Officially known as the Republic of Honduras, the second-largest country in Central America has an area of 112,492 km2 and a population of 9,587,522.
The only country that touches four of the Central America countries, is also home to incredible Maya ruins and breathtaking nature.
Those wishing to travel to the country, for whatever reason, should first check what requirements they should meet, as they may need to apply for a visa before their trip.
Following in this article you can find all you need to know about traveling to Honduras, including whether you need a visa or not, the criteria you must meet, the procedures you need to follow, and anything else in this regard.
Who Needs a Visa for Honduras?
When traveling to Honduras, nationals of several world citizens will need to get a visa before going on a trip to this country. That is why, travelers are highly recommended to check if they need a visa or not well in advance of their trip.
Traveling Visa-Free to Honduras Under the CA-4 Agreement
Due to the Central America-4 Free Mobility Agreement reached between El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, those holding a visa to any of the four, can travel to the other three without needing any other visa or permit.
Therefore, if you already have a visa from one of the other three countries, you do not need to obtain another visa for Honduras, no matter what your nationality is.
The main thing you need to keep in mind, is that your total stay in the four countries must not surpass the limit of 90 days. The first day you step into one of the four Central American countries, is counted as your day one, even if it is only before midnight. Same applies to the day you leave.
Aside from being able to visit the four countries with a single documents, you will also be exempt from undergoing checks at border checkpoints.
Nationals of 84 Jurisdictions Exempt from Honduras Visa Requirement
Passport holders issued by the following 84 jurisdictions can also visit Honduras without a visa for up to 90 days (unless otherwise noted):
- European Union / EFTA member countries
- Andorra
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Australia
- Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Barbados
- Belize
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Canada
- Chile
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Guatemala
- Israel
- Japan
- Kuwait
- Madagascar
- Malaysia
- Marshall Islands
- Mexico
- Monaco
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- North Macedonia
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru (30 days)
- Qatar
- Russia
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- San Marino
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Saudi Arabia
- Singapore
- Solomon Islands
- South Africa
- South Korea
- Taiwan
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Turkey
- Tuvalu
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- United States
- Uruguay
- Vanuatu
- Vatican City
Other Categories Exempt from Visa Requirement
Aside from those mentioned above, the categories listed below that meet all the conditions set, can also enter Honduras and stay here for a maximum of 90 days:
- Nationals of China holding passports for public affairs.
- Residents of countries that are visa exempt (listed above in this article).
- holders of a valid visa issued by Canada, the United States or a Schengen member state. (This does not apply to nationals of Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Bangladesh, Botswana, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cuba, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Mali, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nepal, Nigeria, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Timor-Leste, Venezuela, Vietnam and Yemen.)
- Holders of diplomatic, official or service passports of Belarus, Bolivia, China, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Fiji, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Libya, Montenegro, Morocco, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Serbia, Suriname, Thailand and United Arab Emirates.
- Holders of diplomatic passports of Palestine.
- Merchant Seamen traveling on duty, holding a Letter of Employment or Letter of Guarantee from the shipping company, which should state that the company is responsible for Merchant Seamen during their stay in Honduras.
- Passengers with a confirmed onward ticket for a flight to a third country on the same calendar day. They must stay in the international transit area of the airport and have documents required for the next destination.
Honduras Visa Requirements
Those in need of a Honduras visa to travel to the country, have to follow several procedures and meet a list of criteria as set by the Honduran authorities. The main of these procedures, is collecting the documents required for application.
Depending on the purpose of the trip, you will need to submit the following documents for a visa to Honduras:
Required Documents for a Honduras Tourist/Business Visa
When traveling to Honduras for purposes as recreation, business or family reasons, you will need to apply for a Honduras Tourist/Business Visa. The required documents for this visa are as follows:
- Fully completed visa application form.
- Two recent photographs in the size of your passport photo.
- Your valid passport, with an expiration date that is at least six months away.
- Your flight itinerary from your current country of stay to Honduras, and vice versa.
- Invitation letter from a host/tourism agency in Honduras.
- Proof of visas from other countries, which you currently hold.
- If you are a foreign resident of the country in which you are applying for the visa to Honduras, you must indicate your current residency status, i.e. student, tourist, etc.
- Copy of proof of fee payment.
Please note that if you are applying for a multiple entry visa for business purposes, aside from the documents listed above, you will also need to submit a letter from the employer in your country of residence. The letter must indicate the period you are planning to stay in Honduras, and whether you will be covering your expenses of the trip on your own or someone else will sponsor you.
Required Documents for a Honduras Consular Visa
If you are applying for a consular visa in a bid to work in Honduras, you must first get an authorization from the Honduran Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The required documents for a Honduran Consular Visa are as follows.
- Fully completed application form for a Consular Visa.
- Your valid passport with at least six more months of validity.
- Proof on the purpose of your trip to Honduras.
- Proof of employment, i.e. work contract or letter issued by the employer.
