New Regs for Central American Travel
 

This was all the buzz with the expats in Antigua. It seems that Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and El salvador have got together on tourist visas. Starting June 1, 2006, when you enter one of these countries, you get a 90 day visa that is good for a combined 90 days in the four countries. For instance, I just left GT for Honduras. I did not get a fresh 90 days for honduras, I am legal for 90 days minus what I already spent in GT. Guatemala stamped me out in my passport, but Honduras would not stamp me in, even though I asked repeatedly. They said there is no border control between the four countries, GT just stamped me out because I got stamped in from Mexico, a non agreement country. Of course, my Spanish sucks, so this is my fuzzy interpretation of what I was told at the border. So now I am in Honduras with no entry stamp in my passport. We´ll see if it is a problem when I exit to Nicaragua in a few days. I did have to cancel my GT bike permit and get a new one for Honduras. Confused? I am.

Also, if you have a ATM card with a 6 digit PIN, it won´t work in many ATM´s in Guatemala and Honduras, they only accept 4 digit pins. I forget the brand, but the red machines will take 6 digit PIN´s, the blue and yellow ones will not.

You'll get a full 90 days when you enter Nicaragua.

Yes, it was explained to me by the Honduran Migracion official at El Florido (the entrance to Copan Ruinas) that the stamp I got in my passport when entering Guatemala was now good for 90 days throughout Central America. However, one still needs to get a temporary vehicle import permit from customs (aduana) for each country entered, unless your vehicle has a Central American plate.

This will cut out mucho border time, between oficinos.

The renewing process might not have matured yet when you're there for +90 with a stamp from another country.

Good news, for sure.

I entered Nicaragua today, and did not get a new 90 days, the 90 day clock is running starting on the day I entered Guatemala. This is not a problem for me, as I won't be here that long anyway, it is more of an issue for people who are actually living here without permanent rsidence status. I can't say it saved any time, you still have to show your passport, they just don't stamp it. Maybe that will change, but for now it does nothing for me except save a little room in my passport. You still need a new vehicle permit for each country, and that is the hard, and expensive, part anyway.

Yep, that's exactly my understanding.

Sorry Andy, guess we hit different rules - I popped across to Honduras last month to renew my Nica visa and had no problems getting 90 days when I skipped back into Nicaragua.

Give us a shout if you're in Managua and fancy a chat and a beer

1. Vehicle permits for each country you travel through, how "hard" as you say and how "expensive":Mexico,Guatamala,Honduras,Nicaragu a, Panama

More info needed
 

When you enter Guatamela you get a vehicle permit, does this mean that if I left for a while to go back to London, my vehicle has to leave Guatamela?

Look forward to your answers

Paul

I posted some info on my border crossing adventures in my HU blog in my sig. All borders so far (currently in Costa Rica) were easy with the exception of Honduras/Nicaragua, and that wasn't hard, just difficult to do alone and keep an eye on the bike.

Theoretically yes, would they actually stop you from getting on a plane? Who knows.