US visa wait times for Venezuela — what changed in 2026, what hasn’t

Venezuela’s row in the State Department report reads “not available” across every category — but the story behind it changed dramatically this year. The US Embassy in Caracas formally resumed operations on March 30, 2026, after nearly seven years closed. What has not yet resumed is the visa window: consular services are coming online gradually, and Venezuelan visa cases still run through Bogotá.

What the official report shows for Caracas

Caracas shows "not available" across every category in the official report — this post is not currently scheduling routine visa interviews. Check the embassy website for where your case is processed instead.

Source: U.S. State Department Global Visa Wait Times (source last updated 2026-06-18; retrieved 2026-07-13). Waits are estimates and change without notice — verify at travel.state.gov.

The actual state of services (June 2026)

  • Embassy Caracas: open, consular section not yet processing routine visas. The State Department expects limited visa interviews to restart in the coming months, once security systems, IT networks, and facility remediation are complete.
  • Visa processing for Venezuelans: still through Bogotá. The Venezuela Affairs Unit at the US Embassy in Bogotá has handled Venezuelan cases since 2019 and continues to in the interim.
  • B1/B2 bond: as of January 21, 2026, embassy guidance says Venezuelan nationals approved for a visitor visa may have to post a bond of up to $15,000 — wherever they apply.

This page’s table will start showing real numbers for Caracas the day the State Department report does — it refreshes automatically. Until then, the wait that matters for a Venezuelan visitor-visa case is Bogotá’s calendar (check the Colombia page) plus the logistics of applying from a third country.

What this means in practice

If your case is already in process through Bogotá, the Caracas reopening does not move it — cases stay where they are filed until the State Department says otherwise. If you are starting fresh, watch ve.usembassy.gov for the announcement that Caracas is scheduling interviews; applying there will eventually beat the third-country route on both cost and logistics.

Last verified: 2026-06-11.

General procedural information for educational purposes. Not legal, tax, or immigration advice. Laws and fees change — verify with the issuing agency before taking action. For case-specific guidance, consult a licensed immigration attorney or other appropriate professional.