The NIT (Número de Identificación Tributaria) is Guatemala’s tax ID, issued by SAT (Superintendencia de Administración Tributaria). SAT says you can request it free through its portal, and foreigners need a valid passport. Start with the official NIT application; SAT sends the security code, confirmation and instructions for concluding the request to your email.
As a foreigner without a Guatemalan DPI, the process is slightly different than for Guatemalans — you file online and conclude the request in person with your passport. Here is exactly how to do it.
Correction (24 Sep 2026): the in-person close is by appointment within 30 days of SAT’s notice, and SAT does not list a lease among the requirements. Earlier versions of this page said walk-in, same day, 10 business days, and a rental contract.
TL;DR: The NIT is free (Q0) and required for banking, leases, and business in Guatemala. File the online request (about 20 minutes), then conclude it at a SAT office by appointment within 30 days of SAT’s notice, with your passport and proof of address.
Quick Summary
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Cost | Free (Q0) |
| Time | ~20 min online; in-person close by appointment within 30 days of SAT’s notice (~10 min at the counter) |
| Where | Any SAT office nationwide |
| What you need | Valid passport + proof of address (SAT does not list a lease) |
| Online option | Partial — start online, finish in person |
| Can foreigners get one? | Yes |
Official SAT instructions — checked 23 October 2026
| Topic | SAT wording (Spanish) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Foreigner identification | Documento de Identificación Personal (DPI) o Pasaporte vigente, en caso de ser extranjero. [Personal Identification Document (DPI), or a valid passport if you are a foreigner.] | SAT |
| Cost and support | No es necesario pagar un tramitador para realizar el trámite, lo puede realizar sin costo desde el Portal SAT, buscando apoyo llamando al 1550 o presentándose a cualquier Oficina/Agencia Tributaria que se encuentre a su alcance. [You do not need to pay an intermediary. You can complete the procedure free of charge through the SAT Portal, with assistance by calling 1550 or visiting a tax office or agency within reach.] | SAT |
| Online form time and completion window | El tiempo estimado para el llenado es de 20 minutos, sin embargo, usted puede iniciar el llenado y tomar hasta 30 días para completarlo. Pasados los 30 días, de no haber concluido la transmisión del formulario, deberá iniciar nuevamente la gestión, solicitando en el portal de la SAT un nuevo código de seguridad. [The estimated time to fill in the form is 20 minutes, but you may start and take up to 30 days to finish. If you have not submitted the form after 30 days, you must restart by requesting a new security code through the SAT Portal.] | SAT |
| No, para hacer la solicitud de NIT desde el Portal SAT es necesario que tenga un correo electrónico, ya que SAT le enviará a su correo el código de seguridad para que pueda iniciar el llenado del formulario, así como la confirmación de su gestión y la notificación en donde se indican los pasos para concluir la misma. [No. To request a NIT through the SAT Portal you must have an email address, because SAT will send to it the security code to begin filling in the form, the confirmation of your request, and the notice indicating the steps to complete it.] | SAT | |
| Address documents | – Factura de agua, luz, teléfono de línea fija o internet residencial. Si no cuenta con factura puede adjuntar recibo de agua potable o IUSI (no mayor a 3 meses de su emisión). [A water, electricity, landline telephone or residential internet bill. If you do not have a bill, you may attach a drinking-water or IUSI receipt issued no more than 3 months ago.] | SAT |
| Completion after notice | SAT le notificará cuando pueda presentarse a cualquier Agencia u Oficina Tributaria a completar el proceso. Tiene 30 días para completar el proceso después de recibida la notificación. [SAT will notify you when you may attend any tax agency or office to complete the process. You have 30 days after receiving that notice to complete it.] | SAT |
| Appointment after approval | De ser notificado la aprobación de su solicitud, deberá solicitar cita en el Portal SAT [If notified that your application has been approved, you must request an appointment through the SAT Portal.] | SAT |
