Consulate of El Salvador in Seattle, Washington

Contact details Appointment Hours

The Salvadoran consular office in the Pacific Northwest

The Consulate General of El Salvador in Seattle is located in the heart of the city, on Second Avenue, just steps from the historic Pioneer Square neighborhood and the financial district of downtown Seattle. This office is the only Salvadoran representation in the entire Pacific Northwest, and it serves a community that, while smaller than those in California or on the East Coast, has put down firm roots in cities such as Seattle, Tacoma, Everett, Kent and Renton. Many Salvadorans in the area work in construction, hospitality, food processing, caregiving and the cleaning services that keep the economy of a region shaped by the tech boom of companies like Amazon, Microsoft and Boeing running.

Its jurisdiction is one of the largest in the country: in addition to the state of Washington, this consulate covers Salvadorans living in Oregon, Alaska and Idaho, as well as the Montana area. That is why, for many fellow citizens in Portland, Anchorage or Boise, Seattle is the essential reference point for renewing a passport, processing the DUI (national ID card), registering births or executing notarial powers of attorney without having to travel across the country. The consulate complements in-office service with mobile consular outreach days that bring services closer to the most remote communities in the region.

Salvadoran passport: requirements and cost

Salvadoran consulates issue and renew passports. The appointment is free and is booked at portalcitas.rree.gob.sv; the passport itself has a cost. Documents usually needed:

ItemDetail
Approximate cost~60 USD (confirm the current fee with your consulate)
DeliveryVaries by consulate; some offer faster delivery
AppointmentFree, mandatory, at portalcitas.rree.gob.sv

Contact information for the Salvadoran consulate in Seattle

Address: 615 Second Ave., Suite 50, Seattle, WA 98104

City: Seattle (downtown / Pioneer Square)

State: Washington

Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm

Email: consuladoseattle@rree.gob.sv

Phone: (206) 971-7950

Official website: consuladoseattle.rree.gob.sv

Request an appointment Call the consulate Appointment portal

Days and hours of public service

Monday

8:00–16:00

Tuesday

8:00–16:00

Wednesday

8:00–16:00

Thursday

8:00–16:00

Friday

8:00–16:00

Saturday

Closed

Sunday

Closed

IMPORTANT: Service is by appointment only. Because of the size of the jurisdiction, also check the mobile outreach calendar if you live in Oregon, Alaska or Idaho.

The Salvadoran community in Seattle

The Salvadoran community of the Pacific Northwest is one of the most dispersed in the country, but also one of the most resilient. In the Seattle metropolitan area, fellow citizens are concentrated in the south of the city and in suburbs such as Kent, Renton, SeaTac, Burien and Tukwila, where they live alongside other Central American and Latino communities. Over the past decades they have opened pupuserias, bakeries and restaurants that keep Salvadoran cuisine alive, and they take an active part in Latino festivals and Central American Independence Day celebrations every September. Beyond Washington, thousands of Salvadorans live in Portland (Oregon), Anchorage (Alaska) and Boise (Idaho), all of whom this consulate also represents.

Services for Salvadorans in the Pacific Northwest

  1. Salvadoran passport: First issuance and renewal for adults and minors living in the region.
  2. DUI (Documento Único de Identidad / national ID card): Issuance, renewal and replacement without traveling outside the Northwest.
  3. Civil registry: Registration of births of children of Salvadorans born in Washington, Oregon, Alaska or Idaho.
  4. Certificates and records: Requests for birth, marriage and death certificates.
  5. Powers of attorney and notarial acts: To manage property, inheritances or paperwork in El Salvador from the U.S. Northwest.
  6. Apostille and legalization: Validation of U.S. documents for use in El Salvador.
  7. Minor's ID card (carné de minoridad): Identity document for Salvadoran minors.
  8. Mobile consular outreach days: Traveling service for communities far from Seattle.
  9. Consular assistance: Support in cases of detention, hospitalization or emergency within the jurisdiction.

Services at the Salvadoran consulate

These are the services most requested by the Salvadoran community, all by appointment:

How to book an appointment at the Seattle consulate

An appointment is mandatory and free of charge. It is arranged online through the official portal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Create your account, select United States > Washington > Consulate of Seattle and choose the service and date that best fit your availability. If you live in Oregon, Alaska or Idaho, plan your trip ahead or check whether a mobile outreach day is scheduled near you.

Book an appointment at portalcitas.rree.gob.sv

If you have trouble with the portal or prefer assistance by phone, you can contact the consular Call Center:

Frequently asked questions – Consulate of El Salvador in Seattle

Which Salvadorans does the Seattle consulate serve?

The Seattle consulate is the only Salvadoran office in the Pacific Northwest and serves fellow citizens living in Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Idaho (and the Montana area). Salvadorans in Portland, Anchorage or Boise should come to this office or wait for a mobile consular outreach day in their area.

I live in Portland (Oregon), do I have to travel to Seattle for my paperwork?

Yes, Portland is part of the Seattle jurisdiction, so in-office services are handled there (the drive is about three hours on I-5). To avoid the trip, keep an eye on the mobile consular outreach calendar, which periodically brings passport and DUI ID services closer to the Salvadoran community in Oregon.

How do I get to the consulate in downtown Seattle without a car?

The consulate is at 615 Second Ave., right in the city center next to Pioneer Square, an area with excellent connections. You can get there on the Link Light Rail (Pioneer Square or International District/Chinatown stations), on the many King County Metro buses, or by ferry if you are coming from the islands or the peninsula. Parking downtown is expensive and limited, so public transit is usually the best option.

I'm from Alaska, is there any way to do my paperwork without flying to Seattle?

Alaska is part of the Seattle jurisdiction. Some procedures may require your presence, but the consulate organizes mobile outreach days that occasionally reach Anchorage and other cities. Before buying tickets, call the consulate at (206) 971-7950 or the Call Center at 1-888-301-1130 to confirm what you can handle remotely and when an outreach day will be near you.

Can I register my child born in Washington so they have Salvadoran nationality?

Yes. Children of a Salvadoran father or mother born in Washington, Oregon, Alaska or Idaho can acquire Salvadoran nationality by descent. The consulate registers the birth in the Salvadoran registry, and from there you can apply for the child's passport. Book the appointment under the civil registry service and bring the U.S. birth certificate along with your documentation.

Is there a cost for the appointment and services at the Seattle consulate?

The appointment is free and is booked at portalcitas.rree.gob.sv. What has a cost is the service itself, such as the passport or the DUI ID, which is paid on the day of your visit. Confirm the current fees and accepted payment methods when you schedule; at mobile outreach days the costs are the same as at the office.