Venezuela entry requirements for Canadian passport holders (2026): visa and passport validity
Visa (Government of Canada): Read the official visa text below
Passport validity (Government of Canada): Valid for at least 6 months beyond the date you expect to leave Venezuela. Official text
Official source: Government of Canada – Venezuela travel advice and advisories (travel.gc.ca), section “Entry and exit requirements” · page last updated 13 October 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026 · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
Whether Canadians need a visa for Venezuela and how long a Canadian passport must be valid, as published by the Government of Canada, quoted word for word with the date of the official page.
Other passports: British passport · Australian passport
Do Canadians need a visa for Venezuela?
We quote the official text word for word and do not summarise it. The official visa text talks about getting a visa on arrival or at the border: read it in full.
Official text, “Visas”:
Tourist visa: required
Business visa: required
Work visa: required
Student visa: required
Venezuelan authorities strictly enforce entry requirements. You must obtain a visa before travelling to Venezuela. Visas are not available upon arrival. Penalties for entering Venezuela without a valid visa are severe, including potentially lengthy detention or imprisonment.
Also in the official “Entry and exit requirements” section:
Dual citizenship
Canadian citizens who also hold Venezuelan citizenship must enter and exit Venezuela using a Venezuelan passport.
Children born outside Venezuela to Venezuelan parents are assumed to be Venezuelan citizens and must also enter and exit the country using a Venezuelan passport.
Although immigration authorities have allowed dual citizens to enter without a Venezuelan passport, they have later prevented them from leaving the country.
Venezuelan documents
It is very difficult to obtain a new Venezuelan passport or to extend an expired passport. As a result, you may not be able to obtain a passport in Venezuela for your Canadian-born child.
If you are a dual citizen and planning to travel to Venezuela, make sure your Venezuelan passport is valid beyond the duration of your trip. If you need to renew your passport or obtain a new one for your Canadian-born child, contact the nearest Venezuelan embassy or consulate to make arrangements.
If you enter Venezuela with an expired Venezuelan passport, authorities may not stamp your travel documents upon entry. This may lead to difficulties when exiting the country.
Servicio Administrativo de Identificación, Migración y Extranjería (SAIME) - Venezuelan Migration Department (in Spanish)
More from the official “Entry and exit requirements” section (other requirements)
Other entry requirements
Customs officials may ask you to show them a return or onward ticket and proof of sufficient funds to cover your stay.
Ensure that you receive an entrance stamp in your passport from Venezuela’s immigration office at the port of entry.
Official source: Government of Canada – Venezuela travel advice and advisories (travel.gc.ca), section “Visas” · page last updated 13 October 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026 · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
How long must my Canadian passport be valid for Venezuela?
In short: Valid for at least 6 months beyond the date you expect to leave Venezuela.
Our one-line summary of the official sentence below, which matches a wording we recognise. Your airline may apply stricter rules.
Official text, “Regular Canadian passport”:
Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the date you expect to leave Venezuela.
Official source: Government of Canada – Venezuela travel advice and advisories (travel.gc.ca), section “Regular Canadian passport” · page last updated 13 October 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026 · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
For Canadian passport holders. These rules are published by the Government of Canada (Global Affairs Canada) for Canadian citizens travelling on a regular Canadian passport. Before You Fly is an independent site: it is not a Government of Canada site and is not endorsed by the Government of Canada. The airline and the border officials of the destination decide whether you can travel or enter: this site is information, not legal advice. British passport? See the UK (FCDO) rules.
Read the full official travel advice for Venezuela (safety, health, local laws) before you travel.
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