Nicaraguans living abroad can now apply for their passport online, although the document will be delivered at Nicaraguan consulates in the country of residence.
By Confidencial
HAVANA TIMES — Nicaraguans living abroad will be able to apply for or renew their passports through the “online platform” of the General Directorate of Migration and Immigration (DGME), without having to travel to Nicaragua.
The new provision represents a change from the administrative measure applied in April 2025 by the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, when Nicaraguans abroad had to process their passport renewal at DGME offices in Managua or through a power-of-attorney letter sent to a relative in Nicaragua.
At CONFIDENCIAL we explain the steps to follow to complete the procedure, obtain the travel document, and where the “catch” lies with the consulates.
How to apply for a passport from abroad
The process begins by entering the platform available on the website tramitesconsulares.mint.gob.ni from any browser and device with internet access, whether a phone, tablet, or computer. Once inside, the applicant must:
• Create a username and password.
• Register in the system.
• Complete personal information such as first and last name, date of birth, profession, phone number, among others.
• Enter a valid email address to activate the account in the system.
• Provide location information, including the address of the consulate where the travel document will be received.
• Confirm registration through the activation email received.
What procedures does it apply to?
According to the provision announced Wednesday, March 4, 2026, by Immigration authorities, it applies to several procedures related to the Nicaraguan passport, including:
• First-time passport application.
• Renewal due to expiration.
• Renewal due to loss.
In all cases the applicant must complete the digital form and present documentation confirming identity and nationality.
What documents are required for the procedure?
The system also requests additional information about the applicant’s father and mother. In addition, it will ask for details of a “contact in Nicaragua in case it is necessary (to) verify any information previously entered in the application.”
During the initial registration the requested documents include:
• Birth certificate.
• Nicaraguan national identity card.
• Photograph of the applicant.
The platform displays the stages of the process: created, published, approved, or under correction. If during the review of the application a document is missing, the system notifies the user so that additional documents can be uploaded. These include:
• Image of the passport for renewal.
• Passport from another nationality.
• Proof of residence or work permit, as applicable.
Each attached document must be submitted in PNG, PDF, or JPG format, with a maximum size of 30 MB.
How much does the procedure cost?
Once the process has been successfully completed, applicants will receive an email with a link indicating that they must make a payment of 50 dollars. Afterwards, the document will be printed in Managua and sent abroad.
The consulate “detail”
In statements to the regime’s propaganda media, Jennifer Gonzalez, head of the department of the Migration Procedures Services Office (Sertrami), explained that the document will be sent to the corresponding Nicaraguan consulate for delivery to the applicant.
This means that although the application can be made online, the document must be picked up in person at the relevant consulate. Even though the measure aims to facilitate access to passports for Nicaraguans, its success will depend on whether or not there is a consulate in the country where the applicant resides.
In the United States, where one of the largest Nicaraguan community’s abroad lives, access to consulates is limited. In 2024, CONFIDENCIAL reported that only three Nicaraguan consulates exist in US territory — Miami, Washington, and New York. This means that many Nicaraguans living on the West Coast must travel long distances to carry out consular procedures.
The regime ordered the closure of the following consulates located in countries with large Nicaraguan diaspora populations:
• United States: Los Angeles, California; Houston, Texas; and New Orleans, Louisiana closed in 2024.
• Mexico: the consulate in Tapachula closed in January 2024.
• Guatemala: in February 2024, the regime closed the consulate in Guatemala City.
• Germany: the Berlin consulate has remained closed since December 2023.
• England: it was located in London but closed in February 2024.
The consulates in Tegucigalpa, Honduras; San Salvador, El Salvador; San José, Costa Rica; Madrid, Spain; and Panama City, Panama — which reported certain irregularities in service in 2024 — remain open.
First published in Spanish by Confidencial and translated and posted in English by Havana Times.
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