San Salvador (SAL) immigration issues because of lack of tax confirmation
May 27, 2018, 7:26 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Zurich
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San Salvador (SAL) immigration issues because of lack of tax confirmation
I today arrived (for the first time) at SAL on AV and will also return with AV on the same ticket. While staying in El Salvador I'l have a few business meetings. I travel on a passport which grants visa free entry up to 90 days.
However, at immigration on arrival they requested a "stamped and signed declaration of AV that I had paid the airport tax". Oh well ... I showed my printed e-ticket, clearly showing the tax, but not to avail. I was sent back to the AV counter at gate 13 (immigration is near gate 3). As far as I could tell, the same happened to all arriving non resident pax. (Of course citizens and residents, as well as international transit pax were spared.)
AV was quite quick at issuing the repective confirmation, which essentially consisted of a signed and stamped print out of my ticket. But going back to the counter, queuing twice at immigration plus once at the AV counter took almost one hour!
I've never experienced the something like this before. Most countries are rather desperate to attract visitors and investors ...
However, at immigration on arrival they requested a "stamped and signed declaration of AV that I had paid the airport tax". Oh well ... I showed my printed e-ticket, clearly showing the tax, but not to avail. I was sent back to the AV counter at gate 13 (immigration is near gate 3). As far as I could tell, the same happened to all arriving non resident pax. (Of course citizens and residents, as well as international transit pax were spared.)
AV was quite quick at issuing the repective confirmation, which essentially consisted of a signed and stamped print out of my ticket. But going back to the counter, queuing twice at immigration plus once at the AV counter took almost one hour!
I've never experienced the something like this before. Most countries are rather desperate to attract visitors and investors ...
Aug 21, 2018, 6:54 am
#3
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: SJO - MAN - LAX
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Posts: 532
Probably a misunderstanding between the airport and AV. Likely something changed recently. Something similar happened in SJO about 2 years back.
Aug 21, 2018, 9:03 pm
#4
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYZ/MGA
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SJO used to have a pay for tax counter and still does for a couple of fairly small airlines but the few times I stayed over in SAL going back years (when it was still TACA/LACSA) I didn't pay tax at a counter because it must have been included, so it's hard to imagine what changed. SAL is a big AV hub so you'd think there'd be no problems, more that SAL airport would worry about p*ing off AV not the other way around.
Aug 22, 2018, 7:01 am
#5
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: SJO - MAN - LAX
Programs: MileagePlus Gold, Avis PP, National EE, Lifemiles Silver, ConnectMiles Gold
Posts: 532
SJO used to have a pay for tax counter and still does for a couple of fairly small airlines but the few times I stayed over in SAL going back years (when it was still TACA/LACSA) I didn't pay tax at a counter because it must have been included, so it's hard to imagine what changed. SAL is a big AV hub so you'd think there'd be no problems, more that SAL airport would worry about p*ing off AV not the other way around.
Sep 3, 2018, 6:02 pm
#7
Join Date: Sep 2008
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Posts: 4,035
actually. i had an UA award with 7-8 hrs layover in SAL, was sent back to ticketing desk to pay an add collect for tax (which i didnt pay due to layover). after getting the receipt (paid by credit card), i went back and enter sal without any problem
