Responses to Information Requests

Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada

1. Overview

According to sources, the Administrative Service for Identification, Immigration and Foreigners (Servicio Administrativo de Identificación, Migración y Extranjería, SAIME) is the government agency responsible for issuing identity documents (Venezuela n.d.a; US n.d.). Venezuelan citizens can apply for an ordinary passport (pasaporte ordinario) or an expedited passport (pasaporte habilitado or pasaporte express) (El Estímulo 2026-01-23; Infobae 2025-05-29).

Sources report that [starting in 2025 (Televen 2025-03-17)] new passports are valid for 10 years (El Estímulo 2026-01-23; Televen 2025-03-17). According to sources, in March 2025 SAIME announced the elimination of the one-time 5-year passport extension (prórroga) (Televen 2025-03-17; Globovisión 2025-03-16). The same sources report, citing SAIME, that passports with an initial validity of 5 years that were issued before 15 April 2021 and have a [translation] "duly stamped" 5-year extension will remain valid until the extension expires (Televen 2025-03-17; Globovisión 2025-03-16).

2. Availability of Passports, Including Costs and Delivery Times

SAIME notes that an ordinary passport requires 8 to 15 business days to be delivered and costs US$216 for those aged 18 years and older; an expedited passport requires 2 business days to be delivered and costs US$350 for adults (Venezuela n.d.b). The same source adds that the prices given in US dollars are to be converted using the daily exchange rate set by the Venezuelan Central Bank (Banco Central de Venezuela, BCV) (Venezuela n.d.b).

2.1. In Venezuela

Infobae, a Spanish-language news website from Argentina (The Washington Post 2016-06-08), states that the process to get a passport [translation] "can be tedious," noting applicants' "long waits to get appointments and receive the final document" (2025-05-29). According to an article published by Caracas Chronicles, a digital news outlet based in Venezuela (Caracas Chronicles n.d.), and written by Manuel D'Hers Del Pozo, a social anthropologist and post-doctoral researcher at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili in Spain with expertise in Venezuelan migration and diaspora dynamics, the government "has failed to meet the demand" for passports, noting that the wait time to obtain or renew a passport "can exceed" 16 months (Caracas Chronicles 2025-04-08). Del Pozo stated in correspondence with the Research Directorate that [translation] "technical failures of the [SAIME] platform, inconsistent scheduling of appointments and prolonged wait times" impact Venezuelan nationals "broadly" (Del Pozo 2026-01-21). In correspondence with the Research Directorate, a lawyer who is qualified to practice in Ontario and Venezuela, and who founded an immigration law firm in Montreal, indicated that passport applicants in Venezuela "frequently" face "long queues, extended waiting times" and power outages (Lawyer 2026-01-17). The lawyer noted that "particularly outside major urban centres," passport applicants face "deteriorated" SAIME facilities (2026-01-17). According to the same source, electrical failures "can prevent" SAIME offices from providing services on designated appointment days, leading to "multiple return visits, and increasing financial, logistical, and personal burdens" for the applicant (Lawyer 2026-01-17).

Infobae, noting the country's monthly minimum wage of [translation] "around" US$5, reports that the cost of a passport "can far exceed the income of many Venezuelans" residing in Venezuela (2025-05-29). In correspondence with the Research Directorate, an adjunct researcher at the Human Rights Center of the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello (Centro de Derechos Humanos de la Universidad Católica Andrés Bello, CDH-UCAB) in Venezuela, whose research focuses on Venezuelan migrants and refugees' rights, and who has served as an expert witness for asylum cases in the US, stated that [translation] "high costs prevent many people from accessing" passports (Adjunct Researcher 2026-01-13). The lawyer indicated that Venezuelans are "often only able" to pay passport fees if they receive financial help from overseas family members, if they hold "unusually well-paid" positions in Venezuela, or if they are "connected" to government officials (2026-01-17).

