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