For El Salvador a refugee is:

• Someone who has fled their country and cannot return because they have a well-founded fear of being persecuted because of their political opinions, race, religion or membership in a particular social group. In other words, people who were forced to leave their country because their lives or integrity were at risk, and who cannot return to their country of origin because they do not have the protection of their State.
• Someone who has fled their country and cannot return because their life, safety and freedom have been threatened by generalized violence, internal conflicts, massive violation of human rights or other circumstances that have seriously disturbed public order.

If you are afraid to return to your country because your life is in danger, you can apply for refugee protection in El Salvador, and if your family accompanies you you can include them in your application or indicate if they are in your country of origin.

Steps:

1) Application:

You must go to the CODER Secretariat, or if you are at a border post, you must communicate to an official of the General Directorate of Migration and Foreigners (DGME) that you wish to be recognized as a person in refugee status, verbally or in writing. Remember to submit with your application all documents that support your request for refugee status.

• From the day after your entry, you have 5 working days to submit your refugee application. If it is done outside this period, you will have to justify the reason why you could not do it within the established time.

2) Interview 

Waiting for the interview: After making the application the officer will give you a notice with the date of the interview. Bring the documents that support your testimony.

• In the interview you must explain the reasons why you left your country of origin and the reasons why you cannot or do not want to enter. You must also answer any questions that the CODER subcommission officers may have, including personal information. 
• If you have not attached the application to your documents, you must present them to the authorities at the time of the interview.

3) Response:

• Based on the interview, the sub-commission will declare the application admissible or not (there is no time limit for the response). In case of denial, the applicant will have 3 working days to appeal before the commission. 

• Once the application has been admitted for processing by the Sub-Commission, it will be analyzed by CODER, which has a period of 30 days to resolve it, in some cases the time may be extended for further information. 

4) Recognition of refugee status :

• If the decision is positive, the refugee must, together with the CODER Secretariat, apply for a CA-4 resident card with a migration status of "temporary resident with work permit" at the General Directorate of Migration and Alien Affairs (Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería).

5) Application for refugee status rejected:

• If the decision is negative and the application was rejected, you have the right to file a written appeal for review before the Secretary of CODER within 3 working days after notification (you can include new elements that will help you to support the appeal).

Where to go for more information 
To make a refugee claim in El Salvador, individuals should contact the offices of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which offer the following services: 

• Information and guidance on the process of accessing international protection in El Salvador, as well as on the asylum application and refugee determination process. 
• Information about services available in El Salvador. 
• They will also be able to attend the Commission for the Determination of Refugee Status (CODER).
• Finally, Caritas El Salvador provides legal accompaniment services and humanitarian assistance to asylum seekers, as well as -in certain circumstances- humanitarian assistance to persons already recognized as refugees in the country. 

More details, here.

More informatación, here.