IMPORTANT CUSTOMS UPDATE FOR IMPORTERS & EXPORTERS IN EL SALVADOR

New Customs Compliance Requirement for Importers in El Salvador

Sworn Declaration for Goods Free of Forced, Mandatory & Child Labor

The Dirección General de Aduanas (DGA) of El Salvador has officially announced new customs control provisions related to the importation of goods into the country, as established in Official Informative Bulletin No. DGA-032-2026.

This new regulation forms part of international compliance and ethical trade initiatives aimed at strengthening transparency within global supply chains and ensuring that imported products comply with international labor standards.

What Is the New Requirement?

Under the new customs provisions, individuals and companies importing goods into El Salvador under specific customs regimes will be required to submit a sworn declaration confirming that the merchandise being imported has not been manufactured or produced, totally or partially, through:

✔ Forced labor
✔ Mandatory labor
✔ Child labor

This declaration must be completed electronically as part of the customs documentation process and incorporated into the Merchandise Declaration or Central American Single Declaration (DUCA), depending on the applicable customs procedure.

Who Does This Regulation Apply To?

The new requirement applies to:

  • Importers
  • Customs Brokers
  • Auxiliary Customs Service Providers
  • Logistics Operators
  • Companies importing goods into El Salvador under definitive import, temporary admission for active processing, and free zone regimes.

The regulation is part of the Salvadoran government’s efforts to strengthen customs controls and align import operations with international labor and trade commitments.

Information Required in the Declaration

According to the bulletin issued by Salvadoran Customs, the declaration must include:

  • Importer identification details
  • Legal and tax registration information
  • Address and company information
  • A formal sworn statement confirming that the imported goods were not produced using forced, mandatory, or child labor.

The information provided may be shared with the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare for verification and compliance control purposes. Salvadoran authorities may also conduct additional reviews or investigations if there are alerts or indications regarding potential labor violations associated with imported merchandise.

Effective Date

The new customs provisions will officially enter into force on:

June 1st, 2026

Customs authorities have also indicated that additional operational guidelines may be issued regarding DUCA F procedures and declaration submission processes.

BFI El Salvador Commitment

At BFI El Salvador, we remain committed to keeping our clients, partners, and international agents informed about customs regulations, operational updates, and compliance requirements that may affect international trade, logistics, import, and export operations.

Our team continues providing:

✔ Customs coordination support
✔ Import & export assistance
✔ Freight forwarding services
✔ International relocation solutions
✔ Personalized customer service
✔ Operational follow-up and guidance

We continue strengthening our global partnerships through IAMovers, WCA World, Globalia, and Movers POE #1 BFI, providing reliable logistics and relocation solutions worldwide.

Additional Information

Our team will be pleased to assist you with any operational or customs-related inquiries.

Warm regards,

Moises Carballo
Sales & Relocation Manager
BFI El Salvador
🌎 Logistics • Relocation • Customs Support

BFI El Salvador Introduces Natalia Quijano to Support Global Partners

“Natalia Quijano is part of the BFI El Salvador team, supporting our global partners and clients in logistics coordination, international moving operations and customer relations. With a background in Public Relations and Marketing, she brings strong communication skills, attention to detail and a proactive approach to assisting agents with quotations, follow-ups and reliable logistics solutions involving El Salvador.”

Warm greetings from BFI El Salvador.

My name is Natalia Quijano, and I am pleased to introduce myself as a new member of the BFI El Salvador team. I will be supporting our international partners with logistics coordination, quotations, and client follow-ups for shipments and relocations involving El Salvador.

My background is in Public Relations with a specialization in Marketing, and I am currently expanding my experience in logistics operations and international moving coordination. Through my work with the BFI team, I have been gaining valuable exposure to documentation processes, shipment planning, and the operational coordination required to successfully manage each relocation or cargo movement.

I truly enjoy working in environments where communication, organization, and problem-solving are key. My goal is to support our partners with clear communication, timely responses, and reliable coordination to ensure a smooth experience for both agents and clients.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any RFQs, relocation requests, or logistics inquiries involving El Salvador. I will be happy to assist you and look forward to building strong partnerships with your team.

Warm regards,

Natalia Quijano
Logistics & Client Relations
BFI El Salvador / nquijano@bfielsalvador.com

Operational Guidance for IAM Partners | Imports into El Salvador

Dear IAM Partners,

I would like to share important guidance regarding imports into El Salvador, in line with current criteria applied by the Dirección General de Aduanas (DGA).
According to the provisions applied under DACG-016-2025, the DGA allows import operations to be structured using up to two import declarations, with a maximum declared value of up to USD 100,000 per category, provided that all customs requirements, valuation rules, and supporting documentation are properly met for salvadoreans or naturalized citizens.

This value limit applies independently to each of the following categories:
• Household goods up to USD 100,000
• Vehicles (of all types) up to USD 100,000
• Work tools and professional equipment up to USD 100,000

Additional operational experience:
Based on our direct experience applying this framework in real operations, we have successfully managed imports under each of these categories, always coordinating transparently with customs authorities and in full compliance with DGA declaration, valuation, and control procedures.
As active members of IAM, we believe in sharing clear, experience based information that supports our partners and helps protect their operation. In my role, I focus on explaining these processes in a practical and straight forward manner, ensuring agents understand not only what is permitted, but how to structure the operation correctly.
If you have a specific case or would like to review how this framework may apply to an upcoming shipment to El Salvador, I will be glad to assist you directly.

Warm regards,


Moises Carballo
Relocation & Destination Services Manager
BFI El Salvador
📞 Phone: (+503) 7398 3568
Active Member of IAM | WCA | Globalia

Trade Update | El Salvador–U.S. Agreement Eliminates 10% Export Tariff



Informational links:

Forbes Spain
https://forbes.es/economia/estados-unidos-firma-un-acuerdo-comercial-con-el-salvador-que-elimina-el-arancel-del-10-a-sus-productos/

Europa Press / Notimérica
https://www.notimerica.com/economia/noticia-estados-unidos-firma-acuerdo-comercial-salvador-elimina-arancel-10-productos-20260129164507.html

El Salvador in English
https://elsalvadorinenglish.com/2025/11/14/us-eliminates-reciprocal-tariffs-on-salvadoran-exports/

BFI El Salvador – News
https://www.bfielsalvador.com/news

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