El Salvador Civil Documents · Updated August 2026
The Civil Documents You Need From El Salvador for a U.S. Marriage Green Card
If you were born in El Salvador, you will need a certified birth certificate, a police clearance, and proof of your marital status to support your U.S. marriage green card case.
Quick answer
For a U.S. marriage green card, the Salvadoran spouse generally needs the Birth Certificate, Police Certificate, and Marriage Certificate. An apostille is generally not required by USCIS for a filing inside the U.S. Non-English documents need a certified English translation, which you can self-certify.
- 3 core documents
- Birth Certificate
- Police Certificate
- Marriage Certificate
- No apostille needed
For a filing inside the U.S., USCIS accepts a certified copy plus an English translation.
- Translate it yourself
Any bilingual person can certify the English translation. No licensed translator required.
The documents you actually need
Start with these core records in order. Each one lists who issues it, what it costs, how long it takes, and exactly what USCIS wants.
Birth Certificate
What USCIS needs: USCIS and the NVC want a recently issued certified copy (typically issued within the last year), not an old original from your file.
How to get it: Request a certified copy from the Registro del Estado Familiar at the Alcaldía (city hall) of the municipality where your birth was registered. There is no national database, so each municipality holds its own records. As of 2026, certified copies intended for use abroad are issued and authenticated centrally by the RNPN rather than the local Alcaldía.
- Issued by
- Registro del Estado Familiar (Alcaldía Municipal), authenticated for foreign use by the Registro Nacional de las Personas Naturales (RNPN)
- Cost
- Approx $3 to $8 for a standard municipal certification; approx $20 for an RNPN-authenticated copy for use abroad (2026 rate)
- Timing
- Often same day to a few days in person; longer if requesting from abroad through a relative or the RNPN
Police Certificate
What USCIS needs: Police certificates are required for consular processing abroad, not for adjustment of status inside the U.S.; a Salvadoran certificate is valid for about 90 days, so time it to your interview.
How to get it: Salvadorans age 16 and older who have lived in El Salvador generally need both the criminal record certificate (Antecedentes Penales) from the Dirección General de Centros Penales and the police record (Solvencia) from the PNC. Both can be requested online through the government portal simple.sv or in person with your DUI (national ID) or passport. If you are outside El Salvador, request them through the nearest Salvadoran consulate.
- Issued by
- Dirección General de Centros Penales (criminal record) and Dirección General de la Policía Nacional Civil (PNC police record)
- Cost
- Approx $3 for the criminal record certificate; the PNC police solvencia is generally free
- Timing
- Online requests typically returned by email within about 5 business days; in-person can be same day; allow longer from abroad
Marriage Certificate
What USCIS needs: Submit a certified copy of any prior marriage certificate plus the final divorce or death certificate ending it, so USCIS can confirm you are free to marry.
How to get it: If you married in El Salvador, request a certified copy of the Partida de Matrimonio from the Registro del Estado Familiar at the municipality where the marriage was registered. If you have never married, El Salvador does not issue a formal single-status certificate; single status is generally shown by a certified birth certificate with no marginal marriage annotation, sometimes supported by a sworn statement (declaración jurada de soltería).
- Issued by
- Registro del Estado Familiar (Alcaldía Municipal), authenticated for foreign use by the RNPN
- Cost
- Approx $3 to $8 municipal; approx $20 for an RNPN-authenticated copy for use abroad
- Timing
- Often same day to a few days in person
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At a glance
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Apostille status | El Salvador is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention (acceded 1995, effective 31 May 1996), and the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores issues apostilles, generally free of charge, with an e-Apostille option since 2022. For a marriage green card filed inside the U.S. (adjustment of status), USCIS generally does NOT require an apostille; a certified copy plus a certified English translation is enough. An apostille is mainly relevant if a document will be used before Salvadoran or other foreign authorities. |
| How records are kept | Records are held by municipal civil registries (Registro del Estado Familiar) at each Alcaldía where the event occurred. There is no centralized national database of the underlying records; the RNPN supervises the system and, as of 2026, issues authenticated certified copies for use abroad. |
| Typical time to gather | Civil records are often same day to a few days in person; police certificates about 5 business days online. Build in extra time if you must request documents from abroad through a relative or consulate. |
| Translation | Salvadoran documents are in Spanish and need a certified English translation for USCIS. USCIS accepts a translation from any competent bilingual person accompanied by a signed certification of accuracy and competence; a professional or notarized translation is not required. |
Source: U.S. State Dept Reciprocity Schedule: El Salvador. Verified August 2026. Need to translate a document? See our certified translation guide.