In correspondence with the Research Directorate, a director with the Venezuelan Canadian Society of British Columbia (VCSBC), an NGO that "provides community support and facilitates cultural exchange, immigrant integration, and promotion of the Venezuelan identity and culture" (VCSBC n.d.), noted that authorities "sometimes" cancel or invalidate the passports of dissidents, journalists, and activists (VCSBC 2026-01-14). The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) of the Organization of American States (OAS) reports that authorities have "arbitrar[ily]" cancelled the passports of "[a]t least 40 human rights defenders, social leaders, journalists," and their family members after the 2024 election (OAS 2024-12-27, para. 81, 1). Caracas Chronicles similarly notes that, according to a joint report made by a number of Venezuelan NGOs, "dozens of journalists, activists, NGO members and political activists – and sometimes their relatives" noticed that following the 2024 presidential election, their passport was "canceled" on SAIME's website or were told so when trying to leave the country (2024-09-26).

2.2. Abroad

Bloomberg reports, citing a survey by the Venezuelan Diaspora Observatory (Observatorio de la Diáspora Venezolana, ODV) [that polled 1021 respondents in more than 90 countries in 2023 (ODV 2024-05-09)], that among the 91% of Venezuelans living abroad who hold a passport, [translation] "more than half" have an expired passport (2024-10-15). Citing estimates by UN agencies and partner organizations, Bloomberg indicates that there are "almost" 3 million Venezuelans residing in countries that have "severed diplomatic ties" with Venezuela [1] since the 2024 presidential elections (2024-10-15). Connectas, an investigative news platform focusing on the Americas (Connectas n.d.), reports that owing to the refusal of various foreign governments to recognize Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's victory in the July 2024 presidential election after he failed to publish voting tallies, the [translation] "lack of diplomatic and consular relations" between Venezuela and the country of residence for numerous Venezuelan migrants renders many "unable" to renew their passports (2024-10-01). The Adjunct Researcher noted that the absence of diplomatic or consular relations between various countries and Venezuela is among the [translation] "main" obstacles in obtaining or renewing a Venezuelan passport from abroad (2026-01-13).

Sources stated that SAIME's platform is "unstable" (Del Pozo 2026-01-21; VCSBC 2026-01-14), resulting in delays for applicants (VCSBC 2026-01-14). Del Pozo added that the platform is [translation] "unreliable or intermittent" and technical support is "virtually non-existent"; additionally, appointments for passport applications in "certain periods" are "extremely limited" (Del Pozo 2026-01-21).

According to the Adjunct Researcher, the applicant's national identity card (cédula de identidad) must be valid to obtain or renew a passport (2026-01-13). Sources stated that the national identity card cannot be issued or renewed abroad (VCSBC 2026-01-14) or that applicants must travel to Venezuela to apply for or renew their ID before submitting a passport application (Adjunct Researcher 2026-01-13). The Adjunct Researcher added that Venezuelans who left the country [translation] "irregularly" cannot renew their passport abroad because official records would still place them in the country (2026-01-13). The lawyer indicated that nationals who left the country "irregularly and later returned without a valid passport often discover that their re-entry was never properly registered," thus rendering them "ineligible" to apply for a passport in Venezuela and requiring them to apply for one from abroad (2026-01-17). The same source noted that for nationals in this situation, applying for a passport from abroad is "frequently impractical or impossible" (Lawyer 2026-01-17).

According to the lawyer, while the Venezuelan embassy in Canada is "nominally operational," passport applicants "consistently report that passports are not delivered within Canada," even when SAIME's platform shows the document is ready for delivery (2026-01-17). The same source stated that passports are "frequently" dispatched to Caracas, forcing the applicant to either go retrieve it in person or send a legal representative in Venezuela, without having guarantees that the passport will be obtained (Lawyer 2026-01-17).

3. Requirements and Procedures to Obtain a Passport

3.1. In Venezuela

In an interview with the Research Directorate, a Venezuelan law firm based in Caracas that specializes in criminal law stated that passport applications are submitted online through the SAIME platform (Law firm 2026-01-14).

