El salvador Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in el salvador, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Prohibited & Restricted Imports
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Imports of certain high-caliber firearms are prohibited. Arms for personal defense or hunting may be imported but are strictly controlled by the police and Ministry of Defense, based on a special law regulating sales to public and private security companies.

Some narcotics, such as cocaine, opiates, and barbiturates, may be imported solely for medical use with the permission of the National Directorate of Medicines (DNM), which controls the sale of these substances to the public. Tranquilizers, sedatives, anti-depressants, and certain antibiotics were recently added to the list of prescription medicines. A complete list of controlled drugs and substances is available on the DNM website.

Items that are prohibited by the Rules of Application and Interpretation of the Central American Importation Tariff Decree are:

  • Books, booklets, emblems, posters, and other articles of a subversive character of doctrines contrary to the established political, economic, and social order.
  • Figures, statues, books, booklets, almanacs, magazines, engraved or lithographed articles, newspapers, lithographs, stamps, photographs, and cards of an obscene nature or any other obscene articles.
  • Movies that are not ethical or of good behavior.
  • Medications or equipment used to induce abortions.
  • Gambling machines and tables, roulette wheels, and any other items or articles used for gambling are not prohibited. Still, they are subject to authorization by the Ministry of Finance and local municipalities.
  • Opium with less than 9% morphine, scraps and opium ash, and any material used for smoking these products.
  • Non-stamped paper for cigarettes, white or colored in rolls, spools, booklets, or small tubes.
  • Machines and tools for making coins.
  • Counterfeited coins and bills.
  • Plain silver coins of less than 0.90 purity.
  • Tokens of any metal or alloy that may be used as substitutes for legal coins.

Anyone considering importing these items should consult the appropriate government regulatory agency for information on exemptions or special permits.

Some goods are subject to a “limited import prohibition”, where only the government can import these goods. They include military airplanes and ships, gas masks for military use, potassium nitrate, stamped paper for making cigarettes, postage stamps, and nickel coins for legal circulation.

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Global Business Navigator Chatbot Beta

Welcome to the Global Business Navigator, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot from the International Trade Administration (ITA). This tool, currently in beta version testing, is designed to provide general information on the exporting process and the resources available to assist new and experienced U.S. exporters. The Chatbot, developed using Microsoft’s Azure AI services, is trained on ITA’s export-related content and aims to quickly get users the information they need. The Chatbot is intended to make the benefits of exporting more accessible by understanding non-expert language, idiomatic expressions, and foreign languages.

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As a beta product, the Chatbot is currently being tested and its responses may occasionally produce inaccurate or incomplete information. The Chatbot is trained to decline out of scope or inappropriate requests. The Chatbot’s knowledge is limited to the public information on the Export Solutions web pages of Trade.gov, which covers a wide range of topics on exporting. While it cannot provide responses specific to a company’s product or a specific foreign market, its reference pages will guide you to other relevant government resources and market research. Always double-check the Chatbot’s responses using the provided references or by visiting the Export Solutions web pages on Trade.gov. Do not use its responses as legal or professional advice. Inaccurate advice from the Chatbot would not be a defense to violating any export rules or regulations.

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The Chatbot supports a wide range of languages. Because the Chatbot is trained in English and responses are translated, you should verify the translation. For example, the Chatbot may have difficulty with acronyms, abbreviations, and nuances in a language other than English.

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