Venezuela travel advice
A summary of the UK government’s (FCDO) travel advice for Venezuela, last updated by the FCDO on 14 October 2026. The full advice on GOV.UK is the authoritative version.
FCDO status
FCDO advises against all travel to parts of the country FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of the country
Latest FCDO update (14 October 2026): FCDO now advises against all travel to Amazonas state and to within 40km (25 miles) of the border with Colombia. FCDO continues to advise against all travel to the Orinoco Mining Arc (‘Arco Minero’) region to the south of the Orinoco river, and within 40km (25 miles) of the border Brazil and Guyana . FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the remaining areas of Venezuela including Zulia state, Maracaibo and the eastern shore of Lake Maracaibo ('Warnings and insurance' page). Updated information about political and economic situation ('Safety and Security' page).
FCDO notice
Earthquakes near coast of Venezuela
On 24 June, Venezuela suffered two earthquakes of 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude, causing significant damage in La Guaira, parts of Caracas and elsewhere.
A significant humanitarian response is currently taking place. If in Venezuela, follow the advice of local authorities and stay away from damaged buildings.
Air Travel
Availability of commercial flights to and from Venezuela is limited. Maiquetía Simón Bolívar International Airport, which serves Caracas, resumed commercial flight operations on 1 September with limited capacity.
Commercial international flights are also operating from Valencia (Arturo Michelena International Airport), Barquisimeto (Jacinto Lara International Airport), Barcelona (General José Antonio Anzoátegui International Airport) and Maracaibo (La Chinita International Airport). Stay in contact with your airline or travel agent/tour operator for the latest travel information and flight updates.
If you are affected and need assistance from the UK government, call:
- from Venezuela +58 (0) 212 263 8411
- from UK +44 (0) 207 008 5000
Be aware of the possibility of earthquake aftershocks. See further information about earthquakes.
Warnings (from the FCDO, word for word)
Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
Areas where FCDO advises against all travel
Border areas
FCDO advises against all travel to:
- within 40km (25 miles) of the border with Colombia
- within 40km (25 miles) of the border with Brazil
- within 40km (25 miles) of the border with Guyana
Amazonas
FCDO advises against all travel to Amazonas state.
Bolívar
FCDO advises against all travel to the Orinoco Mining Arc (‘Arco Minero’) region to the south of the Orinoco river. This includes:
- all of Cedeño Municipality
- the northern part of Sucre Municipality, from the Orinoco river to 80km south of the Troncal 19 road
- the northern part of Raul Leoni Municipality, north of the Rio Paragua
- all of Piar Municipality
- all of Roscio Municipality
- all of El Callo Municipality
- all of Sifontes Municipality
Delta Amacuro
FCDO advises against all travel to the area to the south of the Orinoco river.
The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the remaining areas of Venezuela including Zulia state, Maracaibo and the eastern shore of Lake Maracaibo.
If you are a British national already living or travelling in Venezuela, you should be prepared to change your plans quickly if necessary. You should have a ‘personal emergency plan’, including practical steps for leaving the country or staying safe during a crisis, that does not depend on support from the UK government.
Before you travel, check the ‘Entry requirements’ section for Venezuela’s current entry restrictions and requirements. These may change with little warning. Monitor local media and stay in contact with your travel provider.
Passport validity
To enter Venezuela, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you plan to leave.
Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.
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.
From FCDO: entry requirements. Written for British passport holders.
Recent FCDO updates
- 14 October 2026: FCDO now advises against all travel to Amazonas state and to within 40km (25 miles) of the border with Colombia. FCDO continues to advise against all travel to the Orinoco Mining Arc (‘Arco Minero’) region to the south of the Orinoco river, and within 40km (25 miles) of the border Brazil and Guyana . FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the remaining areas of Venezuela including Zulia state, Maracaibo and the eastern shore of Lake Maracaibo ('Warnings and insurance' page). Updated information about political and economic situation ('Safety and Security' page).
- 2 September 2026: Updated information on resumption of limited commercial flight operations from Maiquetía Simón Bolivar International Airport from 1 September (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).
- 1 July 2026: Updated information on limited commercial flight availability (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).
Plan your trip
This page shows the FCDO’s headline status and quotes its text word for word; we don’t reword safety advice. It refreshes automatically, so it can lag GOV.UK by up to a day. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: FCDO foreign travel advice on GOV.UK. FCDO advice is written for British nationals; other nationalities should also check their own government’s advice.