Entry/Exit Requirements
"A valid passport and a visa or tourist card are required.
Tourist cards are issued on flights from the U.S. to Venezuela for
persons staying less than ninety days. Persons traveling for reasons
other than tourism, however, should consult the Venezuelan Embassy
or nearest Venezuelan consulate regarding possible visa requirements
for their specific purpose of travel. Venezuelan immigration authorities
may require that U.S. passports have at least six months validity
remaining from the date of arrival in Venezuela. Some U.S. citizens
have been turned back to the United States if their passports will
expire in less than six months. Passports should also be in good
condition, as some U.S. citizens have been delayed or detained overnight
for having otherwise valid passports in poor condition.
U.S. citizens residing in Venezuela should be careful to obtain
legitimate Venezuelan documentation appropriate to their status.
There have been numerous cases in the last several months of U.S.
citizens who, having employed intermediaries, received what they
believed to be valid Venezuelan resident visas and work permits.
They were subsequently arrested and charged with possessing fraudulent
Venezuelan documentation. ONIDEX, the Venezuelan government agency
responsible for immigration documents, has informed the Embassy
that the only valid resident visas are those for which the bearer
has personally signed at ONIDEX headquarters in Caracas.
Venezuelan law requires Venezuelan citizens to enter and depart
Venezuela using Venezuelan passports and Venezuelan immigration
authorities are increasingly enforcing this requirement. In order
to comply with U.S. and Venezuelan law, persons who hold dual American-Venezuelan
nationality must plan to travel between Venezuela and the United
States with valid U.S. and Venezuelan passports. Please see our
information on dual nationality for entry and exit requirements
pertaining to dual nationals.
Venezuela's child protection law mandates that minors (under 18)
who are citizens or non-citizen residents of Venezuela and who are
traveling alone, with only one parent, or with a third party, must
present a copy of their birth certificate and written, notarized
authorization from the absent parent(s) or legal guardian, specifically
granting permission to travel alone, with one parent, or with a
third party. This authorization must reflect the precise date and
time of the travel, including flight and/or other pertinent information.
Without this authorization, immigration authorities will prevent
the child's departure from Venezuela. The Venezuelan Government
no longer recognizes blanket or non-specific travel authorizations.
When a parent is deceased, a notarized copy of the death certificate
is required in lieu of the written authorization. If documents are
prepared in the United States, the authorization and the birth certificate
must be translated into Spanish, notarized, and authenticated by
the Venezuela Embassy or a Venezuelan consulate in the United States.
If documents are prepared in Venezuela, only notarization by a Venezuelan
notary is required. A permission letter prepared outside Venezuela
is valid for 90 days. A permission letter prepared in Venezuela
is valid for 60 days.
Travelers entering Venezuela from certain countries are required
to have a current yellow fever vaccination certificate. The Venezuelan
government recommends that all travelers, regardless of their country
of departure, be vaccinated for yellow fever before entering Venezuela.
Mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue fever are also
common in some areas and travelers should take precautions to prevent
infection.
An exit tax and airport fee must be paid when departing Venezuela
by airline. The exit tax is currently 46 Bolívares Fuertes,
and the airport fee is currently 115 Bolívares Fuertes (a
total of approximately 75 USD calculated at the official exchange
rate). In many instances, especially with non-U.S. airlines, the
exit tax and airport fee are not included in the airline ticket
price and must be paid separately at the airport upon departure.
Authorities usually require that payment be made in local currency.
Both the departure tax and the airport fee are subject to change
with little notice. Travelers should check with their airlines for
the latest information.
For current information concerning entry, tax, and customs requirements
for Venezuela, travelers may contact the Venezuelan Embassy at 1099
30th Street, NW, Washington DC 20007, tel: (202) 342-2214, or visit
the Embassy of Venezuela web site at http://www.embavenez-us.org.
Travelers may also contact the Venezuelan consulates in New York,
Miami, Chicago, New Orleans, New York, Houston, San Francisco, or
San Juan. Additional information about vaccination requirements
for travel to Venezuela, as well as to other international destinations,
may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's
hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747);
fax 1-888-CDC-FAXX (1-888-232-3299), or via CDC's Internet site
at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx"
- US State Dept
For non-US Citizen requirements, please contact
us for updated information.
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