Many people come to Central America to backpack during a long time but get visa problems after 3 months. This is because one small fact that is really easy to miss out on. 4 countries in Central America have gone together in the CA-4 Border Control Agreement. That means, on the embassy websites for each country it might say that a tourist visa let you stay 3 months in that specific country. What it doesnt say is that 3 months will NOT be renewed when you cross the border to the next country. The 3 month period is the TOTAL time you can spend in all of these 4 countries together.

So which are the CA-4 countries included in the Border Control Agreement? Here is the list:

• El Salvador
• Guatemala
• Honduras
• Nicaragua

It is possible to extend your visa within the CA-4 countries during your trip, but if you are unlucky you need to go back to the country you arrived in initially to do this.

As always, check with your local embassy if you need a visa or not to travel to the countries of your choice.