The information in the following paragraph covers the steps a Venezuelan adult residing in Venezuela must complete to apply for a passport on the SAIME platform and appeared in a 2023 video published by SAIME:

1. Go on the SAIME platform and sign into their account using their identity card and password.
2. Select the passport page, click on [translation] "New Request" and verify that the information pertaining to their nationality, identity card, name, date of birth, age, sex and marital status is still accurate. This information cannot be changed by the user.
3. Provide and verify their birth certificate information (state, municipality, year of registration, etc.) and certificate number.
4. Provide birth location information (country, state, etc.) as well as the name and address of the healthcare facility where they were born, if applicable.
5. Provide their address and phone number.
6. After confirming their data, the applicant must select the SAIME office where they wish to have their appointment and book one of the available dates. The applicant must present their identity card during their appointment.
7. After scheduling the appointment, the applicant must pay the application fee online by selecting their chosen bank on the SAIME platform and entering their identity card number. Once payment is complete, the applicant will receive a receipt (Venezuela 2023-03-24).
   
   

The law firm indicated that during the appointment, the passport applicant must have their photograph taken, and their fingerprints and signature digitally recorded (2026-01-14).

A publication by the Embassy of Venezuela to France and the Principalities of Monaco and Andorra states that Venezuelan nationals require a valid passport to travel outside of Venezuela, noting that those without the required documentation can obtain an expedited passport in 48 hours by making [translation] "an express appointment" at SAIME's headquarters in Caracas (Venezuela 2025-10-03).

3.2. From Abroad

The information in the following paragraph appears in a June 2025 publication by the Venezuelan consulate in Barcelona, Spain, which details the steps a Venezuelan citizen residing in Spain must follow to renew their passport:

1. Log into their SAIME account by entering their national ID number and password and choose the passport service they need. Fill in the required fields with information, including their birth certificate, their place of birth, and their address in Spain. Venezuelan nationals born abroad and lacking a Venezuelan birth certificate must enter the information regarding where their certificate is registered in Venezuela. Naturalized Venezuelan citizens must enter the information from the Official Gazette [Gaceta Oficial] announcing their naturalization; if this information is unavailable, they must enter the information from the document which served as proof of their naturalization.
2. Follow the instructions to schedule an appointment at the Consulate in Barcelona and then proceed to the payment page and pay the appropriate fee depending on whether they will pick up their passport at the Consulate, or have it delivered. For adults, the passport application costs US$216.
3. After making the payment, an appointment form will appear which the applicant must download, print and present during their appointment.
4. On the day of their appointment, the applicant must bring their current passport or a police report if the former was stolen or lost, or their laminated national identity card. The applicant must also bring the printed appointment form and 120 euros (EUR) [C$194] in cash for the payment of consular fees.
5. If the applicant provided power of attorney to a representative to pick up their passport at the Consulate in Barcelona, the authorized person must present the printed appointment form signed by themselves, the original and a copy of their identity document, a [translation] "basic authorization" signed by the applicant and a copy of the applicant's Venezuelan identity card (Venezuela 2025-07-14).
   
   

A publication by the Embassy of Venezuela in Austria notes that on the day of their appointment to apply for a passport, applicants must present their laminated national identity card and their [translation] "proof of residency abroad" (Venezuela 2023-08-31).

According to Connectas, in September 2024, SAIME announced a policy under which Venezuelans residing abroad in countries without consular representation [translation] "must" travel to Venezuela to collect their passports in SAIME's "main offices" (2024-10-01). Sources note that a policy announced in September 2024 prevents Venezuelans from entering the country with an expired Venezuelan passport unless they have obtained a US$60 travel document from the consulate or they hold citizenship [or legal residency (Acceso a la Justicia 2024-10-10)] in another country (Bloomberg 2024-10-15; Acceso a la Justicia 2024-10-10). Connectas adds that once they obtain their travel document, Venezuelan nationals must register it with the airline at the latest 72 hours before their flight (2024-10-01).

Sources indicate that upon their arrival in Venezuela, those who were able to return to Venezuela with an expired passport cannot leave without renewing their passport (Bloomberg 2024-10-15; Acceso a la Justicia 2024-10-10), which "they may not be able to obtain during their visit" (Bloomberg 2024-10-15).

