Becoming a Resident of Honduras

There are five types of residency for Honduras. Each type requires some basic paperwork, including getting a copy of your passport, a police report that shows no recent criminal record, a health certificate, birth certificate, marriage license and a letter of intent to immigrate which is obtained from a Honduran consulate.

Trade Wind Properties can recommend good residency lawyers who will handle the process quickly and efficiently for you. From start to finish the whole application should take from one to four months and cost somewhere in the region of $600-$1000.
Let's look at the five types of residency available:

1) Residente Inversionista: This is the residency for anybody investing in Honduras. You have to show that you brought at least $38,000 to Honduras in your own name. You must also show a plan for your investment project. Money brought to Honduras to pay for land or a home can be considered to be part of your investment.

2) Residente Rentisata: This is the residency for those retiring to Honduras who can show proof of an income of at least $1000 per month originating outside the country.

3) Residente Pensionada: This is the residency for those retiring to Honduras who can show proof of an income of at least $600 per month originating outside the country. Both this type and the residente rentisata will allow a spouse and children under 18 to be included as dependents and will allow one time exemption of import taxes on household possessions and a tax free vehicle import every 5 years. The resident must reside in Honduras at least 4 months of the year and renew the residency every year.

4) Working residency: If you plan to work in Honduras you can apply for a residency as an employee. For this type of residency you will need the help of a local employer.

5) Marriage or parenthood: Another way of becoming a Honduran resident is to show proof of being married to a Honduran or by being the parent of a Honduran citizen.

When you become a foreign resident you are not giving up any of your rights to your citizenship from your native country and you maintain your citizenship of your country. You receive the benefits of both countries. In the 21st century with high tech communications and the ease of internet access the option of moving off-shore to live while doing business or trading through the net is an exciting one. You can live in paradise at a fraction of the cost of the West while working and earning as you might in the West.