Pensionado Residency

Honduras's Pensionado Residency (Residencia como Pensionado) is a pension-based residency program for foreign nationals who receive permanent pension income from abroad. Established under Decreto No. 93-91 (Ley para los Residentes, Pensionados y Rentistas) and updated by Decreto No. 208-2003 (Ley de Migracion y Extranjeria), the program is administered by the Instituto Nacional de Migracion (INM) and the Instituto Hondureno de Turismo (IHT). The program offers significant fiscal incentives including income tax exemption on pension income, duty-free import of household goods, and duty-free import of a personal vehicle. A 2025 ministerial agreement (Acuerdo Ministerial No. 374-2025) introduced an exceptional pathway allowing applicants with at least USD 750/month (50% of the standard threshold) to qualify on a discretionary basis.

Applicants must demonstrate a permanent, stable pension of at least USD 1,500 per month from a foreign government or private institution. The pension income must be received through a Honduran national financial institution. Each accompanying dependant adds USD 150 per month to the requirement. Applicants must provide a certificate from a Honduran consul or foreign service official confirming the pension income, along with authenticated supporting documents.

All applications must be prepared and submitted by a licensed Honduran lawyer. The process can be initiated from abroad through Honduran diplomatic or consular representatives, or in person if the applicant is already in Honduras on a tourist visa (up to 90 days for most nationalities under the CA-4 agreement). Upon approval, residents must register in the National Registry of Foreigners and obtain the resident alien identification card. Processing takes approximately 3 to 9 months.

• Valid passport (minimum 6 months validity)
• Criminal background certificate from country of origin (apostilled, translated to Spanish)
• Medical certificate confirming no contagious diseases (issued within 6 months)
• Certificate confirming minimum pension of USD 1,500/month from Honduran consul or foreign service official
• Evidence that pension will be received through a Honduran financial institution
• All foreign documents must be officially translated and apostilled

Pensionado residents may not engage in remunerated work in Honduras. However, they may invest in authorized productive projects (industrial, agricultural, tourism, and other sectors of national interest) with authorization from the Secretary of State, and may provide professional services to government entities, universities, or technical institutions.

Pension income received under this permit is exempt from Honduran income tax. Honduras additionally operates a territorial tax system where only Honduran-source income is subject to taxation, so any foreign-source income beyond the pension is also exempt. Income from authorized investment activities within Honduras remains taxable.

The resident alien identification card is valid for 2 years and must be renewed with proof that the pension continues to be received and deposited in Honduras. Residents must live in Honduras for at least four consecutive or alternating months per year. Those unable to comply must request advance permission from the IHT. Residents who remain outside Honduras for more than 12 consecutive months without prior authorization lose their status. Before departing the country, residents must obtain an exit certification from the IHT confirming compliance with obligations.

After 5 years of continuous legal residence, pensionados may apply for inmigrado (permanent settlement) status. Naturalization requires 3 consecutive years of residence for most foreigners, with shorter periods for Central Americans (1 year) and Spanish/Ibero-Americans (2 years). Naturalization requires a civics exam and demonstrated Spanish proficiency.