Guatemala is one of the more relaxed entry propositions in the Americas. Most Western nationalities need no visa, there is no six month passport validity rule, and nobody is going to interrogate you about onward travel. The one thing that has changed and that people still miss is the electronic declaration, which is now mandatory both on the way in and on the way out. Once you are through, our Guatemala travel guide covers the trip itself.
The quick answer
No tourist visa for US, Canadian, UK, EU, Australian and New Zealand passport holders, for stays up to 90 days.
Your passport only needs to be valid on the day you arrive. There is no six month rule, which is unusual for the region.
Everyone must file the DVE, Guatemala’s electronic traveller declaration, before entry and again before exit. It is free.
File it at portal.sat.gob.gt, up to 15 days before travel. It takes a few minutes and issues a QR code.
The 90 days is shared across CA-4, meaning Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua together.
No vaccinations are required for entry from North America or Europe.
The thing people get wrong: assuming the DVE is optional or that a third party site is the official one. It is free on the government portal.
All details verified against official sources in July 2026. Entry rules change; confirm close to travel.
Who needs a visa
Guatemala grants visa free entry to a long list of nationalities, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, all EU and Schengen states, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and most of Latin America. The standard permitted stay is 90 days.
If your nationality is not on the visa free list, you apply at a Guatemalan embassy or consulate before travelling. Guatemala also accepts certain travellers holding valid US, Canadian or Schengen visas under specific conditions, which is a useful route for some nationalities, but the rules are specific enough that you should confirm with a consulate rather than relying on a summary.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs at minex.gob.gt maintains the authoritative list, in Spanish.
The DVE, Guatemala’s electronic declaration
This is the part that has changed and the part that catches people out.
Guatemala has moved its customs and immigration declaration online as the DVE, the Declaracion Jurada Regional de Viajero, a regional sworn traveller declaration shared across Central America. Every traveller must complete it before arriving and again before departing.
Where: the official government portal at portal.sat.gob.gt. It is free.
When: you can file from 15 days before your flight. Doing it the day before is sensible; doing it in the airport queue on airport wifi is not.
How long: a few minutes on any phone, tablet or computer.
What you get: a QR code. Save it offline as a screenshot rather than relying on being able to load an email at immigration.
Two warnings. First, a number of commercial sites offer to file the DVE for you for a fee. They are not official and the form is free and simple enough that there is no reason to pay. Second, the exit declaration is genuinely required, and it is the one travellers forget because they filed the entry one weeks earlier and consider the job done.
Passport validity and blank pages
Guatemala requires your passport to be valid on the date of entry, with no minimum validity period beyond that. This is genuinely unusual and worth knowing if your passport expires soon.
Two caveats that matter more than the rule itself. Airlines sometimes apply a six month rule of their own regardless of the destination’s requirements, so a passport expiring within six months can create a check in argument you will lose. And if you are continuing to another country in the region, most neighbours do require six months, so Guatemala’s leniency may not help your wider trip.
You need at least one blank page for the entry and exit stamps.
CA-4 and how long you can stay
Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua operate the CA-4 agreement, which functions as a shared travel zone. The practical consequence is that your 90 days is a single allowance across all four countries, not 90 days each.
Crossing from Guatemala into Honduras to see Copan, or into El Salvador for the coast, does not reset your clock. Border officials do not always stamp CA-4 internal crossings consistently, which leads travellers to assume they have a fresh 90 days. They do not, and the penalty surfaces on final departure.
To reset the allowance you must leave the CA-4 zone entirely. Mexico, Belize and Costa Rica all count as leaving.
Extensions of up to a further 90 days can be applied for at the immigration office in Guatemala City, and overstays incur a daily fine payable on exit.
Onward travel and funds
Guatemala does not routinely require proof of onward travel or evidence of funds from visa free visitors, and immigration rarely asks. Airlines are the more likely point of friction, since carriers can be held responsible for passengers refused entry, and some will ask at check in for a one way booking into the country.
If you are travelling on overland into Mexico or Belize, a bus booking is generally sufficient to satisfy an airline that asks.
Health requirements
No vaccinations are required to enter Guatemala from North America or Europe. A yellow fever certificate may be requested if you are arriving from a country with endemic yellow fever, which includes several South American states, so check if Guatemala is a later stop on a longer trip.
Recommended rather than required: routine vaccinations up to date, plus hepatitis A and typhoid for most travellers. Malaria risk exists in some lowland areas but not in Antigua, Lake Atitlan or Guatemala City. The CDC and your own national health service both publish current guidance.
Tap water is not drinkable anywhere in Guatemala.
Driving
Guatemala accepts foreign driving licences from most countries for short visits, and an International Driving Permit is a cheap and useful supplement rather than a strict requirement.
The point worth flagging is insurance. As in much of the region, rental companies add mandatory local liability cover at the counter that is not included in the online quote, and credit card collision cover does not substitute for it. Budget for it rather than being surprised, and check what your card actually covers before declining anything.
Customs
Standard personal allowances apply for alcohol and tobacco. Cash above 10,000 US dollars or equivalent must be declared, and this is now part of the DVE rather than a separate paper form.
Restrictions worth knowing: pre Columbian artefacts cannot be exported, and this is enforced seriously. If you are buying anything that looks genuinely old, get documentation from the seller. Textiles, coffee, jade and handicrafts are all straightforward to take home, though some countries restrict agricultural products on arrival.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa for Guatemala?
Not if you hold a US, Canadian, UK, EU, Australian, New Zealand or Japanese passport, among many others. Visa free stays are up to 90 days. Verified July 2026.
What is the DVE form for Guatemala?
The Declaracion Jurada Regional de Viajero, Guatemala’s electronic customs and immigration declaration. Every traveller must file it before entry and again before exit. It is free at portal.sat.gob.gt, can be filed up to 15 days ahead, takes a few minutes and issues a QR code.
Is the Guatemala entry form free?
Yes, on the official government portal. Several commercial sites charge to file it on your behalf. There is no need to use them and no advantage in doing so.
How long does my passport need to be valid for Guatemala?
Only through your date of entry, with no minimum validity period. Note that airlines sometimes apply their own six month rule, and neighbouring countries generally do require six months, so a nearly expired passport can still cause problems.
How long can I stay in Guatemala?
Ninety days, shared across the CA-4 zone of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua. An extension of up to a further 90 days can be applied for at the immigration office in Guatemala City.
Does leaving Guatemala for Honduras reset my 90 days?
No. The CA-4 countries share a single allowance, so time in Honduras, El Salvador or Nicaragua counts against the same 90 days. You must leave the zone entirely, to Mexico, Belize or Costa Rica, to reset it.
Do I need proof of onward travel for Guatemala?
Immigration rarely asks. Airlines are more likely to, since they carry the cost if you are refused entry. A bus booking onward to Mexico or Belize generally satisfies them.
Do I need vaccinations for Guatemala?
None are required for entry from North America or Europe. A yellow fever certificate may be requested if you are arriving from a country with endemic yellow fever. Hepatitis A and typhoid are commonly recommended rather than required.
Do I need to file the DVE when leaving Guatemala?
Yes, and this is the most commonly missed step. The declaration is required in both directions, and travellers who filed on arrival often assume it covers the whole trip.