What officers watch for
Full document reference
Every civil record from El Salvador that can come up in a marriage green card case, with the issuing authority, cost, and how to obtain it.
| Document | Issuing authority | Cost | How to obtain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth Certificate | Registro del Estado Familiar (Alcaldía); RNPN for foreign-use copies | Approx $3 to $8 municipal; approx $20 RNPN authenticated | Request a certified Partida de Nacimiento from the municipality where the birth was registered |
| Marriage Certificate | Registro del Estado Familiar (Alcaldía); RNPN for foreign-use copies | Approx $3 to $8 municipal; approx $20 RNPN authenticated | Request a certified Partida de Matrimonio from the municipality where the marriage was registered |
| Divorce Certificate | Registro del Estado Familiar (Alcaldía) where the divorce was recorded | Approx $3 to $8 municipal; approx $20 RNPN authenticated | Request the certified partida reflecting the divorce from the registering municipality |
| Death Certificate | Registro del Estado Familiar (Alcaldía) where the death was recorded | Approx $3 to $8 municipal; approx $20 RNPN authenticated | Request a certified Partida de Defunción (needed to prove a prior spouse is deceased) |
| Police Certificate | Dirección General de Centros Penales and Policía Nacional Civil | Approx $3 penales; PNC solvencia generally free | Request online at simple.sv or in person with your DUI or passport; select the immigration purpose |
What applicants report
“Applicants who have gone through the CR1/IR1 process repeatedly stress two things: bring a recently issued certified copy rather than an old original, and remember that Salvadoran municipal offices generally do not mail documents, so most people rely on a relative in-country or a consulate to obtain them. Since 2026, authenticated copies for foreign use come from the RNPN, so budget a bit more time and money than older guides suggest.”
File your Salvadoran spouse's marriage green card for $99.
Green Card Genius walks you through every form and document, in plain language, with a guided checklist built for exactly this process.
See how it worksFrequently asked questions
Do I need an apostille on my Salvadoran birth certificate for a marriage green card?
Usually not. For a marriage green card filed inside the U.S. (adjustment of status), USCIS generally accepts a certified copy with a certified English translation and does not require an apostille. An apostille from El Salvador's Ministry of Foreign Affairs mainly matters when a document will be used before foreign authorities. This is general information, not legal advice.
Where do I get my Salvadoran birth certificate if I no longer live there?
You can ask a trusted relative to request a certified copy from the Registro del Estado Familiar at the municipality where you were born, or request it through a Salvadoran consulate. As of 2026, certified copies intended for use abroad are issued and authenticated by the RNPN.
What if I have never been married in El Salvador?
El Salvador does not issue a formal single-status certificate. Single status is generally shown through a certified birth certificate that carries no marginal marriage annotation, sometimes supported by a sworn statement of single status (declaración jurada de soltería).
Do I need a police certificate if I am adjusting status inside the United States?
Generally no. Salvadoran police certificates are required for consular processing abroad, not for adjustment of status within the U.S. If you go through the consulate in San Salvador, you will typically need both the Centros Penales criminal record and the PNC police record. This is general information, not legal advice.
Do my Spanish documents need to be translated?
Yes. Every Spanish-language document must include a certified English translation. USCIS accepts a translation from any competent bilingual person with a signed statement certifying accuracy and their competence to translate; it does not have to be professional or notarized.
Key takeaways
- ✓
The core documents most Salvadoran applicants need are the Birth Certificate, Police Certificate, Marriage Certificate.
- ✓
El Salvador is a Hague Apostille Convention member, but USCIS generally does not require an apostille for a marriage green card filed inside the U.S.
- ✓
You do not need a licensed translator: any competent bilingual person can translate a document and self-certify it for USCIS.
- ✓
A home-country police certificate is generally needed only for consular processing abroad, not for adjustment of status inside the U.S.
- ✓
Order fresh certified copies directly from the official issuer and keep the originals; documents from El Salvador draw closer scrutiny.
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