El Salvador slapped tax on Indians: Many migrants from Africa and elsewhere reach America via Central America. Therefore the number of migrants to El Salvador is continuously increasing.
Tourists from India are getting step-motherly treatment in El Salvador, the smallest and most densely populated country located in Central America. As soon as they land there, a tax of 1000 dollars i.e. about Rs 83000 is being collected. This tax is being imposed on the passports of India as well as more than 50 African-Asian countries including Africa. This country, famous for tourists, is surrounded by Guatemala in the north-west, Honduras in the north-east and the Pacific Ocean in the south. It is situated on the Gulf of Fonseca.
People traveling on passports from India or one of more than 50 African countries will have to pay a fee of $1,000, El Salvador’s port authority said in a statement on its website in October. The authority said the funds raised from tourists will be used to improve the country’s main international airport.
El Salvador President Nayib Bukele met with US Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian Nichols this week. Apart from other topics, “efforts to control irregular migration” were also discussed in this meeting. That discussion said Customs and Border Patrol encountered a record 3.2 million such irregular migrants nationwide in fiscal year 2023, which ended in September.
Let us tell you that many immigrants from Africa and other places reach America through Central America. Therefore the number of migrants to El Salvador is increasing. A total tax of $1,130 i.e. Rs 94,000 is being collected on these passengers including VAT. The new fee has come into effect from October. According to the statement, all airlines are required to notify Salvadoran authorities daily about passengers arriving from a total of 57 countries, including Africa and India.
In view of this order, the Colombian airline Avianca, the largest airline company there, has started informing passengers that passengers from a list of 57 countries will have to pay a mandatory fee before flying to El Salvador.
