicaragua or any destination in the country in this travel guide.

If you want to enter Nicaragua you must present a International Certificate of Vaccination against Yellow Fever valid for no less than 10 days if your trip is from the following destinations:

  • South America: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.
  • Africa: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Congo, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Central African Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria , Democratic Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, South Sudan, Togo and Uganda.

Guide to travel to Nicaragua entry requirements

These are the Nicaraguan entry requirements:

  • Passport valid for at least 6 months at the time of entry and until the date your trip ends.
  • Have family, work or financial ties in the place of origin that will allow you to demonstrate your intention to return to your country of origin.
  • Have enough money to finance your stay.
  • All foreigners upon entering the country must pay (cancel) a tourist tax of $10.00 US dollars.
  • If you have a job offer, intend to study or settle and establish your own business, you must apply for a temporary residence visa, once you enter the country, before the authorities of the General Directorate of Immigration and Immigration.

PEOPLE BELONGING TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS

  • People who belong to community organizations, non-governmental organizations must send the following duly completed application form to the Ministry of the Interior of Nicaragua, at least 7 days before their entry.

PEOPLE TRAVELING FROM SOUTH AMERICA AND AFRICA

  • You must present an International Certificate of Vaccination against Yellow Fever valid for no less than 10 days if your trip is coming from the following destinations:
    • South America: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.
    • Africa: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Congo, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Central African Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria , Democratic Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, South Sudan, Togo and Uganda.

For more information, contact the General Directorate of Immigration and Immigration of the Nicaraguan Government.

ENTRY OF VEHICLES

  • Take into account that all people who enter the country by land in a private vehicle must send an entry application in advance of their trip, which can be downloaded online on the website of the Ministry of the Interior of Nicaragua
  • Tourists who wish to enter Nicaragua by land driving their vehicle, after appearing before the immigration authority, will go to the tourist vehicle registration and control window that the General Directorate of Customs Services (DGA) has enabled for such cases in each land border control post, where you will present your identity documents (passport and driver’s license) and the vehicle’s circulation card. In it, the customs officer will enter the declaration of temporary importation of the vehicle in the vehicle module and will issue a certificate free of charge so that it can circulate freely throughout the national territory for a period of thirty days, after which it may request an extension before Customs at the central level in Managua, where an extension will be granted for another thirty days, which has a cost of 30 US dollars.
  • If the driver is not the owner of the vehicle, but the latter travels with the driver, a document must be presented to the customs authority through which the owner authorizes him to drive the vehicle and take it out of the country with an indication of authorization for its entry into Nicaragua.
  • When the vehicle leaves Nicaraguan territory, the tourist will also go to the tourist vehicle registration and control window set up by the DGA at the exit land border control post, where he will again present his identity documents ( passport and driver’s license) and the vehicle’s circulation card, on which occasion the customs officer will cancel the exit at the vehicle module.

Guide to travel to Nicaragua requirements to leave

Once your stay is over, these are the Nicaragua exit requirements:

  • Every foreign person must pay a tax when leaving Nicaragua of $42 US dollars.
  • It is important that you check with your airline if this tax is already covered in the purchase of the plane ticket or if you must pay it upon departure from Nicaragua.
3d country map

Customs information Nicaragua

  • If you enter or leave with $10,000 US dollars or more, or its equivalent in other currencies, in checks and payment and exchange instruments, you must report it to the immigration authorities at the time of your arrival or departure from that country.
  • The entry of firearms, tear gas and pepper spray is prohibited.
  • Tourists must fill out their traveler’s declaration, the customs authority will provide you with a format at the time of your arrival at the land border control post, once filled out, you must present it to the customs authority, who will verify that you do not have merchandise other than luggage.
  • The back of the traveler’s declaration form indicates which goods are part of the traveler’s baggage. All goods other than luggage must always be declared by the traveler.
  • If you bring merchandise other than your luggage, you will be instructed to go to the corresponding window where, ex officio, the customs authority will prepare an import declaration under the special import modalities, applying an exemption of five hundred dollars, if the amount of duties and taxes that If you must pay for those goods other than luggage if it exceeds five hundred dollars, the 25% rate will be applied to the taxable base of the customs value of the goods.
  • If the goods other than luggage have a value greater than two thousand US dollars, you must pay the services for the preparation of the definitive import customs declaration, plus the fees for customs security service, fee for import services and fee for electronic transmission.
  • The transportation of goods other than luggage and in commercial quantities must be carried out in the means of transport authorized by the customs authority for such purposes and in accordance with the formalities established in the Regulations for International Land Customs Transit of Goods established for the Central American region.

