Venezuela

Passport validity requirements

To enter Venezuela, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you plan to leave.

Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.

You will be denied entry if you do not have a travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen.

If you’re a resident in Venezuela, both your passport and resident visa or permit must be valid at the time of your arrival.

Visa requirements

If you arrive by air, you can stay for up to 90 days visa-free on a ‘tourist card’, issued on arrival. You must show your return or onward travel ticket.

If you’re arriving overland or by sea, you may need to get a visa in advance. Contact the nearest Venezuelan embassy or consulate for advice.

You can apply for an extension of up to 90 days before your tourist card and entry stamp expire. Apply and pay the fee at any SAIME (immigration service) office (in Spanish). If you live in Venezuela, you must apply at the main regional SAIME office of the state where you are living.

If you overstay your allowed time, you may be arrested and fined when trying to leave Venezuela.

If you aren’t visiting for tourism, you must get a visa before travelling to Venezuela. It must be related to the purpose and duration of your stay. This includes visits related to work of any nature, whether paid or unpaid, including for:

• Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
• journalism
• documentary or filmmaking
• volunteering

You will also need a visa if you are coming to Venezuela to study or for an internship.

Contact the nearest Venezuelan embassy or consulate for information on how to obtain a visa.

Dual nationality

If you’re a Venezuelan dual national, you must use your Venezuelan identity documents for entry and departure of the country. The authorities may not allow you to depart Venezuela if you are not in possession of a valid Venezuelan passport, as required by law.

Travelling with children   

Children travelling unaccompanied, with a guardian, or with one parent, must provide a travel permit from the non-travelling parent(s). This permit is available from the nearest local SAREN (Servicio Autónomo de Registros y Notarías) office, or the respective Court for Children and Adolescents.

If the child is resident overseas, you can get the permit from the nearest Venezuelan embassy or consulate.

The child should carry this travel permit while travelling within the country and also at time of departure from Venezuela. Children may be denied exit from the country otherwise.

Vaccine requirements

To enter Venezuela from Brazil, you must have a certificate to prove you’ve had a yellow fever vaccination.

For full details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, see TravelHealthPro’s Venezuela guide.

Customs rules

There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of Venezuela. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.

You must declare any goods, including personal luggage, worth more than 1,000 US dollars. You may have to pay import tax if your goods appear to be new.

Taking money into Venezuela

Declare cash or travellers cheques worth 10,000 US dollars or more when entering Venezuela. You must pay tax on the excess.

Most local businesses accept payment in local currency, US dollars or by international card. Some card machines do not work with international cards.

If you find your bank cards do not work, you can arrange for friends and family overseas to deposit funds through Western Union and pick up the deposited funds at any Grupo Zoom branch.

Customs rules

There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of Venezuela. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.

You must declare any goods, including personal luggage, worth more than 1,000 US dollars. You may have to pay import tax if your goods appear to be new.

Taking money into Venezuela

Declare cash or travellers cheques worth 10,000 US dollars or more when entering Venezuela. You must pay tax on the excess.

Most local businesses accept payment in local currency, US dollars or by international card. Some card machines do not work with international cards.

If you find your bank cards do not work, you can arrange for friends and family overseas to deposit funds through Western Union and pick up the deposited funds at any Grupo Zoom branch.

Emergency services in Venezuela

Telephone: 911 (ambulance, fire, police)

Contact your travel provider and insurer

Contact your travel provider and your insurer if you are involved in a serious incident or emergency abroad. They will tell you if they can help and what you need to do.

Refunds and changes to travel

For refunds or changes to travel, contact your travel provider. You may also be able to make a claim through insurance. However, insurers usually require you to talk to your travel provider first.

Find out more about changing or cancelling travel plans, including:

• where to get advice if you are in a dispute with a provider
• how to access previous versions of travel advice to support a claim

Support from FCDO

FCDO has guidance on staying safe and what to do if you need help or support abroad, including:

• finding English-speaking lawyers, funeral directors and translators and interpreters
• dealing with a death in Venezuela
• being arrested or imprisoned in Venezuela
• getting help if you’re a victim of rape or sexual assault
• getting help if you’re a victim of crime
• what to do if you’re in hospital
• if you’re affected by a crisis, such as a terrorist attack

Contacting FCDO 

Help abroad  

See how to get help from the UK government abroad including in an emergency. 

Help in the UK  

You can call FCDO in London if you need urgent help because something has happened to a friend or relative abroad.  

Telephone: 020 7008 5000 (24 hours)  

Find out about call charges

Get travel advice updates  

Sign up to get email notifications when this travel advice is updated.  

Follow FCDO: 

• travel advice on X
• travel advice on Facebook

Risk information for British companies

The Overseas Business Risk service offers information and advice for British companies operating in Venezuela on how to manage political, economic, and business security-related risks.

