Travel to Venezuela has been a bit tricky, to say the least, as that country has experienced a great deal of tension over the last several months. Now, the Venezuelan Embassy has updated its protocols, informing US citizens that they must obtain a Venezuela visa before visiting the country. The announcement suggests that US citizens apply for visas at least three months in advance of their travel plans. This advice likely comes as a result of fears within Venezuelan embassies that they will not be equipped to handle the new administrative hassles headed their way.
The new tourist visas for US citizens cost $30 and are good for one year. The visa is a multiple entry visa that is good for 90 day stays in Venezuela. The change came about in early March, but there are still a lot of questions and uncertainty. Venezuelan officials have suggested that US citizens direct any questions about the new Venezuelan visas to their embassy in Washington DC or the Venezuelan consulates in Boston, New York, Chicago, New Orleans, Houston, San Francisco, San Juan, or Puerto Rico.
President Maduro of Venezuela has said that the new visa requirements have been imposed for national security reasons. The president asserts that Venezuelan authorities have detained several Americans, among them a US pilot, who were suspected of engaging in espionage. The $30 fee is apparently meant to match the fee that the US charges Venezuelans for tourist visas to America, though this could just be conjecture.
Obtaining Your Venezuela Visa
The bottom line is, if you’re planning to visit Venezuela anytime in the next few months, you should get on top of your tourist visa right away. The team here at Swift can help you navigate the tricky visa process and make sure you have everything you need to get your Venezuela tourist visa as quickly as possible.
Keep in mind, however, that there may be holdups within the Venezuelan Embassy that we simply can’t control. It’s also important to keep in mind that the situation in Venezuela may present dangers to Americans visiting there. The State Department highly suggests enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, also known as STEP. Enrolling in STEP allows you to stay on top of the latest security updates for the countries that you visit and provides with easier access to nearby US consulate information in case of an emergency.