For more information, contact the General Directorate of Customs Services of the Nicaraguan Government.

Nicaraguan local currency

  • The legal currency is the Nicaraguan Córdoba (“C$”, NIO), although the US dollar is also accepted at tourist points.
  • At the international airport there the only official foreign currency exchange center. You can also exchange currency at some street stalls located mainly in the cities of Managua and Granada. People authorized by the government to carry out this activity must wear a badge that identifies them.

For more information regarding the local currency or payment methods of the country, consult the section recommendations in money to travel abroad..

Nicaraguan customs

Make sure you know the customs of the country so you can know what the best time to visit nicaragua. Here are the most common.

  • Exclusively in the city of Managua, on the first and 10th of August, the Patron Saint Festivities of Managua.
  • On July 19 of each year, the triumph of the Sandinista Revolution is celebrated throughout Nicaragua. On this date different events are held throughout the country and it is a national holiday in which many places are closed.
  • In the month of September, different celebrations are held throughout Nicaragua every year to commemorate the Independence of Central America and the Battle of San Jacinto. Although the celebrations begin the first days of September, they culminate on the 15th with the reading of the Act of Independence of Central America and a National Festival of Rhythmic Bands.

Is it safe to travel to Nicaragua?

  • The payment for the taxi service varies depending on the distance to travel. It is important to note that these are not for the exclusive use of the first user, during the journey taxi drivers can take more people before finishing their trip. It is important to ask the taxi driver that you do not want anyone else to get on, although this would imply that the driver charges you a little more, but it is safer, since assaults have been recorded inside collective taxis.
  • If you have to travel to the interior of the country, the buses can be taken in the different markets of the capital, the rates vary depending on the place you travel to.
  • When renting a vehicle, companies will offer you options regarding the insurance of the vehicle to rent, it is always advisable to obtain insurance that covers everything in case of an incident since in Nicaragua the number of road accidents is high.
  • Nicaragua has one of the lowest homicide rates in Central America, but it is necessary to take adequate preventive measures, since robbery with aggression is frequent.

Nicaraguan Laws

  • It is recommended that you always carry a copy of your passport with a visa on hand during your stay in Nicaragua, as well as obtain a copy of them and keep it in a safe place.
  • Illicitly transporting psychotropic substances is typified as a serious crime.
  • If possible, purchase transportation services from a certified company. There is a high number of road accidents and robberies and incidents with authorities or scammers.

Other recommendations in a guide to travel to Nicaragua

  • Do not forget to notify your bank that you will travel to Nicaragua, so that they can inform you how to act in case of theft or loss of your credit cards in Nicaragua, or problems that you could have when withdrawing money with your cards abroad.
  • Recommendations and more advice by topic or type of traveler, visit the section of recommendations for your trip abroad of this guide to travel to Nicaragua.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

What is the official site for tourism in Nicaragua?

What are the emergency telephone numbers in Nicaragua?

Emergencies for tourists: 101 and/or 22774130 extension 1173
Police (emergencies): 118
Red Cross: 128
Firefighters: 126

Do tourists have the right to free medical care in Nicaragua. ?

Tourists are not entitled to free medical care in Nicaragua.

What are the recommended vaccines in Nicaragua?

Vaccinations against hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rabies, and typhoid are recommended. It is also important to check the official page to obtain updated information from the authorities of that country.