| Counter estimate | La realización del trámite al momento de estar en la Agencia u Oficina Tributaria le tomará un aproximado de 10 minutos. [The procedure at the tax agency or office takes approximately 10 minutes.] | SAT |
| Appointment documents | Debes presentar el archivo PDF de tu cita, para que el colaborador de SAT pueda escanear y verificar la información de la cita, así como tu DPI y si eres extranjeros presenta tu pasaporte. [Bring the PDF file of your appointment so SAT staff can scan and verify its information, as well as your DPI; foreigners must present their passport.] | SAT |
| CUI-based NIT | A partir del 04/10/2023 los NIT generados están conformados por los primeros 9 dígitos del CUI, los NIT generados antes de esa fecha no tienen cambios. [From 4 October 2023 (SAT writes 04/10/2023, day/month/year), newly generated NITs consist of the first 9 digits of the CUI; NITs generated before that date remain unchanged.] | SAT |
| CUI-based NIT scope | Únicamente a personas guatemaltecas y extranjeras domiciliadas. [Only Guatemalan persons and domiciled foreign persons.] | SAT |
What Changed in 2025: CUI-NIT Unification
In March 2025 (Resolution SAT-DSI-393-2025), SAT began harmonizing the CUI (the 13-digit number on the DPI, Guatemala’s national ID) with the NIT of individuals; NITs generated since 04/10/2023 are formed from the first 9 digits of the CUI. An existing NIT stays valid and both numbers can be used before SAT; a Guatemalan who never registered with SAT still files the NIT request.
What this means for foreigners: If you are a resident registered at RENAP as an extranjero domiciliado, you hold a DPI with a CUI, and a NIT requested after that is formed from it. Without a DPI, you apply with your passport, as described below.
You can check if a CUI is already linked to a NIT at: portal.sat.gob.gt/portal/consulta-cui-nit/
Requirements for Foreigners
- Valid passport (original and photocopy)
- Proof of address: an electricity, water, landline or home-internet bill no more than three months old, a water or IUSI receipt, or a municipal certificate of address (SAT does not list a lease)
- Knowledge of your economic activity (what you do for work/income — even “rentista” or “jubilado” counts; see the visa guide for residency categories)
Step-by-Step Process
SAT’s taxpayer FAQ gives this sequence: have an email address, receive a security code, complete the request, then follow SAT’s email notification. When SAT notifies approval and instructs you to attend, book through Citas para Solicitud de NIT, select the nearest agency or tax office, and attend on the indicated date and time. That appointment page is for NIT requests only; other appointments go through Agencia Virtual, and the service is personal and non-transferable.
Bring the appointment PDF and your identification: DPI, or passport if you are a foreigner, as stated in SAT’s online-procedures FAQ. If you need a computer, SAT’s self-service counters can be used to submit the request; bring the required documents and access to your email address and password. SAT also offers help through 1550 or an agency/tax office.
Step 1: Start Online (Optional but Recommended)
Go to portal.sat.gob.gt/portal/solicitud-electronica-de-nit/ and fill out the electronic form:
- Enter your personal data exactly as it appears on your passport
- Upload a scan of your passport (both data page and visa/entry stamp page)
- Select your economic activity from the dropdown
- You will receive a form number by email
Step 2: Conclude at a SAT Office (By Appointment, Within 30 Days of SAT’s Notice)
SAT notifies you when the request must be concluded in person. Book an appointment at citas-solicitud-de-NIT and bring your original documents within 30 days of the notice.
Major SAT offices:
- Guatemala City: Multiple locations in Zones 1, 4, 9, 12, 13
- Antigua Guatemala: Sacatepequez regional office
- Quetzaltenango: Xela regional office
- Flores, Peten: Peten regional office
Step 3: Present Your Documents
At the SAT office:
- Show your passport (original — they will compare it to the copy)
- Present your proof of address
- If you started online, give them your form number
- If you did not start online, they will help you fill out the form at the office
Step 4: Receive Your NIT
You will receive your NIT constancia (certificate). This is a piece of paper with your NIT number. Keep it safe — you will need this number for years.
