Venezuela entry requirements for British passport holders (2026): visa and passport validity
Passport validity (FCDO rule): At least 6 months after the day you leave
Visa (FCDO): Read the official visa text below
Official source: GOV.UK – Venezuela travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO) · page last updated 14 October 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
Whether you need a visa and how long your British passport must be valid to enter Venezuela, as published by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), quoted word for word, with a checker for your dates.
Other passports: Canadian passport · Australian passport · Italian citizens: documenti per italiani
Do I need a visa for Venezuela with a British passport?
We quote the FCDO text word for word and do not summarise it: its first sentence has conditions or a wording we do not turn into a one-line answer.
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.
Official source: GOV.UK – Venezuela travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO), section “Visa requirements” · page last updated 14 October 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
Passport validity: official text “Passport validity requirements”
To enter Venezuela, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you plan to leave.
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.
Official source: GOV.UK – Venezuela travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO) · page last updated 14 October 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
Check your passport for Venezuela
Schengen rules count your whole trip in the Schengen area: if you visit several Schengen countries, enter the day you first enter the area and the day you leave the last Schengen country.
The check runs in your browser: your dates are not sent anywhere. It applies the FCDO sentence literally (for example “6 months” is counted as the same day of the month 6 months later).
For British passport holders only. These are the rules published by the UK government (FCDO) for British citizens. If you hold another passport, check your own government's advice. The airline and the border officials of the destination decide whether you can travel or enter: this site is information, not legal advice.
Different rules for other cases (official)
If you’re a resident in Venezuela, both your passport and resident visa or permit must be valid at the time of your arrival.
Recent FCDO updates to the entry requirements
- 4 November 2024: “Updated advice on visa requirements for non-tourism visits and on detailed questioning for arriving foreign nationals on the purpose and details of their visit, including recent detentions of foreign nationals (‘Entry requirements' and 'Safety and security' pages).”
- 12 January 2024: “Updated information on dual nationality ('Entry requirements' page).”
- 23 August 2023: “Updated information on Visas ('Entry requirements' page).”
- 10 May 2023: “Updated information on the suspension of COVID-19 specific entry requirements from May 2023 (’Entry requirements' page) and information on the risk of altitude sickness (‘Health’ page).”
- 31 December 2022: “Updated information on COVID-19 entry rules for travellers entering Venezuela from 01 January 2023 ('Entry requirements’ page)”
Read the full FCDO travel advice for Venezuela (safety, visas, health) before you travel.
Spotted a change? Tell us.
Same FCDO rule (6 months after departure)
Passport validity rules for all destinations · Liquids rules by airport · EES and ETIAS status