Jungle-clad Mayan ruins, centuries-old villages with lovely cobbled streets, white-sand beaches and world-class diving along the world’s second-largest barrier reef: Honduras has it all, in spades.
Yet the country sometimes gets unfairly overlooked due to its recent turbulent history. And many of its varied charms are still under-explored compared to those of its nearest neighbors.
Entering and leaving Honduras is relatively straightforward, though requirements vary depending on your nationality. Here’s our guide to Honduras’ entry requirements, from info on visas and costs to details on how to apply.
Visa-free stays and tourist cards for Honduras
According to current Honduras visa requirements, nationals of Western European countries, along with those of Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Israel, most South and Central American countries and some Asian and African countries require neither a visa nor a tourist card to enter Honduras, and are eligible for a free 90-day stay upon entering the country.
All you need is a passport (valid for six months beyond the proposed duration of your stay), return or onward tickets and proof of yellow fever vaccination if you’re arriving from Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, and the majority of South American and African destinations.
In 2006, Honduras signed the Central America-4 (CA-4) Border Control Agreement with El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua, meaning a stay in any of the neighboring countries counts toward your 90-day limit in Honduras. You’ll have to visit a destination outside of these four countries in order to re-enter for another 90 days.
Who needs a visa to visit Honduras?
Nationals of most Asian and African countries must obtain a Honduras Tourist/Business Visa in advance if traveling to Honduras for tourism, business or family-related purposes. You’ll need to apply at your nearest Honduran embassy or consulate, pay the visa fee (US$30) and produce the following:
- Fully completed visa application form
- Two recent photographs the same size as your passport photo
- Your valid passport, with an expiration date that is at least six months away
- Your round-trip flight itinerary between your current country of stay and Honduras
- Invitation letter from a host/tourism agency in Honduras
- Proof of other-country visas that you currently hold
- Current residency status (eg student, tourist, etc), if you are a foreign resident of the country in which you are applying for the visa to Honduras
- Copy of proof of fee payment
Can I extend a Honduras visa?
If you want to extend your stay in Honduras, a one-time 30-day extension is relatively straightforward to obtain from the main immigration office in Tegucigalpa (1a Calle, cnr 14 de Julio; open 7:30am to 3:30pm Monday to Friday; tel +504 2442 0638) for a fee of US$20.
There are also immigration office branches in La Ceiba, San Pedro Sula, Tela and Utila – though certain travelers have reported problems with getting their stay extended at some regional offices. Instead of applying for an extension, you can just take a trip to a nearby country outside the CA-4 border agreement zone (Belize and Costa Rica are the nearest) for at least 72 hours, and then re-enter Honduras for another 90 days.
Work and volunteer visas in Honduras
If you’re looking for volunteer opportunities in Honduras, such as teaching English, assisting with iguana breeding or working on various construction projects, visa-free entry or a tourist visa is sufficient.
Some casual work opportunities also exist, particularly on the Bay Islands. Most diving instructors are foreigners, and some visitors taking PADI Divemaster courses supplement their stay with waitressing or bartending without a work permit in Roatán’s West Bay and West End or on Utila. Nationals of most countries do not need a work visa to take part in certain business activities like bartending, waitressing or scuba diving instruction, during their 90-day stay.