Temporary Policies Developed for Venezuelan Nationals in Many Latin American Countries

The situation

A meeting of representatives from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay was held last week to discuss new policies resulting from the high influx of Venezuelan nationals into these countries. Information on each country’s policies and observed practices are available here.

A closer look

The main issues affecting Venezuelan nationals in Latin American countries are discussed below.

• Creation of special resident permits. Due to the high influx of Venezuelan nationals, many Latin American governments have suspended applicable visa waivers and nationality-based residence programs for Venezuelans. Other countries have created special temporary residence permit programs or humanitarian visas that provide a temporary option for Venezuelan nationals to legally reside and work.

• Passport issues in Venezuela. Due to the suspension of the issuance of new passport booklets in Venezuela, many Venezuelan nationals cannot maintain legal status in some Latin American countries, since a valid passport is often prerequisite for a visa extension. As a temporary solution, most Latin American countries are accepting a passport stamp as proof of a valid passport extension at ports of entry and for visa processes. Certain countries are allowing nationals with valid residence permits to remain under an expired passport as long as their local identification is valid. Other countries are recognizing the Venezuelan identification card, cedula, as a valid travel document to enter the country and for visa processes.

Looking ahead

Solutions for issues surrounding the high influx of Venezuelan nationals into Latin American countries are fluid and governments are changing their approaches and practices regularly.  Affected individuals and employers should contact their immigration provider in the receiving country for further information on that country’s practices.

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].