El Salvador is charging passengers from Africa or India a $1,000 (over Rs 80,000) fee, in an apparent bid to curb migration to the US through the Central American country.  People traveling on passports from India or any one of more than 50 African nations will be obliged to pay the fee, El Salvador’s port authority said in a statement on its website dated October 20.

The money raised will be used to improve the nation’s main international airport, the authority added.  El Salvador President Nayib Bukele this week met Brian Nichols, US assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs, to discuss “efforts to address irregular migration,” among other topics. US Customs and Border Patrol encountered a record 3.2 million migrants across the country in fiscal year 2023, which ended in September.

Many migrants from Africa and elsewhere make it to the US via Central America. 

Including VAT, the additional cost is $1,130 from travelers from the affected countries. The new fee took effect October 23 and was imposed due to increased use of the country’s main international airport, according to the statement. 

Airlines will be required to notify Salvadoran authorities daily of passengers who come from a list of 57 countries in Africa, and India.

Colombian airline Avianca, which is one of the hub’s biggest users, began notifying travelers that passengers from the list of countries must pay the mandatory fee before boarding flights to El Salvador.