Nicaragua maintains one international airport handling most visitor traffic: Augusto C. Sandino International Airport in Managua, 12 kilometers east of the city center. The airport processes direct flights from Miami, Houston, Fort Lauderdale, and Panama City daily, with additional connections through San Salvador and Guatemala City. Travelers arriving by land cross at six principal border posts: Peñas Blancas from Costa Rica on the Pan-American Highway, El Espino and Guasaule from Honduras on the Pacific side, and Las Manos, El Paraíso, and Ocotal from Honduras through the northern highlands. The Peñas Blancas crossing moves the highest volume, with waits extending three to five hours during December and January. The Caribbean coast receives no international flights; travelers reach Bluefields and Puerto Cabezas through domestic connections from Managua on La Costeña airlines or by panga boat from El Rama after a bus journey from Managua.
United States citizens receive 90 days on arrival without advance visa requirements. The same applies to citizens of the European Union, Canada, Australia, and most Latin American countries. Immigration officers at Managua airport typically process arrivals in 15 to 30 minutes outside peak afternoon hours when multiple flights arrive simultaneously. Land border crossings require payment of a municipal entry tax of 1 to 3 US dollars depending on the border post, separate from any exit fees charged by the departing country. Officers stamp passports with an entry date; travelers must retain this stamp as proof of legal entry. The 90-day period begins on the entry date stamped in the passport. The official government immigration website is migob.gob.ni, though visa policies also appear at consulateofnicaragua.com maintained by consular offices.
The córdoba serves as national currency, identified by the symbol C$ and currency code NIO. As of 2025, exchange rates fluctuate between 36 and 37 córdobas per US dollar under a managed crawling peg system where the Central Bank allows gradual devaluation of approximately 3 percent annually. United States dollars circulate alongside córdobas throughout the country. Hotels, restaurants in tourist areas, tour operators, and larger stores accept dollars directly and often prefer them. Small neighborhood stores, municipal markets, buses, and street vendors work primarily in córdobas. A vendor accepting dollars typically provides change in córdobas at a rate slightly less favorable than banks offer.
ATMs dispensing both córdobas and dollars operate throughout cities. BAC, Banpro, and Lafise Bancentro maintain the largest networks. Machines inside bank branches generally function more reliably than standalone street units. Daily withdrawal limits range from 5,000 to 10,000 córdobas or 200 to 400 dollars depending on the bank and account type. Transaction fees charged by Nicaraguan banks typically run 100 to 150 córdobas per withdrawal. The ATM system experiences occasional connectivity failures lasting hours or days in smaller cities. Managua, Granada, and León maintain sufficient ATM density that a malfunctioning machine causes minimal inconvenience, but travelers visiting Estelí, Matagalpa, or Corn Islands should withdraw cash before departing major cities.
Banks accept credit cards for cash advances with fees of 5 to 8 percent. Visa cards work more universally than Mastercard. American Express acceptance remains limited to high-end hotels in Managua and Granada. Credit cards function for payment at international chain hotels, upscale restaurants, and established tour companies. Most mid-range and budget accommodations, local restaurants, and small businesses operate cash-only. Cards issued outside Nicaragua trigger foreign transaction fees of 1 to 3 percent from most issuing banks.
Western Union and MoneyGram operate offices in all departmental capitals for receiving wire transfers. Recipient identification requires presenting a passport. The transfer typically becomes available 10 to 30 minutes after sending. Bank-to-bank international transfers arrive within two to four business days but require holding a Nicaraguan bank account, which necessitates presenting a residency permit.
Counterfeit córdoba bills circulate more frequently than counterfeit dollars. Taxi drivers, market vendors, and small shop owners routinely inspect 500 and 1000 córdoba notes by holding them to light and checking the watermark. The Central Bank website bcn.gob.ni publishes images showing security features of genuine currency. Torn or excessively worn bills, whether córdobas or dollars, face rejection by many businesses. Banks exchange damaged notes during business hours, Monday through Friday, typically 8:30 to 16:00.