Venezuela power of attorney (poder notarial) at a US consulate
Status as of October 3, 2026 — no Venezuelan consulate in the US is listed or announced as open for services. Venezuela and the United States agreed on March 5, 2026 to re-establish diplomatic and consular relations (statements by Venezuela’s foreign ministry, MPPRE, and the US State Department). On September 12, 2026, Venezuela’s state broadcaster RNV reported that the consulate in New York had been renovated but that the authorities had not yet issued an official statement setting a date for its formal opening to the public or enabling the appointment system for procedures. As of October 3, 2026, MPPRE’s list of Venezuelan consulates worldwide includes no office in the United States, and no opening date has been announced. A consular poder is signed in person, so for now it is done at a Venezuelan embassy consular section or consulate outside the US — confirm with that office before traveling that it will serve you. See the 10-year passport validity rule and current routes.
A power of attorney (poder) is a legal document by which you — the poderdante — authorize another person — your apoderado — to act on your behalf. You sign it before a Venezuelan consular officer. The Venezuelan embassy in France describes these documents as issued in Spanish and intended for Venezuelan authorities.
Types of power of attorney (poder)
Venezuela’s foreign ministry (MPPRE) lists two types:
- Special power (poder especial) — “Se otorga solo para actos específicos, una actividad en concreto.” The Venezuelan embassy in France gives as examples selling a specific property, representing you in a specific lawsuit, or a divorce.
- General power (poder general) — authorizes the apoderado “a realizar todo tipo de gestión por el otorgante”. The embassy in France adds that it generally covers administration, litigation (pleitos) or disposition, and that it is not used up until the grantor revokes it.
Required documents
MPPRE’s requirement list for a poder (undated catalog, consulted October 3, 2026):
- One photocopy of the grantor’s passport (only the pages with personal data)
- One photocopy of the grantor’s cédula de identidad
- Photocopy of the cédula and Inpreabogado card of the lawyer who drafts the document
- Photocopy of the cédula of the person(s) receiving the power
- Company records (registration, articles of incorporation and latest bylaw amendment, in original) if you grant the power on behalf of a company
- The original poder that authorizes you, if you grant it as someone else’s apoderado
- Any other document the lawyer considers relevant
Other Venezuelan offices add:
- Original cédula or passport of the grantor on the day of the appointment (embassy in France)
- Identity documents of the witnesses (embassy in Mexico, for both general and special powers)
The text must come from a Venezuelan lawyer
The official sources we reviewed mention no standard consulate forms. The Venezuelan embassy in France states: “Los Poderes deben estar redactados por un abogado Venezolano, indicando el nombre, apellido, cédula y número de INPRE en el texto del documento.” It adds that it keeps no list of lawyers — you may choose any lawyer registered with Venezuela’s Instituto de Previsión Social del Abogado — and that the document is reviewed before your appointment is confirmed.
MPPRE also publishes a required format: Arial 12 font, oficio paper (8½ × 13), 1.5 line spacing, a maximum of 30 lines per page, and set margins for front and back pages.
Fees
| Item | Published amount | Who publishes it |
|---|---|---|
| Poder especial | 100$ | MPPRE catalog (undated, consulted October 3, 2026) |
| Poder general | 300$ | MPPRE catalog (undated, consulted October 3, 2026) |
| Grant or revoke a poder especial | 100 EUR | Venezuelan embassy in France (consulted October 3, 2026) |
| Grant or revoke a poder general | 300 EUR | Venezuelan embassy in France (consulted October 3, 2026) |
The embassy in France set its consular fee at 1 USD = 1 EUR and lists payment by transfer or cash. Both MPPRE and the embassy in France publish a separate fee for each type of poder. Confirm the fee and accepted payment methods with the office that will serve you.
Step-by-step process (as of October 3, 2026)
- Decide what powers you need to grant — special (specific acts) or general.
- Have a Venezuelan lawyer draft the text, including the lawyer’s name, cédula and INPRE number, in MPPRE’s format.
- Choose a Venezuelan embassy consular section or consulate outside the US (MPPRE publishes its list of consulates) and confirm that it will serve you. The embassy in France takes the request online and reviews the document before confirming the appointment.
- Gather documents per the lists above, including witnesses’ IDs if the office requires them.
- Attend the appointment in person and sign before the consular officer.
- Pay the consular fee published by that office.
Revoking a poder
The Venezuelan embassy in Mexico offers both granting (otorgamiento) and revocation (revocación), and on its poder general page lists as a requirement “Haber realizado el poder en la misión diplomática donde está solicitando el otorgamiento o revocación.” The embassy in France charges the same fee to revoke as to grant (300 EUR general, 100 EUR special).
Witnesses
The Venezuelan embassy in Mexico lists “Documento de identidad de los testigos” among the requirements for both general and special powers. Ask the office that will serve you how many witnesses it requires and what identification they need.
Apostille
- For use in Venezuela: the Venezuelan embassy in France says consular poderes are issued in Spanish, are intended for Venezuelan authorities, and therefore “no requieren de ningún tipo de apostilla”.
- For use outside Venezuela: MPPRE states that “Los poderes tanto el general como especial deben estar debidamente legalizados y apostillados para que surjan efecto en el exterior.”
The apostille process is a separate matter: it applies when you need to send a US-issued document (US birth certificate, US marriage certificate, US court document) to Venezuela.
Related information
- All Venezuela consulates in the US
- Venezuela passport in the US — the 10-year rule and current routes
- Venezuela consular ID
- Apostille of US documents
- Find pro bono immigration legal help
Authoritative sources
- MPPRE — Poder (requirements, format, fees)
- Venezuelan embassy in France — Poderes o Mandatos
- Venezuelan embassy in Mexico — Poder General
- Venezuelan embassy in Mexico — Poder Especial
- Venezuelan embassy in France — Pago Consular (1 USD = 1 EUR)
- MPPRE — list of Venezuelan consulates worldwide
- MPPRE — restoration of diplomatic and consular relations (March 5, 2026)
- US Department of State — A Statement on U.S.-Venezuela Relations (March 5, 2026)
- RNV — New York consulate renovated, no opening date (September 12, 2026)
- Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (1963), article 5(f) — consular functions include “acting as notary and civil registrar”
Last verified: 2026-10-03. General procedural information for educational purposes. Power-of-attorney requirements vary by office and by transaction type, and change periodically. Verify directly with the Venezuelan office that will serve you and, for complex matters, consult a Venezuelan lawyer. Not legal advice.