- Bank account statements, no older than three months.
- Proof of property in your country of residence i.e. house, car, etc.
- A personal letter in which you indicate the intended duration of stay in Honduras and the intended port of entry.
- If you are a foreign resident of the country in which you are applying for the visa to Honduras, you must indicate your current residency status, i.e. student, tourist, etc.
- Proof of visas from other countries, which you currently hold.
- Copy of proof of fee payment.
- A letter from the employer in your country of residence, if you are applying for a multiple entry visa for business purposes. The letter must indicate the period you are planning to stay in Honduras, and who will be covering the expenses of your trip.
Required Documents for a Honduras Diplomatic Visa
Holder of diplomatic passports working for a foreign government, will need to submit the following documents for a Honduran Diplomatic Visa:
- Visa application form, fully completed.
- Valid passport for at least another six months.
- Official document, confirming that the person is a government diplomat.
- Photocopy of fee payment.
Required Documents for a Honduras Official Visa
Those who work for a foreign government or for an international organization, or the holders of the Laissez Passer of the United Nations are eligible to apply for a Honduras Official visa. When applying for this visa the following documents are required:
- Passport valid for at least six months.
- Proof which indicates that the person is a government official.
Honduras Visa for Minors Requirements
According to the Honduran laws, every person under the age of 21 years old is considered a child. Therefore, those under 21, when traveling to or through Honduras, are subject to a specific set of rules:
- Children traveling alone will need a letter of approval, authenticated in advance and signed by both parents or legal guardians
- Children traveling with only one parent, will need a letter of approval that is authenticated in advance and signed by the other parent or legal guardian.
Both letters are required authenticated inside of Honduras, or by a Honduran embassy or consulate located in the traveler’s country of residence.
Also read: Honduras retirement visa requirements
Honduras Visa Application Process
The application process for a visa to Honduras is simple and easy. If you are applying for a visa to Honduras, first thing you need to do is email or phone the embassy, consulate or other representative diplomatic mission of Honduras nearest to your home.
They will then send a complete list of the required documents for your particular purpose of the trip to Honduras, as sometimes there are additions or less required documents for some countries.
Once you have the list of the required documents, collect them all and send them to the consulate by express mail, or even on your own. Do not forget to include a pre-paid envelope in which you will get your passport back. You will then may be invited to attend an interview.
Honduras Visa Fee
When you apply for a Honduras visa, you will need to pay a fee for the processing of your application. The costs of a Honduras visa are quite cheap compare to other world countries. The prices for a visa to Honduras are as follows:
- Single Entry Visa – $30.00
- Multiple Entry Visa – $60.00
In addition to the visa fees, every traveler to Honduras aged 12 and older, must pay an Airport Service fee of $25 or its equivalent in local currency while departing Honduras. Exempt from this fee are transit travelers leaving within 12 hours of arrival.
Honduras Visa Validity
A Honduras Visa is valid for a maximum of 90 days. The first day you enter the country is counted as day one. Note that if you entered Honduras with a visa you obtained from one of the three other Central American Countries, the time you spent in each of them counts as well.
Honduras Entry Requirements
When you show up at the Honduran port of entry, you will have to present a few documents to prove your identity and right to enter the country. These are:
- Your passport, valid for at least another six months.
- Flight tickets to your home country/next destination after Honduras.
- Honduras Visa, if you are from a country under the Honduran visa regime.
Additional entry requirements for minors (all travelers under 21):
- Letter of approval, authenticated and signed by both parents or legal guardians, if the child is traveling alone.
- Letter of approval, is authenticated in advance and signed by the other parent or legal guardian, if the child is traveling with only one parent.
Honduras Entry Rejection
The Honduran border guards hold the authority to reject entry to those not complying with the rules of entry to Honduras. In particular, those that do not hold a return/onward ticket may not be permitted to enter Honduras.
Those who do not need a visa to the country, but show up there with a passport that is valid for less than six months, will also be rejected from entering Honduras.
Honduras Visa Extension
It is possible to extend your Honduran Visa only one time, while you are still in Honduras. The extended period will not be longer than an additional 30 days. You will need to apply for it in time, before the expiration of your current visa.
Is Honduras a Safe Country to Visit?
When traveling to Honduras there are a number of things that you should look out for, in order to make sure you are safe throughout your whole stay in Honduras.
First of all, you must be aware that Honduras has one of the highest homicide rates in the world. The north coast and central portions of the country have country’s highest crime rates, though crime and violence are serious problems throughout the country
According to the US’s Honduras travel warning you should in particular avoid traveling to the remote location of Gracias a Dios where narcotics-trafficking is frequent, infrastructure is weak, government services are limited, and police or military presence is scarce.
Before taking a trip to Honduras, note that the Zika virus is a risk there, and pregnant women should not travel to Honduras. Partners of pregnant women and couples planning pregnancy should also take preventive steps or avoid traveling to the country until the baby is born.