Last checked 13 Nov 2026Written for US citizensSome rules are still being checked
In brief
Retirees need $1,500 a month of pension, paid into a Honduran bank. Others can qualify with $2,500 a month of steady income or a $50,000 investment.
Residency income from$1,500 a month of pension
Visa-free (US)90 days, plus 30 in justified cases
CitizenshipAfter more than 3 years of residence
Tax on foreign incomePensions exempt for pension residents; other foreign income being checked
Pension residence
(residente pensionado)
Who it's for: Retirees with a steady pension from abroad, paid into a Honduran bank. Family can join.
Money needed
$1,500 a month of pension, received through a Honduran bank
How long it lasts
A card for up to 5 years, renewable
Leads to
Permanent residence after 5 years in a row
Apply from
Inside Honduras or at a Honduran consulate, usually through a local lawyer
Processing time
No official deadline Not established yet
What you need
Pension proof: a certificate from the payer, and proof it will arrive through a Honduran bank
Police records: from the US and from Honduras
Medical certificate: less than 6 months old
Lawyer: a notarized power of attorney for a Honduran lawyer
Passport: a certified copy, plus photos and an entry record
Papers from abroad: apostille and official Spanish translation
Fees (2004): $300, plus $150 per dependant and $20 to register Not yet verified
After approval: register within 30 days and collect your card
Good to know
Paid work: needs a $200 permit; remote work isn't addressed Needs review
Tax break: your pension is exempt from income tax; whether that still applies is being checked.
Absences: more than 12 months in a row abroad without permission ends your residence.
Checked against the lawThe amount and the 50% rule, read in the regulation and a 2025 official notice.
Not yet verifiedThe migration law itself, current fees and the document checklist.
Not established yetWhether these years count toward citizenship from the grant date.
Sources (10)
Legal basis and exact figures
Still being checked: Ley de Migración y Extranjería (Decreto 208-2003) not read directly; fees are 2004 tariffs; SGJD pensionado checklist not read; survival of the Reglamento art 29 tax exemption after later reforms.
Money: Reglamento arts 25-26 and Ley art 24 (quoted in Acuerdo 374-2025, Gaceta 36,924, 23 Aug 2025): USD 1,500 a month, about L 40,260 at 26.84. Acuerdo 374-2025: applicants showing at least 50% may apply under Ley art 21(8) (about USD 750), fully discretionary, no acquired right.
Law: Reglamento arts 20, 22 (documents; 22(13) legalisation and official translation), 27-30 (duty-free household goods and a vehicle; art 29 tax exemption), 39-40 (inmigrado after 5 consecutive years, USD 500 fee, art 126(7)), 77, 80(3), 84-85, 126(1)-(2), 126(16), 127(8), 141.
Pending change: the Ley de Justicia Tributaria bill (since 2023, not enacted per press) proposed removing tax exemptions.
Who it's for: People with steady income from investments or property, abroad or in Honduras. Salaried work isn't allowed.
Money needed
$2,500 a month of steady income, received through a Honduran bank
How long it lasts
A card for up to 5 years, renewable
Leads to
Permanent residence after 5 years in a row
Apply from
Inside Honduras or at a Honduran consulate, usually through a local lawyer
Processing time
No official deadline Not established yet
What you need
Income proof: a certificate of the assets or securities that pay you, and proof the money will arrive through a Honduran bank
Police records: from the US and from Honduras
Medical certificate: less than 6 months old
Lawyer: a notarized power of attorney for a Honduran lawyer
Passport: a certified copy, plus photos and an entry record
Papers from abroad: apostille and official Spanish translation
Fees (2004): $300, plus $150 per dependant and $20 to register Not yet verified
After approval: register within 30 days and collect your card
Good to know
No salaried work: except for public bodies or universities; remote pay clashes with this Needs review
Half may do: officials can grant residence with 50% of the amount, at their discretion.
Absences: more than 12 months in a row abroad without permission ends your residence.
Checked against the lawThe amount and the 50% rule, read in the regulation and a 2025 official notice.
Not yet verifiedThe migration law itself and current fees.
Needs reviewWhether remote pay or freelance fees can count as income.
Sources (9)
Legal basis and exact figures
Still being checked: Ley text not read; whether remote-employment wages or freelance fees count as 'rentas' (salary ban, Reglamento art 23); 2004 fees; survival of the art 29 tax exemption.
Money: Reglamento arts 23-24 and Ley art 23 (quoted in Acuerdo 374-2025): USD 2,500 a month, about L 67,100 at 26.84; 50% (about USD 1,250) under Acuerdo 374-2025, discretionary.
Law: Reglamento arts 20, 22, 23, 24, 27-30, 39-40, 77-85, 126; USD 200 permit for paid activity (art 126(16)).
Who it's for: People investing in a lawful Honduran business, or in Honduran state or bank securities.
Money needed
$50,000 invested, plus a $5,000 central bank deposit
How long it lasts
A card for up to 5 years, renewable
Leads to
Permanent residence after 5 years in a row
Apply from
Inside Honduras or at a Honduran consulate, usually through a local lawyer
Processing time
No official deadline Not established yet
What you need
Investment plan: a feasibility study, timetable and amount
Investor registry: registration with the trade ministry
Deposit: a central bank certificate of at least $5,000, returned within a year once you show the investment
Police records: from the US and from Honduras
Lawyer: a notarized power of attorney for a Honduran lawyer
Papers from abroad: apostille and official Spanish translation
Fees (2004): $300, plus $150 per dependant and $20 to register Not yet verified
Good to know
Work: running your investment; other work isn't addressed Needs review
No citizenship by investment: and Próspera 'residency' isn't a Honduran residence.
No tax break: unlike the pension and income routes.
Checked against the lawThe $50,000 amount, read in the regulation and a 2025 official notice.
Not yet verifiedThe migration law itself, the investor registry steps and current fees.
Pending changeThe Próspera special-zone regime was struck down in 2024 and is still disputed.
Sources (8)
Legal basis and exact figures
Still being checked: Ley text not read; Industry and Commerce registry requirements and the BCH deposit procedure; 2004 fees.
Money: Reglamento art 33(2) and Ley art 33(2) (quoted in Acuerdo 374-2025): USD 50,000, about L 1,342,000; BCH deposit of at least USD 5,000 (art 35(2)); 50% (USD 25,000) under Acuerdo 374-2025, discretionary.
Law: Reglamento arts 31-35, 41, 85(3), 126(1). ZEDE: the Supreme Court declared Decreto 236-2012 and Decreto 120-2013 unconstitutional on 20 Sep 2024 (press reports; Gaceta ruling not read).
Status chips:Checked against the law means we read the official legal text. Not yet verified and Not established yet mean it isn't confirmed at the official source yet. Still being checked marks open questions; each route's Sources list names them.
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