Guatemala Visa Information
Visa-free for 90 days for US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The 90 days is shared across the CA-4 region of Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua combined.
Visa & Entry
Entering Guatemala
US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand all enter Guatemala visa-free for 90 days. The critical detail is that this 90-day allowance applies across the entire CA-4 region (Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua) combined, not per country.
01 . Entry Status
Find Your Entry Route
Guatemala classifies travelers into three categories. All six of the nationalities on this page are visa-free for 90 days. Filter by your passport or browse all three routes below.
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Filter by passport
Select your nationality to see only the entry requirements that apply to you.
Visa-free for 90 days combined across the CA-4 region. Passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your planned departure from Guatemala. Carry a return or onward ticket.
The US State Department maintains a Level 3 Reconsider Travel advisory for Guatemala due to crime and terrorism. Specifically avoid San Marcos Department, Huehuetenango, Zone 18 in Guatemala City, and Villa Nueva. Enroll in STEP before departure. US Embassy Guatemala: Blvd. Aguilar Batres, Zona 10 (+502 2326-4000).
Visa-free for 90 days combined across the CA-4 region. Passport valid for at least 3 months beyond your stay. Carry a return or onward ticket.
Global Affairs Canada advises exercise a high degree of caution for Guatemala due to crime. The Canadian Embassy in Guatemala City is at Edificio Edyma Plaza, 16 Calle 0-55, Zona 10 (+502 2363-4348).
Visa-free for 90 days combined across CA-4. Passport must be valid for at least 3 months beyond your stay. Carry a return or onward ticket.
The FCDO rates Guatemala as high risk in some parts. Avoid San Marcos, Huehuetenango, and Zone 18 Guatemala City. The British Embassy in Guatemala City is at Edificio Torre Internacional, 16 Calle 0-55, Zona 10 (+502 2380-7300).
EU member-state citizens enter visa-free for 90 days combined across CA-4. Passport valid 3 months beyond stay. Carry a return or onward ticket.
Most EU member states have embassies in Guatemala City. The German Embassy is in Zona 10; the French Embassy is at 16 Rue 0-55. Confirm your member state's diplomatic coverage before travel.
Visa-free for 90 days combined across CA-4. Passport valid 3 months beyond stay. Register with Smartraveller before departure.
The Australian Embassy in Mexico City is the nearest diplomatic post covering Guatemala: +52 55 1101-2200. Save their after-hours emergency line before departure.
Visa-free for 90 days combined across CA-4. Passport valid 3 months beyond stay. Register with SafeTravel.govt.nz before departure.
New Zealand has no embassy in Guatemala. For consular emergencies contact the NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs at +64 99 20 20 20.
Visa-Free Entry
Citizens of the US, UK, all EU member states, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and approximately 117 other nationalities enter Guatemala without a visa. The 90-day allowance applies across the CA-4 region of Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua combined.
- No visa application or fee required
- 90 days combined across the CA-4 region (Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua)
- Crossing between CA-4 countries does NOT reset the 90-day clock
- To reset, exit the CA-4 zone entirely (Mexico or Belize are the most common options)
- Extendable once for another 90 days at Guatemalan immigration (~$26 fee)
Visa-Free with US/Canada/Schengen Visa
Nationals of some countries can enter Guatemala without a Guatemalan visa if they hold a valid and used visa from the US, Canada, EU/Schengen area, or Mexico. Check with the Guatemalan consulate for your specific nationality.
- Must hold a valid, used visa from the US, Canada, Schengen area, or Mexico
- No additional Guatemalan application required
- Valid for 90 days for tourism
- Confirmation required; check with Guatemalan consulate before travel
- CA-4 90-day combined clock still applies
Embassy Visa Required
Nationals not on the visa-free list or third-country visa arrangement must apply at a Guatemalan embassy or consulate before travel.
- Apply at the nearest Guatemalan embassy or consulate before travel
- Processing times and fees vary by mission
- Full supporting documentation required
- Contact the nearest Guatemalan diplomatic mission for current requirements
- CA-4 combined 90-day clock applies on entry
Your 90-day clock starts the moment you enter any CA-4 country (Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, or Nicaragua) and counts down regardless of borders crossed within this zone. If you have spent time in Honduras or El Salvador before Guatemala, those days are already counted. To reset your 90 days, exit the CA-4 zone entirely by going to Mexico or Belize. Your EcoVoyager itinerary is designed to operate within a single Guatemala visit; flag any multi-country plans to your coordinator at booking.
