Most Venezuelan Nationals Now Require Consulted Visa

At a Glance

• Effective immediately, Venezuelan nationals traveling to Guatemala for all purposes who do not hold a Guatemalan residence permit must obtain a consulted visa prior to traveling. Previously, Venezuelan nationals were visa exempt.
• The process for obtaining a consulted visa is burdensome and can take from six to eight months.

The situation

The Immigration authorities in Guatemala (Dirección Nacional de Migración) have announced that, effective immediately, Venezuelan nationals who do not hold residence permits in Guatemala must obtain a consulted visa prior to traveling. Previously, Venezuelan nationals were exempt from this requirement.

A closer look

• Obtaining a consulted visa.  Authorized third parties, such as a Fragomen representative or attorney, can file a consulted visa application in Guatemala on behalf of the Venezuelan national. Processing can take between six to eight months to process.
   
• Impact. Venezuelan nationals seeking to travel to Guatemala and employers planning to send Venezuelan nationals to Guatemala should plan ahead to ensure enough time for the processing of the consulted visa.
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• Exclusions.
  • Venezuelan nationals who hold residence permits for Guatemala are not required to obtain a consulted visa.
  • Venezuelan nationals who hold a valid U.S. or Canadian visa are exempt from the consulted visa requirement but must now obtain a visa at a Guatemalan consulate abroad, which is processed in up to a week.

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].