Venezuela

VEN

Venezuela, located on the northern coast of South America, has been in the grip of a severe political and humanitarian crisis since the mid-2010s. Under Nicolás Maduro's government, hyperinflation, economic collapse, and widespread food and medicine shortages have driven more than 7.7 million people to emigrate — one of the largest displacement crises in the Western Hemisphere. Infrastructure and public services remain severely degraded. The passport ranks poorly globally, offering visa-free access to roughly 74 destinations. Naturalisation requires 10 years of lawful residence. Dual citizenship is permitted. Despite its rich oil reserves and natural beauty — including Angel Falls and the Orinoco Delta — Venezuela is not a practical destination for foreign residents under current conditions.

Passport Rank

#96

Visa-Free

destinations

Country Details

Capital: Caracas
Currency: Venezuelan Bolívar (VES)
Languages: Spanish
Population: 28,300,000
Tax System: Residence Based
Dual Citizenship: Allowed
Naturalisation: 10 years
Schengen / EU: No
Climate: Tropical; hot and humid in the lowlands, cooler in the Andean highlands; dry season roughly December to April
English Proficiency Rank: #71

Indices

Cost of Living

Safety

Healthcare

Quality of Life

Tax Summary

Tax System: Residence Based
Territorial Taxation: No — worldwide income taxed for residents
Naturalisation: 10 years of legal residency
Dual Citizenship: Allowed

Cost of Living by City

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Monthly cost of living per major city in USD: rent, groceries, utilities, transit pass
City	Rent 1BR centre	Rent outside	Groceries	Utilities	Transit pass
Caracas	—	—	—	—	—
Maracaibo	—	—	—	—	—
Valencia	—	—	—	—	—

Monthly USD figures. Typical central 1-bedroom rent, grocery basket for one, household utilities, monthly transit pass.

Climate

Caracas

21.6°J

22.6°F

23.5°M

24.7°A

25.2°M

24.4°J

24°J

23.9°A

24.1°S

24.2°O

23.7°N

22.5°D

Rainfall range: 10–110 mm/month · Daylight 11.5h (winter) to 12.5h (summer)

Visa Categories & Immigration Authority

Major Visa Categories

Tourist
Business
Investor
Resident Visa
Family
Student

Authority: Servicio Administrativo de Identificación, Migración y Extranjería (SAIME)
Official Portal: www.saime.gob.ve
Phone: +58 212 408 1111
Email: info@saime.gob.ve

Naturalisation Details

Residence Years: 10
Language Test: Yes (Spanish)
Civic Test: No
Oath Required: Yes
Dual Allowed: Yes
Fee: $300
Processing: ~18 months

Safety

GPI Rank

#142

Global Peace Index ranking (lower is safer)

Common Risks

⚠Express kidnapping (secuestro exprés): criminals force victims into vehicles, drain ATM accounts, and release them — particularly common on the Maiquetía Airport–Caracas highway at night
⚠Airport extortion and fake currency exchange: scammers pose as money changers or uniformed officials demanding unofficial fees or signing undisclosed documents; ATM skimming also reported
⚠Virtual kidnapping phone scams: callers claim a family member has been abducted and demand immediate wire transfer — no actual abduction; targets diaspora families and foreign contacts

Examples of areas to avoid: Petare (east Caracas) — one of the most dangerous urban barrios in Latin America, controlled by competing criminal gangs (pranatos); Venezuela's overall intentional homicide rate is approximately 40–60 per 100,000, Cota 905 / Dimensión 905 (southwest Caracas) — former gang stronghold, still volatile with ongoing clashes between armed groups and security forces, 23 de Enero (west Caracas) — politicised barrio with frequent confrontations between colectivos and security forces; unpredictable closures

Related Guides

Exit tax: countries that charge you to leave

Country-by-country reference of departure taxes, deemed-disposition rules, and wealth-locking regimes that trigger when tax residency ends.

Sources & last verified

Last verified 2026-06-15