4. Content, Appearance and Security Features of Passports

According to the US reciprocity schedule, passports issued before 2015 have maroon covers, whereas passports issued beginning in 2015 have blue covers (US n.d.). A sample of a passport issued in 2011 is available on the website of the EU's Public Register of Authentic Identity and Travel and Identity Documents Online (PRADO) (EU 2023-01-26). A sample of the cover page of the Venezuelan passport issued by SAIME in 2025, sent to the Research Directorate by the lawyer, is attached to this Response (Attachment).

4.1. Content of the Biographical Information Page

According to sources, the biographical data page of the Venezuelan passport includes the following features:

• The name "REPÚBLICA BOLIVARIANA DE VENEZUELA" (Lawyer 2026-01-20; law firm 2026-01-14)
• The words "Passport" and "Pasaporte" (Law firm 2026-01-14)
• The letter "P" (Law firm 2026-01-14; lawyer 2026-01-20), at the top of the page under the word "Tipo" (Lawyer 2026-01-20)
• The passport number (Lawyer 2026-01-17; law firm 2026-01-14)
• The passport's date of issuance and expiry date (Lawyer 2026-01-17; law firm 2026-01-14)
• The passport's issuing state (Lawyer 2026-01-20)
• The passport holder's full name, nationality, sex, date of birth, place of birth and photograph (Lawyer 2026-01-17; law firm 2026-01-14)
• The passport holder's national identity card number (Lawyer 2026-01-20)
• The signature of SAIME's director (Law firm 2026-01-14)
• The signature of the passport holder (Lawyer 2026-01-20; law firm 2026-01-14).
  
  

4.2. Appearance of the Cover of the Passport

According to sources, the cover of the Venezuelan passport has the following features:

• A blue cover (Law firm 2026-01-14; US n.d.), or a [translation] "dark blue" cover (Lawyer 2026-01-17; Adjunct Researcher 2026-01-13)
• Gold lettering (Law firm 2026-01-14; Adjunct Researcher 2026-01-13) and a gold crest (Adjunct Researcher 2026-01-13)
• Venezuela's coat of arms (Lawyer 2026-01-17)
• The words "MERCOSUR" and "REPÚBLICA BOLIVARIANA DE VENEZUELA" (Lawyer 2026-01-17; VCSBC 2026-01-14)
• The words "PASAPORTE" and "PASSPORT" (Lawyer 2026-01-20)
• A biometric symbol at the bottom (Lawyer 2026-01-20; VCSBC 2026-01-14).
  
  

In follow-up correspondence with the Research Directorate, the lawyer stated that "some" passports include the word "Mercosur" on their cover above the name of the country (Lawyer 2026-01-20).

4.3. Security Features

Sources indicated that the passport contains machine-readable information, including the passport holder's name, a passport number and a series of numbers (Law firm 2026-01-14) or a "machine-readable zone" that enables authorities to electronically scan the document (Lawyer 2026-01-17). The law firm noted that passports are printed on [translation] "security paper," and the passport holder's photograph is laminated with "security plastic" (2026-01-14). Sources stated that passports are biometric (Lawyer 2026-01-17; Adjunct Researcher 2026-01-13) or have an electronic chip (Law firm 2026-01-14).

According to sources, passports also feature UV inks and watermarks on their inner pages (VCSBC 2026-01-14; EU 2023-01-26).

5. Prevalence of Fraudulent Passports

When asked about the prevalence of fraud related to the obtention of passports, the law firm indicated that while it is [translation] "possible" to obtain a fraudulent Venezuelan passport with the help of a "corrupt" public servant, Venezuelan passports are "very secure" (2026-01-14). According to sources, Venezuelan passports are in line with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards (SMID 2026-01-23; VCSBC 2026-01-14), noting that this "ensur[es] data integrity" and "prevent[s] counterfeiting" (SMID 2026-01-23).

The lawyer noted that it is "commonly reported in public discourse" in Venezuela that "access" to passports has "long been subject to discretionary control, political influence, and corruption" (2026-01-17). According to the same source, the "instances of irregular issuance of genuine Venezuelan passports" that have been "[p]ublicly reported" are attributable to "systemic vulnerabilities in the passport issuance process" rather than "inherent deficienc[ies] in the document itself" (Lawyer 2026-01-17).

