Venezuela

The official rate is published daily by the Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV); the site bcv.org.ve itself did not open from our network, so the figures are taken from NTN24, which reports the BCV rate: 757.54 bolivars per dollar and 875.21 per euro on 10 August 2026; 849.56 per dollar and 974.09 per euro on 21 September 2026. The rise of the dollar by about 12% in six weeks is our calculation. NTN24 quotes analysts' estimates of 800-1100 bolivars per dollar by December 2026. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, cash dollars are used in the country, and payment in foreign currency carries an additional tax of 3%; Russian Mir cards are accepted in some shops in Caracas and on Margarita Island with Banco de Venezuela terminals. Customs (Russian Foreign Ministry, data as of March 2024): import and export of currency are not restricted, amounts over 10,000 dollars must be declared; adults may bring duty-free up to 4 bottles of perfume and other packaged goods worth up to 1000 dollars, above that a declaration and a fee apply. We did not find the rules for importing a car. Prices in Caracas (rent, schools) are often set in dollars and paid in bolivars at the BCV rate on the day of payment.

El Diario, based on the report of Cendas-FVM (Centre for Documentation and Social Analysis of the Venezuelan Teachers' Federation), 17 August 2026: the official minimum wage has been 130 bolivars a month since March 2022; at the BCV reference rate of July 2026 (710 bolivars per dollar) that is 0.18 dollars. It covers 0.03% of the family food basket, which cost 516,804 bolivars (727.89 dollars) in July. This is the lower bound of official pay; real incomes are made up of allowances and bonuses, which we did not check.

Consular Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry: in March 2009 the agreement between the governments of Russia and Venezuela on waiving visa formalities (signed in Caracas on 26 November 2008) entered into force. Russian citizens with valid ordinary passports may enter, leave, transit and stay in Venezuela without a visa for 90 days in each half-year, counted from the date of first entry. Those who intend to stay more than 90 days in a half-year or to work or do business need a visa from a Venezuelan embassy or consulate. Under the 2004 Law on Foreigners, the short "non-immigrant" stay is 90 days and can be extended by another 90; on the SAIME page an extension of a tourist stay requires a letter of motivation, an onward ticket and payment of a fee. The UK Foreign Office warns that foreigners are questioned in detail about the purpose of their trip at the border and at airports, are sometimes held for hours or days and may be deported.

Constitution of Venezuela of 1999 as amended in 2009, article 33: a foreigner obtains citizenship by a "carta de naturaleza" if domiciled in Venezuela with at least 10 years of uninterrupted residence immediately before the application; for those whose original nationality is that of Spain, Portugal, Italy, Latin American or Caribbean countries the period is 5 years. The spouse of a Venezuelan citizen may declare the wish to become a citizen no earlier than 5 years after the marriage. Minor children of a naturalised parent may become citizens if they declare it before 21 and have lived in the country for 5 years in a row before the declaration. Article 34: Venezuelan nationality is not lost by acquiring another one. For Russian citizens the general 10-year period applies. The time to permanent residence is described separately in the residence fact. We read the text of the Constitution, not the SAIME regulations; the procedure and fees are in those.

Constitution of Venezuela, article 32: Venezuelans by birth are all persons born on the territory of the Republic. The same article lists children born abroad to Venezuelan parents. Article 35: a Venezuelan by birth cannot be deprived of nationality. The text of article 32 has no exceptions for children of foreigners (for example, diplomats). How documents are issued for a child of foreigners in practice (birth certificate, identity card), we did not check.

Law on Foreigners and Migration of 2004, article 6: foreigners are admitted in three categories. A non-immigrant comes for up to 90 days without intending to settle and cannot work for pay (extension of up to another 90 days). A temporary migrant lives in the country for as long as the activity for which he was admitted lasts. A permanent migrant is authorised to stay indefinitely; subcategories and requirements are set by the regulations of the law. The SAIME page lists visas of the transient (temporary) type: for study (TR-E), work (TR-L, a permit from the Ministry of Labour is needed), rentiers (TR-R), relatives of Venezuelans and residents (TR-F-V, TR-F-M-P, TR-F) and clergy; the rentier visa requires proof of lawful income or a pension equivalent to 1200 dollars a month at the exchange rate. The same page has the extension of the resident visa (CRES). After how many years a temporary visa can be exchanged for a resident one, SAIME does not say on this page. According to a 2018 response by the Canadian IRB, citing an expert from the Central University of Venezuela, people usually start with a temporary visa and can apply for a resident visa after two years, and the resident visa is valid for five years and is renewable; these are old data and should be checked with SAIME.

U.S. Department of State (26 June 2026): the healthcare system is in a state of severe crisis, with critical shortages of medicines, broken equipment and staff shortages; hospitals in remote areas often lack running water and electricity; dengue, chikungunya, zika, oropouche and yellow fever are common, CDC recommends malaria prevention; contaminated water is a frequent cause of gastrointestinal infections. UK Foreign Office: quality of care varies widely; in large cities private clinics provide acceptable care for routine treatment but lack supplies and medicines; complex treatment may require evacuation, so insurance covering evacuation is needed. Russian Foreign Ministry: paid healthcare is of a good standard, insurance is strongly recommended before the trip, and a yellow fever vaccination is needed for trips to the Amazon rainforest. We did not check the prices of private clinics and insurance.

U.S. Department of State advisory of 26 June 2026, Level 3 "Reconsider Travel": violent crime (homicide, armed robbery, kidnapping), risk when using unregulated taxis from Maiquetía airport and at ATMs nearby, intercity travel at night is dangerous, there are no reliable crime statistics. Do not travel at all to: the 20-mile strip along the Colombian border, the states of Amazonas, Apure, Guárico and Táchira, Aragua state outside Maracay, rural areas of Bolívar state. The U.S. Embassy in Caracas has been operating again since March 2026 but provides only emergency services to citizens. The UK Foreign Office (updated 2 September 2026) advises against all but essential travel to Venezuela, and against all travel to Zulia state, the 80 km strip along the Colombian border, 40 km along the borders with Brazil and Guyana, the Arco Minero area south of the Orinoco and Delta Amacuro. The UK says it does not accept the legitimacy of the current administration; on 3 January 2026 the authorities declared a "state of external commotion" due to air strikes on targets in the country; there are many checkpoints on the roads, and bribes are sometimes demanded; some foreigners have been detained on terrorism charges. Public services, including electricity, water and fuel, are unreliable, especially outside Caracas.