Visa Types
Entrepreneur / Industrialist Visitor Visa
This visa is granted for a period of 2 years allowing multiple entries for a maximum stay of 4 months on each visit. The maximum stay for a 4 month period may not be extended.
Issued to persons who can prove that they
- Own or manage an enterprise or industry established in the country in which they are residents.
- Have a branch office in Venezuela
- Will carry out business activities of their enterprise/industry in Venezuela
Documents required:
- Recent photograph taken within the last 6 months and should be in digital format
- Symmetric with a minimum of 600 X 600 pixels and a maximum of 1,200 X 1,200 pixels.
- Jpeg format
- Size should be 40-240KB
- Colour photograph
Photograph should be forwarded to Consulate General with the subject “VISA PHOTO NAME SURNAME” and with the following file name Name-Surname_VISA.jpg (John-Smith_VISA.jpg).
Applicants from San Francisco must submit 2 passport size photographs in a white background.
- Non US citizens should submit a copy of their green card, or a copy of their work visa and I-94.
- A company letter on a business letter head which includes:
- Position
- Purpose of the trip
- Name and address of the person/company to be contacted in Venezuela
- Length of stay in Venezuela
- Company who will sponsor the employee during his/her stay in Venezuela
- A certified copy of the company’s Articles of Association or the employer’s certificate of good standing
- Return air ticket
Cost: USD 60 (a money order or a company check payable to “Consulate of Venezuela”
Business Visitor Visa
This visa is issued for non-migrant business personnel, executives, business representatives.
Business visitor visa is issued for a period of 1 year for multiple entries. Each visit should not exceed 180 days and will not be extended.
Documents required:
- A valid passport (6 months of validity)
- Copies of the passport pages which include personal information, expiration date and photograph
- One recent digital photograph (specifications same as above). The Consulate General in San Francisco and Chicago requires the photographs in printed format.
- A certificate of incorporation of the business
- A letter of employment from the business indicating
- The purpose of the trip
- Name and address of a contact person in Venezuela
- Length of stay in Venezuelan territory
- A letter of invitation from a business in Venezuela (if required)
- Copy of the flight itinery
- A statement indicating if the business owner holds a majority of its shares
- If the applicant is a Non-US citizen, a copy of the green card or a document proving residency
- Criminal record (only based on special request from the Consulate)
The Consulate may also request for an interview with the applicant.
Cost: USD 100
Processing time: 3 – 4 months
Investor Visa
Issued to non-immigrant traders, executives, representatives of enterprises or industries and micro entrepreneurs who wish to conduct business in Venezuela. This visa is granted for 1 year allowing multiple entries. Maximum length of each stay is 180 days and this period cannot be extended.
Documents required:
- 2 passport size photographs
- Company letter in a business letterhead indicating
- The purpose of the trip
- Name and address of a contact person in Venezuela
- Length of stay in Venezuelan territory
- Flight ticket
- For non US citizens a copy of the green card or the visa to the USA
- Documents proving the ownership of the enterprise
Cost: $60
Visa Application
Foreign employees must obtain work visas and work permits to work in Venezuela. Work permits are issued by the Ministry of Labour. It can take up to 3-4 months to obtain a work permit. Work visas are governed by the Identification, Migration and Foreign Administrative Service (“SAIME”) (“Servicio Administrativo Identificación, Migración y Extranjería”).
A request for a work permit (TR-L) must be submitted to “Dirección General Sectorial de Identificación y Control de Extranjeros (DIEX) / Ministry of the Popular Power for Interior and Justice” by the employer based in Venezuela.
Work permits are issued for a period of 1 year with multiple entries. The Ministry of the Interior and Justice may extend it, upon request, for another year, if the Labour Ministry of Venezuela previously ratifies the work authorization.
There are three stages involved in obtaining a work permit.
Stage 1
During the first stage, the Ministry of Labour analyses the purpose for which the company based in Venezuela wishes to hire a foreign employee along with the duties to be performed in Venezuela.
Next, the employer makes an employment offer witnessed by a Notary Public which will be investigated by the Ministry of Labour to determine whether the duties performed by the foreign employee complies with the restrictions of hiring foreign employees set forth in Article 27 of the Venezuelan Organic Labor and Workers’ Law (the “OLWL”). OLWL stipulates that atleast 90% of the employees should be Venezuelans, other than in exceptional circumstances.
Once the Ministry of Labour determines that all the requirements are met it will issue a work permit.
Stage 2
The work permit and the supporting documents will be analysed by Identification, Migration and Foreign Administrative Service (“SAIME”) (“Servicio Administrativo Identificación, Migración y Extranjería”). At this stage the Venezuelan Consulate will be authorised to issue the TR-L (work visa).
Stage 3
The employee must appear before the Venezuelan Consulate of his or her country of origin or residence. The Consulate may request for medical tests and examinations as well as certified police records as well.
Once the Consular office receives the authorization number from DIEX (with 6 months validity), the following documents should be submitted by the applicant.
- A passport with which is valid for at least 6 months
- One recent photograph (2 X 2) on a white background
- One color photograph on a white background in JPG Format (70KB Maximum size in disk, 400 MP maximum width and 600 MP maximum length
- A cover letter from the employer
- A copy of the employment contract
- Academic transcripts, degree certificates (attested copies)
- Copy of work permit issued by the Venezuelan authorities
- Marriage certificate, birth certificates of children under 18 years of age
- Proof of educational and professional certificates
- Police clearance certificate (valid for at least 6 months)
- Medical certificate authorized by a doctor
- Confirmed return air ticket
- Proof of financial solvency during the stay in Venezuela
Cost: USD 100
Processing time: 3 – 4 months