Areas where FCDO advises against all travel

Border areas

FCDO advises against all travel to: 

• within 40km (25 miles) of the border with Colombia
• within 40km (25 miles) of the border with Brazil
• within 40km (25 miles) of the border with Guyana

Amazonas

FCDO advises against all travel to Amazonas state.

Bolívar

FCDO advises against all travel to the Orinoco Mining Arc (‘Arco Minero’) region to the south of the Orinoco river. This includes:

• all of Cedeño Municipality
• the northern part of Sucre Municipality, from the Orinoco river to 80km south of the Troncal 19 road
• the northern part of Raul Leoni Municipality, north of the Rio Paragua
• all of Piar Municipality
• all of Roscio Municipality
• all of El Callo Municipality
• all of Sifontes Municipality

Delta Amacuro

FCDO advises against all travel to the area to the south of the Orinoco river.

The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the remaining areas of Venezuela including Zulia state, Maracaibo and the eastern shore of Lake Maracaibo.

If you are a British national already living or travelling in Venezuela, you should be prepared to change your plans quickly if necessary. You should have a ‘personal emergency plan’, including practical steps for leaving the country or staying safe during a crisis, that does not depend on support from the UK government.

Before you travel, check the ‘Entry requirements’ section for Venezuela’s current entry restrictions and requirements. These may change with little warning. Monitor local media and stay in contact with your travel provider.

Earthquakes near coast of Venezuela

On 24 June, Venezuela suffered two earthquakes of 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude, causing significant damage in La Guaira, parts of Caracas and elsewhere.

A significant humanitarian response is currently taking place. If in Venezuela, follow the advice of local authorities and stay away from damaged buildings.

Air Travel

Availability of commercial flights to and from Venezuela is limited. Maiquetía Simón Bolívar International Airport, which serves Caracas, resumed commercial flight operations on 1 September with limited capacity.

Commercial international flights are also operating from Valencia (Arturo Michelena International Airport), Barquisimeto (Jacinto Lara International Airport), Barcelona (General José Antonio Anzoátegui International Airport) and Maracaibo (La Chinita International Airport). Stay in contact with your airline or travel agent/tour operator for the latest travel information and flight updates.

If you are affected and need assistance from the UK government, call:

• from Venezuela +58 (0) 212 263 8411
• from UK +44 (0) 207 008 5000

Be aware of the possibility of earthquake aftershocks. See further information about earthquakes.

Before you travel

No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide. You may also find it helpful to: 

• see general advice for women travellers
• read our guide on disability and travel abroad
• see general advice for LGBT+ travellers
• read about safety for solo and independent travel
• see advice on volunteering and adventure travel abroad

Travel insurance

If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.

About FCDO travel advice

FCDO provides advice about risks of travel to help you make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice.

Get travel advice updates

Sign up to get email notifications when this travel advice is updated. 

Follow FCDO:   

• travel advice on X
• travel advice on Facebook
• Travel Aware on Instagram

Laws and cultural differences

Personal ID

Always carry identification with you. You can carry copies of the photo page of your passport and your entry stamp. Keep your passport in a safe place where you can access it quickly if you need to. Local security forces may ask you to show ID at any time, particularly at police checkpoints. If you cannot produce it, you could be arrested and detained pending an investigation.

Illegal drugs and prison sentences

Drug trafficking is a serious crime in Venezuela. Detection methods are sophisticated, and drug traffickers should expect to be arrested. Conviction leads to a lengthy prison sentence of between 8 and 15 years. Conditions in Venezuelan jails are harsh, dangerous, and among the worst in the region.

Using cameras and binoculars in secure areas

It is illegal to photograph military or strategic installations, including military airports and the presidential palace. Avoid plane spotting.

Networks and internet

Internet service is generally slow outside of major cities. Mobile network operators run modern 4G (LTE) networks in most major cities, while they also operate slower legacy 3G (WCDMA) networks for their nationwide voice and data services.

In Venezuela, power outages are frequent and can occur without warning, often due to infrastructure challenges and weather conditions. These can be both localised and nationwide, and may vary in duration. Power cuts can affect mobile signals and internet across the whole country, including Caracas. Keep in contact with your airline or travel agent as flights can be delayed or cancelled when there are power cuts.   

LGBT+ travellers

Same-sex relationships are not illegal. However, showing affection in public will most likely be frowned on by locals and may receive negative attention from the police and other security forces. Venezuelan law does not recognise same-sex partnerships, so same-sex partners have no rights as next of kin.

Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers.

Age of consent

The age of consent in Venezuela is 18 and sex with anyone 17 and under is illegal. Offenders face long jail sentences.