Certificate of Free Sale (CFS)
Dietary supplements, medical foods and foods for special dietary use.
Document Services
FDA Apostille for El Salvador
FDA Apostille for El Salvador
El Salvador has accepted apostilles since 31 May 1996, making it one of the earliest Hague members in Central America. An FDA certificate filed in San Salvador needs only a U.S. Department of State apostille, with no Salvadoran consulate legalization. Upload the digital certificate and we return it apostilled by FedEx.
- Hague membersince 31 May 1996
- Apostilledocument route
- Spanishofficial language
- 9 daysstandard processing
Simply upload your FDA digital file, and you will receive your apostilled document via FedEx.
Processing time 9 business days
- No document shipping is required.
- You may update your own FedEx AWB or create a new one.
- Expedited processing times are offered.
- Credit card payments are accepted.
- The U.S. Department of State fee is already included.
- No separate U.S. Department of State form is needed.
- Track your order history and expenditures online.
Exp. Service fee$68 / Doc.
US Dept. of State fee$20 / Doc.
Total:$88 / Doc.
Why El Salvador Asks for an Apostilled FDA Certificate
El Salvador has reorganized how it regulates health products. A law passed in 2023 created the Superintendencia de Regulación Sanitaria (SRS), which brings together sanitary control that used to be split between the Dirección Nacional de Medicamentos (DNM), the Health and Agriculture ministries and the Consejo Superior de Salud Pública. Medicines, medical devices, supplements, food, beverages and cosmetics are all now registered through one authority.
Whichever product you're registering, a U.S. exporter's file usually includes an FDA certificate as proof the product is legally sold in the United States. The FDA is a federal agency, so its certificates are apostilled only by the U.S. Department of State. We handle that step and ship the finished certificate to you or to your Salvadoran importer or registration agent.
Which FDA Certificate Does Your Salvadoran Importer Need?
Match your product to the Salvadoran authority that reviews it and the FDA certificate that authority normally expects.
| Product type | Salvadoran authority | FDA certificate |
|---|---|---|
| Medicines | Superintendencia de Regulación Sanitaria (SRS), formerly the DNM | Certificate of a Pharmaceutical Product (CPP), Certificate of Exportability |
| Medical devices | Superintendencia de Regulación Sanitaria (SRS) | Certificate to a Foreign Government (CFG), Certificate of Exportability |
| Food, beverages & infant formula | Superintendencia de Regulación Sanitaria (SRS) | Certificate to a Foreign Government (CFG), Health Certificate |
| Nutritional supplements & medical foods | Superintendencia de Regulación Sanitaria (SRS) | Certificate of Free Sale (CFS) |
| Cosmetics & hygiene products | Superintendencia de Regulación Sanitaria (SRS) | Certificate for Cosmetics |
The SRS took over sanitary registration from several earlier bodies, so older guides may still name the DNM or the Ministry of Health. Ask your Salvadoran registration agent for the SRS's current document list before you request the FDA certificate.
How the FDA Apostille for El Salvador Works
The Hague Apostille Convention has been in force for El Salvador since 31 May 1996, so a single apostille from the U.S. Department of State makes your FDA certificate valid there. There is no embassy visit, consular stamp or second legalization step.
Upload your FDA certificate
Send the digital certificate exactly as the FDA issued it and choose El Salvador as the destination.
We review it
We check that the certificate is complete, FDA-signed and ready for the State Department.
State Department apostille
We submit it to the Office of Authentications and track it until the apostille is issued.
FedEx delivery
The apostilled certificate ships to you, your importer or your agent in San Salvador or anywhere else.
Exporting to El Salvador: What to Prepare
A new single regulator
Since the SRS took over, procedures, forms and fees may differ from what your agent used under the DNM. Confirm the current SRS requirements before you apply to the FDA, so the certificate type and product names match what the SRS expects.
Central American context
El Salvador shares technical regulations (RTCA) with its Central American neighbours for many food, cosmetic and hygiene products. Exporters who register across the region, including Guatemala and Honduras, often plan one set of apostilled FDA certificates for several markets. Order an apostille for each original you will file.
Spanish and a local agent
Registrations are filed in Spanish through a local holder or legal representative. Expect your agent to arrange an official Spanish translation of the certificate. It should be done after the apostille is attached, so the apostille is translated too.
Trade on a dollar economy
El Salvador uses the U.S. dollar, and trade with the United States runs under the CAFTA-DR agreement. That makes it a frequent first Central American market for U.S. supplement, cosmetic and food brands, and the apostilled FDA certificate is often the first document distributors ask for.
FDA Apostille Cost for El Salvador
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Our service fee | $68 / doc. | Review, submission, tracking and FedEx dispatch |
| U.S. Department of State fee | $20 / doc. | Paid by us on your behalf |
| Total | $88/ doc. | Standard processing: 9 business days. Expedited options available. |
FDA Apostille for El Salvador: FAQs
Is El Salvador a member of the Hague Apostille Convention?
Yes. El Salvador joined by accession, and the Convention has applied there since 31 May 1996. A U.S. Department of State apostille is enough, with no embassy or consulate legalization.
Which authority registers FDA-regulated products in El Salvador?
The Superintendencia de Regulación Sanitaria (SRS). It now covers medicines, medical devices, nutritional supplements, food, beverages, cosmetics and hygiene products, taking over sanitary control from the former Dirección Nacional de Medicamentos (DNM) and other bodies.
Is a certificate apostilled for the DNM still valid for the SRS?
The apostille stays valid as a confirmation of the FDA signature. Whether the certificate is still accepted depends on its date and on current SRS requirements, so check with your agent before reusing an older one.
Do I need a Spanish translation of my FDA certificate?
Usually yes. Salvadoran registrations are filed in Spanish, and your agent will generally arrange an official translation. Translate the certificate after it is apostilled so the apostille is included.
Which FDA certificate should I get for El Salvador?
A CPP for medicines, a CFG for medical devices and conventional foods, a Certificate of Free Sale for supplements, and a Certificate for Cosmetics for cosmetic and hygiene products. Products not sold in the U.S. need a Certificate of Exportability.
How long does an FDA apostille for El Salvador take and what does it cost?
Standard processing takes 9 business days and costs $88per document: our $68 service fee plus the $20 U.S. Department of State fee. Expedited options are available.
FDA Certificates We Apostille for El Salvador
Certificate to a Foreign Government (CFG)
Medical devices, conventional foods, food additives and infant formula sold in the U.S.
Certificate of a Pharmaceutical Product (CPP)
The WHO-format certificate used to register human drugs.
Certificate of Exportability
Products made in the U.S. for export only.
Health Certificate
Collagen and gelatin exports (EU health certificate or SRM certificate).
Certificate for Cosmetics
Skincare, makeup, haircare and fragrance products.
Nearby destinations
Get Your FDA Certificate Apostilled for El Salvador
Upload your FDA certificate today and receive it apostilled by FedEx in 9 business days, for $88per document with the State Department fee included.
Start Your Order Ask a Question
Simply upload your FDA digital file, and you will receive your apostilled document via FedEx.
Processing time
9 business days
- We accept credit card payments.
- Track your order history and expenses online.
- The U.S. Department of State fee is already included.
- Submit the files you received from the FDA electronically.
- We use the State Department minimum processing time.
- You may update your own FedEx air waybill or purchase a new one.
- U.S. Department of State Form DS-4194 is not required; we handle it.
Exp. Service fee
US Dept. of State fee
Total:
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