MEXICO: Venezuelan Citizens Now Require Visa to Enter Country

January 25, 2022


Effective 21 January 2022, Venezuelan citizens were removed from Mexico’s visa waiver regime and now require a visa to enter Mexico. As such, Venezuelan nationals traveling to Mexico for business or tourism will require a Visitor Visa prior to entering the country.

First announced in early January, the change stemmed from recent significant increases to the number of Venezuelan nationals entering Mexico for a different purpose other than those authorized by migratory officials.

Note that the following Venezuelan citizens will remain visa exempt:

  • Permanent Residents of Canada, Japan, any Pacific Alliance country (Chile, Colombia, and Peru), any Schengen Area country, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
  • Holder of a valid visa from Canada, Japan, any Schengen Area country, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Newland Chase Insights

This change will increase travel timeframes and costs for Venezuelan business travelers and tourists. As such, employers and affected Venezuelan citizens alike should take note of the change and understand that these applicants will need to obtain a consular visa prior to their entry into Mexico. Processing time for visas will vary depending on the specific Mexican consular post adjudicating the application, but are typically several days to upwards of two weeks.

As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to your Newland Chase dedicated contact or submit an inquiry here should you have any specific questions regarding this announcement.

This immigration update is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal or scenario-specific advice. Furthermore, it is important to note that immigration announcements are subject to sudden and unexpected changes. Readers are encouraged to reach out to Newland Case for any case- or company-specific assessments.