02 . Documents
What You'll Need
Four requirements apply at Guatemalan immigration. Having a printed or saved return ticket avoids the most common immigration queue delay.
Enroll in STEP before travel at step.state.gov for US Embassy security alerts. The US Embassy is at Blvd. Aguilar Batres, Zona 10, Guatemala City (+502 2326-4000). Carry a photocopy of your passport bio page separately from the original throughout Guatemala.
Register with Smartraveller before departure. The nearest Australian diplomatic post is in Mexico City (+52 55 1101-2200). Save their after-hours emergency contact offline before departure. Carry passport photocopies separately from the originals.
Register with SafeTravel before departure. There is no New Zealand embassy in Guatemala. For consular emergencies contact the NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs at +64 99 20 20 20. Carry passport photocopies separately from the originals.
03 . Visa Routes
Available Visa Types
For all six EcoVoyager featured nationalities, no visa is required for a standard Guatemala trip within 90 days. These routes apply for longer stays or nationalities outside the visa-free list.
Visa-Free Entry
For approximately 117 nationalities including the US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia, and NZ. 90 days combined across Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua. No application or fee. Extendable once for ~$26 at Guatemalan immigration.
90-Day Extension
Apply at the Guatemalan Immigration Office (Direccion General de Migracion) in Guatemala City before the initial 90 days expire. Fee approximately $26. Allows an additional 90 days in Guatemala. Must leave the CA-4 zone to reset the combined clock.
Embassy/Consulate Visa
Required for nationalities not on the visa-free list and not qualifying for third-country visa provisions. Apply at the nearest Guatemalan diplomatic mission. Contact the consulate for current processing times and fees.
04 . Common Questions
Common Visa Questions About Guatemala
Quick answers to the visa and entry questions Guatemala travelers ask most often.
No. US, UK, EU, Canadian, Australian, and NZ nationals enter Guatemala visa-free for 90 days. Carry a return or onward ticket and a valid passport. Important: this 90 days applies across the entire CA-4 region (Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua) combined, not per country.
The CA-4 (Central America-4) agreement links Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua into a shared 90-day immigration zone. Your 90-day clock starts when you enter any CA-4 country and counts down regardless of which country you are in or how many times you cross borders within the zone. To reset your 90 days, you must leave the CA-4 zone entirely by going to Mexico or Belize.
Up to 90 days, counting any time already spent in Honduras, El Salvador, or Nicaragua in the same CA-4 period. If you need more time, you can extend at the Guatemalan Immigration Office (Direccion General de Migracion) in Guatemala City for approximately $26 before your initial 90 days expire. This allows an additional 90 days in Guatemala specifically.
Yes, formally. Guatemalan immigration requires proof of onward or return travel. In practice this is usually a return flight booking, but any evidence of departure including an onward bus ticket, cruise departure, or flight to a third country satisfies the requirement. Your EcoVoyager itinerary confirmation also serves as documentation of a planned departure.
US passport holders need 6 months of validity beyond their planned departure from Guatemala. UK, EU, Canadian, Australian, and NZ passport holders require at least 3 months of validity beyond their stay. Airlines enforce passport validity at check-in; renew well before travel if your validity is close to these thresholds.
Yes. The main Guatemala-Mexico land crossing is El Carmen/Talismán or La Mesilla in the highlands. Guatemala-Belize crossings include Benque Viejo del Carmen near Flores, useful for Tikal-Belize combinations. These crossings are the standard 'visa run' reset points when exiting and re-entering the CA-4 zone to reset the 90-day clock.
Yes. The US State Dept specifically advises against travel to San Marcos Department, Huehuetenango Department, Zone 18 in Guatemala City, and the city of Villa Nueva due to crime and terrorism risks from cartels and criminal organizations. EcoVoyager itineraries do not travel in any of these areas.
ASISTUR is Guatemala's government-funded tourist assistance program. It provides English-speaking tourist police (DISETUR) at major tourist destinations including Antigua, Lake Atitlan, Tikal, and Quetzaltenango, and operates a 24/7 emergency call center reachable at 1500 from a Guatemalan number or +502 2290-2810 internationally. ASISTUR can dispatch security escorts, coordinate with police, and assist with any tourist emergency.
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