According to a SAIME social media post from February 2023, authorities uncovered an [translation] "organized" passport fraud ring in Ciudad Bolívar in Bolívar state and arrested 5 SAIME employees and 1 former employee (Venezuela 2023-02-13). The same post states that the network was involved in tampering with [passport] photos and fingerprints and selling fraudulent passports to citizens of other countries (Venezuela 2023-02-13).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Note

[1] La República, a finance newspaper from Colombia (La República n.d.), notes that Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Peru, Panama, Paraguay, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay [translation] "suspen[ded] diplomatic contacts" with Venezuela following their governments' [translation] "rejection" of results declaring President Nicolás Maduro as the winner of the July 2024 presidential elections "amid allegations of fraud" (2025-01-08). According to Reuters, diplomats from Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Peru, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay exited Venezuela following their governments' recognition of the opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez as the winner of the July 2024 presidential election (2024-08-05). For further information on the political situation in Venezuela, including the 2024 presidential elections, see Response to Information Request VEN202202 of February 2025. ^[back]

References

Adjunct Researcher, Universidad Católica Andrés Bello, Venezuela. 2026-01-13. Correspondence with the Research Directorate.

Acceso a la Justicia. 2024-10-10. "Salvoconducto para Venezuela: la polémica decisión del Gobierno que deja a miles sin regreso." [Accessed 2026-01-16]

Alnavio.es. 2023-02-15. "Desmantelan red organizada de captadores de pasaportes en Bolívar: Este era el modus operandi." [Accessed 2026-01-16]

Alnavio.es. N.d. "Quienes Somos." [Accessed 2026-01-16]

Bloomberg. 2024-10-15. Nicolle Yapur. "A Painful Passport Paradox Is Trapping Venezuelans Living Abroad." [Accessed 2026-01-28]

Caracas Chronicles. 2025-04-08. Manuel D'Hers Del Pozo. "The Rising Relevance of the Venezuelan Diaspora." [Accessed 2026-01-16]

Caracas Chronicles. 2024-09-26. Rafael Uzcátegui. "Passport Revocations in Venezuela: Low-Cost Post-Electoral Repression." [Accessed 2026-01-23]

Caracas Chronicles. N.d. "About Us." [Accessed 2026-01-16]

Connectas. 2024-10-01. Isabella González. "El 'limbo' consular de los venezolanos en el extranjero." [Accessed 2026-01-16]

Connectas. N.d. "Nosotros." [Accessed 2026-01-16]

Del Pozo, Manuel D'Hers. 2026-01-21. Correspondence with the Research Directorate.

El Estímulo. 2026-01-23. "Precio del pasaporte en Venezuela (dólares y bolívares): esto cuesta el 23 de enero." [Accessed 2026-01-23]

European Union (EU). 2023-01-26. Public Register of Authentic Travel and Identity Documents Online (PRADO). "VEN-AO-02001." [Accessed 2026-01-21]

Globovisión. 2025-03-16. Daniela Risquez. "Saime informó que eliminará emisión de prórroga de cinco años del pasaporte." <> [Accessed 2026-02-01]

Infobae. 2025-05-29. "Cuánto les cuesta a los venezolanos obtener el pasaporte dentro y fuera del país." [Accessed 2026-01-16]

La República. 2025-01-08. Isabella Donado Henríquez. "Los países que, hasta ahora, han roto sus relaciones diplomáticas con Venezuela." [Accessed 2026-01-16]

La República. N.d. "Primer diario económico, empesarial y financiero de Colombia." [Accessed 2026-01-28]

Law firm, Caracas. 2026-01-14. Interview with representatives and the Research Directorate.

Lawyer, Montreal. 2026-01-20. Correspondence with the Research Directorate.

Lawyer, Montreal. 2026-01-17. Correspondence with the Research Directorate.

Observatorio de la Diáspora Venezolana (ODV). 2024-05-09. "Presentación de resultados estudio 'Diáspora, política y participación ciudadana'." Youtube. [Accessed 2026-01-28]

Organization of American States (OAS). 2024-12-27. Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). Venezuela:Serious Human Rights Violations in Connection with the Elections. [Accessed 2026-01-28]

Reuters. 2024-08-05. "Brazil, Venezuela Reach Deal After Diplomatic Ruptures Following Contested Election." [Accessed 2026-01-21]

Save My Identity (SMID). 2026-01-23. Correspondence with the Research Directorate.

