El Salvador's port authority recently implemented a $1,000 fee for travellers holding passports from India or over 50 African nations in an effort to deter migration to the United States through their country. The collected funds are intended for the enhancement of the nation's primary international airport, as per the port authority's announcement dated October 20.
The fee, which totals $1,130 including VAT, became effective on October 23 due to increased utilization of the country's main international airport. Airlines are now required to daily inform Salvadoran authorities of passengers arriving from a specified list of 57 countries in Africa and India. Colombian airline Avianca, a major user of the airport, has started informing passengers from these countries about the obligatory fee before boarding flights to El Salvador.
This move coincides with discussions between El Salvador President Nayib Bukele and Brian Nichols, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs, regarding strategies to address irregular migration. The United States experienced a record 3.2 million migrant encounters in fiscal year 2023, with many migrants arriving via Central America.