What it means in practice
Apply well before the trip: visa processing for Guatemala depends on the embassy or consulate handling your application. The length of stay is the one printed on your visa.
How Guatemala counts your stay: Up to 90 days from the first CA-4 entry stamp, shared across Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua. Maximum 180 days in total with the extension. Overstaying incurs a fine for irregular stay.
Before you go
Official details are shown in English.
- Tourist or traveller visa (categories B and C) — Cost: Depends on category and consulate; Processing: Varies; category C is reviewed by the IGM in Guatemala; Validity: Depends on visa type; Stay: Up to 90 days, extendable once by up to 90 days. Apply on the official site
- Electronic Regional Traveller's Affidavit (DJRV) — Before arrival and before departure (can be filled in several days ahead); valid for the travel date you enter; Free. Required for all travellers entering or leaving by air or sea. Takes about 4 minutes on any device; you get a QR code — keep it printed or on your phone. A QR link is also posted at the airport. Official site
- Guatemalan visa (category B or C) — Before travel; Set by the consulate / Guatemalan Migration Institute (IGM). Category B: consular visa from a Guatemalan embassy or consulate. Category C: visa approved by the IGM in Guatemala, with a Guatemalan guarantor filing the request. Category B nationals holding a valid US, Canadian, Mexican or Schengen visa are treated as category A (no Guatemalan visa). Official site
At the border
Official details are shown in English.
- Passport valid at least 6 months
- DJRV QR code when arriving or leaving by air or sea
- Get entry and exit stamps; leaving without an entry stamp leads to a fine and delays
- After leaving the CA-4 area you may return after 72 hours; the officer can refuse entry
- Yellow fever certificate only if arriving from, or transiting an airport in, a country with yellow fever risk
- A child travelling with one parent or another adult needs a notarised consent letter from the absent parent(s)
How to avoid overstaying
- Go by your stamp or visa. The date the officer gives you is the one that counts, even if it is shorter than the maximum.
- Extend before you run out. Apply at the Guatemalan Migration Institute (IGM) before your stay expires: one extension of up to 90 days, fee USD 25 (paid in quetzales). Bring the form, passport valid 6+ months with your last entry stamp, and an exit ticket, an international credit card or a Guatemalan guarantor's certificate. If the entry stamp is missing you also need a migration record (USD 10). For longer stays apply for temporary residence.
- What overstaying costs. Overstaying incurs a fine for irregular stay.
Good to know
Official details are shown in English.
- Each CA-4 country checks its own entry rules: a visa-free passport for Guatemala may still need a visa for El Salvador, Honduras or Nicaragua.
- If you bring a vehicle, leave by the date on the temporary import permit; each extra day is fined.
Staying longer
Visa-free days are for visits. For months or years in Guatemala, these are the long-stay routes in Bordr's guide (checked against official sources):
Official details are shown in English.
- Permanent residence for rentiers and pensioners — permanent
- Temporary residence for investors — 1–5 years
- Temporary residence for workers — for the length of the contract, up to 5 years
- Temporary residence for students
Costs, income thresholds and how to apply are in the Bordr guide.
Questions
Do Hong Kong SAR passport holders need a visa for Guatemala?
Hong Kong SAR passport holders need a visa for Guatemala, arranged before the trip.
Can I extend my stay in Guatemala?
Apply at the Guatemalan Migration Institute (IGM) before your stay expires: one extension of up to 90 days, fee USD 25 (paid in quetzales). Bring the form, passport valid 6+ months with your last entry stamp, and an exit ticket, an international credit card or a Guatemalan guarantor's certificate. If the entry stamp is missing you also need a migration record (USD 10). For longer stays apply for temporary residence.
What do I need at the border in Guatemala?
Passport valid at least 6 months; DJRV QR code when arriving or leaving by air or sea; Get entry and exit stamps; leaving without an entry stamp leads to a fine and delays.
When was this checked?
Bordr last checked the entry rules for Guatemala against official sources on 30 October 2026. Rules change: confirm with the official source before you travel.
Sources and last check
Entry rules for this destination were last checked against official sources on 30 October 2026. Visa-free days come from the passport matrix in the Bordr app, corrected where the official rules differ.
- IGM — Guatemalan visas (categories A/B/C)
- MINEX — Visas for foreigners (visa-exempt list, Reglamento AMN 04-2025)
- IGM — Application for extension of tourist/traveller visa (IGM-01-2025)
- IGM — Tariffs
- IGM — Guarantors
- IGM — CA-4 unified manual
- SAT — Declaración Jurada Regional de Viajero (DJRV)
- Government of Canada — Guatemala travel advice (CA-4, 72-hour rule, yellow fever)
This page is general information, not legal advice. Entry rules change and border officers have the final say. Check the official government source for your destination before you travel.
Includes visa data from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), retrieved 1 November 2026; Bordr's official-source checks take precedence.
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