What You Need Your NIT For
- Opening a bank account (mandatory)
- Signing a rental lease
- Buying or transferring a vehicle
- Starting a business
- Filing taxes (if applicable)
- Getting invoices (facturas) in your name
- Buying a phone plan (postpaid)
- Any transaction requiring a factura
Tips From a Local
Names must match exactly. Your name on the NIT application must be identical to your passport. Even a missing middle name or accent mark can cause problems later.
If you do not conclude within 30 days of SAT’s notice, you have to start over.
Any SAT office works. You do not need to go to the one closest to your address. If the Guatemala City offices are crowded, smaller departmental offices (Antigua, Coban, Xela) are often faster.
Bring photocopies. SAT offices sometimes have copy machines, but they are often broken or have long lines. Bring copies of everything already made.
The NIT is free. Do not pay anyone who offers to “help” you get your NIT for a fee outside the office. The official process costs Q0.
Foreigners without a DPI conclude in person. A request with nationality ’extranjero’ is concluded at a SAT office with the passport. There is no fully online option for passport holders.
Common Mistakes
- Passport name mismatch — if your passport says “John Robert Smith” and you write “John Smith,” it will not match
- Expired utility bill — must be within the last 3 months
- Not having a fiscal address — you need a Guatemalan address, even if you are staying at a hotel (a utility bill, IUSI receipt or municipal certificate of address works; see neighborhoods for remote workers for where to base yourself)
- Waiting more than 30 days after SAT’s notice to conclude
After Getting Your NIT
With your NIT, you can now:
- Open a Guatemalan bank account (Banrural, BAM, and Banco Industrial are the most foreigner-friendly)
- Sign a rental lease in your name
- Get proper invoices (facturas) for tax deduction purposes
- Start a business if you plan to work in Guatemala
Official Links
- SAT: NIT Application Portal
- SAT: CUI-NIT Verification
- SAT: Agencia Virtual
- SAT: ¿Qué significa para el guatemalteco la armonización del CUI con el NIT?, 31 March 2025
Planning to stay long-term? See our residency guide for how to get legal residency, the banking guide for opening an account, or explore the interactive map to find the right area to live. For budget planning, check the cost of living guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to get a NIT in Guatemala?
The NIT is completely free (Q0). There are no application fees, processing fees, or annual renewal fees. You file the request online and, as a foreigner, conclude it in person at a SAT office.
How long does it take to get a NIT in Guatemala?
SAT estimates about 20 minutes to fill in the online request, and you have up to 30 days to finish it. A request with nationality ’extranjero’ is concluded in person: SAT notifies you, and you have 30 days from that notice to book an appointment and conclude; the counter step takes about 10 minutes (SAT FAQ).
Do foreigners need a NIT in Guatemala?
Yes, if you plan to do almost anything financial: open a bank account, sign a rental lease, buy a car, start a business, get a postpaid phone plan, or receive formal invoices. It is Guatemala’s equivalent of a Social Security Number for tax purposes.
What documents do I need for a NIT in Guatemala?
As a foreigner, you need your valid passport and proof of address (an electricity, water, landline or home-internet bill no more than three months old, a water or IUSI receipt, or a municipal certificate of address). SAT does not list a lease. File the online request, then conclude it at a SAT office by appointment within 30 days of SAT’s notice. Some offices may ask for a photocopy of your passport’s data page.
Can I get a NIT with just a tourist visa?
Yes. You do not need residency to get a NIT. Tourists with a valid passport can apply for and receive a NIT on a standard 90-day entry. The NIT does not expire and remains valid even after you leave the country.
Where do I go to get a NIT in Guatemala?
Visit any SAT (Superintendencia de Administracion Tributaria) office. The main office is in Zone 1 of Guatemala City. There are also offices in Zone 12, Mixco, and major cities like Antigua, Xela, and Coban.
