There is no Venezuelan embassy or consulate offering consular services in the United States. The offices in Washington, D.C., Miami, New York, Houston, and elsewhere closed in 2019 when the two countries severed diplomatic relations, and as of mid-2026 none have reopened for passports, document legalization, civil registration, or visas. Venezuelans in the U.S. who need to handle official paperwork rely instead on a mix of U.S. government accommodations: an extended validity policy for expired Venezuelan passports, the apostille process in place of consular legalization, and credential evaluation services for diplomas. The U.S. reopened its own embassy in Caracas in March 2026, but that reopening does not restore Venezuelan consular offices on American soil, and no timeline has been announced for their return.
Why No Consulate Is Available
The former Venezuelan embassy in Washington and the consulates in cities like Miami, New York, and Houston remain closed and non-operational. They have not issued a passport, legalized a document, registered a birth or marriage, or processed a visa since 2019. Do not travel to any of those addresses expecting service.
The diplomatic relationship is shifting. In March 2026 the United States reopened its embassy in Caracas for the first time in seven years, and the State Department described the move as a step toward direct engagement with Venezuela’s interim government. Whether Venezuela will send diplomats back to the United States to reopen its consular network is a separate question, and it has not been answered.
Until it is, the practical routes below are the ones that work.
If Your Venezuelan Passport Is Expired
For entry to the United States and for U.S. immigration paperwork, an expired Venezuelan passport is generally still usable. Both U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the State Department recognize an extended validity period under a decree issued by Venezuela’s National Assembly on June 25, 2024.1U.S. Department of State. Venezuela – Visa Reciprocity and Civil Documents
The rule: any Venezuelan passport issued before June 25, 2024, is treated as valid for ten years past the expiration date printed inside it. If the passport carries an extension sticker (a prórroga), the ten-year clock runs from whichever date is later, the printed expiration or the prórroga’s expiration.2CBP. Venezuela: Extension of Passport Validity The National Visa Center accepts these extended passports for immigration processing as well.1U.S. Department of State. Venezuela – Visa Reciprocity and Civil Documents
The extension covers U.S. admission, employment authorization paperwork, and visa issuance. It is a U.S. government accommodation, not a universally recognized rule. Other countries and international airlines may not honor an expired Venezuelan passport, even with the extension. Before booking travel outside the United States, verify entry requirements with the destination country and boarding policies with the airline.
Legalizing U.S. Documents for Use in Venezuela
The old route of having a Venezuelan consul in the United States legalize your American documents no longer exists. The replacement is the apostille, an internationally recognized certificate that authenticates public documents for use in countries that participate in the Hague Apostille Convention. Venezuela is a party to that convention.3U.S. Department of State. Venezuela Judicial Assistance Information
Where you send the document depends on who issued it.
State-issued documents, including birth certificates, marriage certificates, court records, and anything notarized by a state notary, go to the Secretary of State’s office in the state that issued the document. Each state handles its own apostilles, and fees generally range from a few dollars up to $25 per document.
Federal documents, including FBI background checks and anything bearing a federal agency seal, go to the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Authentications. The fee is $20 per document. Do not notarize a federal document before submitting it; the State Department warns that notarizing an original federal document can invalidate it.4U.S. Department of State. Requesting Authentication Services5U.S. Department of State. Preparing a Document for an Apostille Certificate
If the document needs to be read in Spanish once it arrives in Venezuela, plan for a separate translation step. Venezuelan authorities typically require translations by a certified public translator (traductor público) registered in Venezuela, which usually means arranging translation on the receiving end rather than in the United States.
Powers of Attorney for Property, Banking, or Legal Matters in Venezuela
If you need someone in Venezuela to sell property, manage a bank account, sign paperwork, or handle a pending case on your behalf, the apostille process replaces the consular authentication that used to be available.
The usual sequence: draft the power of attorney with help from an attorney familiar with Venezuelan requirements, have it notarized by a U.S. notary public, then obtain an apostille from the Secretary of State in the state where it was notarized. Once the apostilled document reaches Venezuela, it will likely need translation by a certified public translator, and it may need to be registered with the appropriate local authority, such as a notaría or registro, before Venezuelan banks or property offices act on it.3U.S. Department of State. Venezuela Judicial Assistance Information
Questions about what Venezuelan authorities will accept, and in what form, are best directed to a Venezuelan attorney. U.S. officials do not answer questions about foreign law.
Using a Venezuelan Diploma or Transcript in the U.S.
Venezuelan degrees are not automatically recognized by American employers, licensing boards, or graduate programs. To use your education here, get a formal credential evaluation from a recognized service. The State Department identifies two associations whose member organizations are accepted for this purpose: the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) and the Association of International Credentials Evaluators (AICE).6U.S. Department of State. Evaluation of Foreign Degrees
You’ll generally need your original degree or certified copies, transcripts, and English translations of anything in Spanish. Some services include translation in the package; others require you to arrange it separately. Processing typically takes several weeks. The evaluation produces a report comparing your Venezuelan credentials to their U.S. equivalents, and that report is what you give to employers, licensing boards, or admissions offices.
If you left Venezuela without original documents and can’t get them from your university, contact the evaluation service before starting. Some accept alternative documentation or notarized copies.
A Note on Temporary Protected Status
Many Venezuelans in the United States lived and worked here under Temporary Protected Status. Both TPS designations for Venezuela have been terminated. The Department of Homeland Security terminated the 2023 designation in February 2025, and the Supreme Court allowed that termination to take immediate effect on October 3, 2025.7USCIS. Temporary Protected Status Designated Country: Venezuela The 2021 designation was separately terminated effective November 7, 2025.8Federal Register. Termination of the 2021 Designation of Venezuela for Temporary Protected Status
Some former beneficiaries keep work authorization through October 2, 2026, under a Northern District of California court order. That applies to people who re-registered under the 2023 designation and received employment authorization documents with October 2, 2026 expiration dates on or before February 5, 2025.7USCIS. Temporary Protected Status Designated Country: Venezuela No new TPS applications or re-registrations are being accepted. If you relied on TPS for lawful status, talk to an immigration attorney about other options soon.
Where to Turn for Help
With no Venezuelan consulate operating in the United States, direct consular assistance from the Venezuelan government is not available domestically. Some Venezuelans handle passport issuance and other consular matters through Venezuelan consulates in third countries such as Colombia or Mexico, though procedures and availability vary and should be confirmed directly with those posts.
For U.S.-side help: USCIS maintains updated Venezuela guidance and takes inquiries through its contact center for immigration questions. The U.S. Department of State’s Office of Authentications handles apostilles for federal documents; state apostilles go to the Secretary of State’s office in the issuing state. The State Department has indicated that U.S. consular matters involving Venezuela are handled through the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia, though that channel primarily serves U.S. citizens with Venezuela-related needs rather than Venezuelan nationals in the United States.3U.S. Department of State. Venezuela Judicial Assistance Information
The situation could change as diplomatic ties evolve. For now, plan around the tools that exist: the passport extension, the apostille, and credentialing services. Anything requiring a functioning Venezuelan consulate on U.S. soil will have to wait.