Televen. 2025-03-17. María Fernanda Pérez. "Saime elimina prórroga de pasaporte y aumenta vigencia a 10 años." [Accessed 2026-01-16]

United States (US). N.d. Department of State. "Venezuela Reciprocity Schedule." [Accessed 2026-01-16]

Venezuela. 2025-10-03. Embassy of the Bolivarian Republico of Venezuela to France and the Principalities of Monaco and Andorra. "Ingreso y/o Salida de Venezuela para ciudadanos venezolanos con doble nacionalidad o menores de 18 años con derecho a la nacionalidad venezolana." [Accessed 2026-01-16]

Venezuela. 2025-07-14. Consulate General in Barcelona. "Expedición o renovación de pasaporte." [Accessed 2026-01-16]

Venezuela. 2023-08-31. Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to Austria. "Pasaporte biométrico." [Accessed 2026-01-21]

Venezuela. 2023-03-24. Servicio Administrativo de Identificación, Migración y Extranjería (SAIME). "Solicitud de pasaporte con las nuevas adecuaciones tecnológicas en nuestro sistema Saime." Youtube. [Accessed 2026-01-21]

Venezuela. 2023-02-13. Servicio Administrativo de Identificación, Migración y Extranjería (SAIME). "Desmantelada red organizada de captadores de pasaportes en Ciudad Bolívar." Instagram. [Accessed 2026-02-06]

Venezuela. N.d.a. Servicio Administrativo de Identificación, Migración y Extranjería (SAIME). "Misión y visión." [Accessed 2026-01-16]

Venezuela. N.d.b. Servicio Administrativo de Identificación, Migración y Extranjería (SAIME). "Pasaporte habilitado." [Accessed 2026-01-16]

Venezuelan Canadian Society of British Columbia (VCSBC). 2026-01-14. Correspondence from a director to the Research Directorate.

Venezuelan Canadian Society of British Columbia (VCSBC). N.d. "Who We Are." [Accessed 2026-01-19]

The Washington Post. 2016-06-08. "Infobae Now Powered by the Washington Post's Arc Technology." [Accessed 2026-01-16]

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources: Acceso a la Justicia; associate professor with expertise on Venezuelan migration at a university in Chile; doctoral candidate and lecturer with a focus on Venezuelan migration at a university in Germany; Migration Policy Institute – Latin America and Caribbean Initiative; Observatorio de Venezuela de la Universidad del Rosario; Red Internacional de Abogados por Venezuela; Regional Inter-Agency Coordination Platform for Refugees and Migrants from Venezuela; UN – International Civil Aviation Organization, International Organization for Migration, UNHCR; Venezuela – Consulate in Madrid, Embassy in Canada; Venezuelan American National Bar Association; Venezuelan lawyer with expertise in white-collar crime; Venezuelan law firms with expertise in white-collar crime (3).

Internet Sites, including: Al Jazeera; Aporrea; The Carter Center; Centro de Políticas Migratorias; Centro por la Justicia y el Derecho Internacional; Efecto Cocuyo; El Correo; El Correo del Caroní; El Diario de Guayana; El Economista (Mexico); El Espectador; El Mostrador; El País; EU – Council of the European Union; The Guardian; Henley & Partners; Houston Landing; InfoMigra; InSight Crime; Keesing Technologies – Keesing DocumentChecker; La Portada Canadá; LatAm Journalism Review; Migration Policy Institute; Notitarde; Organized Crime & Corruption Reporting Project; Spain – Secretaría de Estado de Migraciones; TalCual; Transparencia Venezuela; UN– International Organization for Migration, UNHCR; US – US Customs and Border Protection; Venezuela – Cancillería de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela, Ministerio del Poder Popular para Relaciones Exteriores; Venezuela Analysis; Voice of America; Washington Office on Latin America.

Attachment

Venezuela. 2025. Sample of a passport cover. Sent to the Research Directorate by the lawyer, 2026-01-20.