Max Salas ·
New tourist visa procedure for U.S. citizens traveling to Venezuela
Since April 6, 2026, the Venezuela visa for US citizens is requested online through Cancillería Digital, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry's electronic system. This is what many people call the Venezuela eVisa: the tourist visa no longer goes through a consulate.
For anyone traveling on vacation or to see family, this is a big change. The application is filed online, the approved visa arrives by email, and there is no office to visit. Here we explain what changed, who it applies to, and what to know before buying a ticket.
Do US citizens need a visa for Venezuela?
Yes, if you were not born in Venezuela. U.S. citizens traveling for tourism or to visit family need the Tourist Visa, category T.
It is requested before the trip. Venezuela does not issue visas at the airport or at the border, and anyone who arrives without one may be denied entry.
If the trip is for business, the category is different: Business Transient (TR-N). It is filed through the same system, but it is not the same visa.
What is the Venezuela eVisa and what changed on April 6, 2026?
The Venezuela eVisa is the visa requested through Cancillería Digital, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry's online system. With it, the place where you apply changed: the visa used to be handled at a Venezuelan consulate, and now the application is filed online with the Foreign Ministry in Caracas.
The visa arrives by email. There is no consular appointment and no passport stamp: the approved visa is received as a document, printed, and presented at immigration on arrival in Venezuela.
The application is in the holder's name. Someone else can manage it, but the application belongs to the traveler.
A submitted application cannot be edited. If something was wrong, it is deleted and filed again, and that adds days.
What did not change: the visa is still requested before traveling, and the decision still belongs to the Venezuelan authorities.
What is the official website for the Venezuela visa?
The only official channel is Cancillería Digital, the portal of the Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Other websites offering a Venezuela "eVisa" are private companies that manage the application, like us.
No private company issues the visa or can speed up the decision. What a service provider does is prepare and file the application on that portal, in the traveler's name.
Who does not need the Venezuelan tourist visa?
People born in Venezuela do not need it, even if they hold U.S. citizenship. For Venezuela they are still Venezuelan and enter with a Venezuelan document.
A Venezuelan-born naturalized U.S. citizen who tries to apply for the tourist visa with a U.S. passport cannot complete the process.
For them, the right process is the Venezuelan passport or its extension through SAIME. If the Venezuelan passport has expired, that is the problem to solve first, and with time to spare.
How long does the Venezuelan visa take?
The Foreign Ministry's official manual refers to about 72 hours. In real cases it can take longer.
That is why we recommend starting three to four weeks before the trip and buying a ticket that allows date changes without penalty. Basic Economy fares usually do not.
How long is the tourist visa valid?
Validity is set by the Foreign Ministry when the visa is issued. Tourist visas issued so far have generally been valid for one year with multiple entries and stays of up to 90 days, but there is no published rule that ensures it.
Before planning a second trip on the same visa, check the validity and entries shown on the document you received.
How do we handle the tourist visa?
Migrative handles the full application from Miami. We confirm the traveler qualifies, prepare and file the application, and follow up until the visa reaches their inbox.
We cannot promise approval or timing. Migrative is a private firm, not affiliated with the Government of Venezuela or its Foreign Ministry, and that decision belongs to the Venezuelan authorities. What we do is file a complete application on the first attempt, which is what avoids losing days.
If you are planning a trip, call us at (305) 367-8827 and we will review your case.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get the tourist visa on arrival in Venezuela?
No. Venezuela does not issue visas at the airport or at the border. If you travel without a visa, you may be denied entry.
Does the Venezuelan visa arrive on paper?
No. The approved visa arrives by email. You must print it and present it at immigration on arrival.
I was born in Venezuela and have a U.S. passport. Do I need a visa?
No. You must enter with a valid Venezuelan passport or one extended through SAIME.
Call (305) 367-8827 · Venezuela tourist visa for U.S. citizens
6700 NW 77th Ct, Suite 200, Miami, FL 33166