How to Get Venezuela CitizenshipKey facts
- Residence for naturalisation
- 10 years
- Language
- None
- Dual citizenship
- Accepted
- Civic test
- No civic knowledge requirement
- Criminal record
- No criminal record condition in the law
- Income condition
- No income condition in the law
- Dual citizenship in detail
- Accepted in both directionsNew citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship.Citizens who naturalise abroad keep their citizenship.
- Available routes
- Region
- Americas
- Law in force as of
- 1 January 2024
- Last checked
- Not yet checked by our team
The rule text in the sections below was coded for the law on 1 January 2024. A November 2026 search found no later change for this country, but this has not been verified.
Naturalisation (residence)
This route covers foreign residents who seek citizenship after living in Venezuela, subject to the conditions below. A decision rests with the authorities, who may refuse despite the conditions being fulfilled.
- Residence
- 10 years
Person has been continuously resident in Venezuela for at least 10 years immediately prior to the application.
- Previous citizenship
- New citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship
- Language
- No language requirement
- Civic knowledge
- No civic knowledge requirement
- Criminal record
- No criminal record condition in the law
- Income or economic resources
- No income condition in the law
Marriage or civil partnership
This route covers people married to a citizen of Venezuela, subject to the conditions below. A decision rests with the authorities, who may refuse despite the conditions being fulfilled.
Person has been the spouse of a citizen for at least 5 years.
Descent (citizen parent)
Descent from a citizen parent is the basis of this route in Venezuela.
Person is born abroad to two citizens by birth.
Person is born abroad to a citizen by birth and establishes residence in Venezuela.
Person is born abroad to a citizen by naturalisation and establishes residence in Venezuela before reaching the age of 18 (declaration before the age of 25).
Birth in the country
For people born in Venezuela, the rules below show when birth there leads to citizenship. Under the law of Venezuela, citizenship is acquired automatically, with no official decision involved.
Person is born in Venezuela.
Child of a new citizen
For children whose parent becomes a citizen of Venezuela, the rules below set out what applies. A decision rests with the authorities, who may refuse despite the conditions being fulfilled.
Person is a minor whose parent acquires citizenship and has parental authority over the child. Child must declare his or her wish to be a citizen before the age of 21, and must have lived uninterruptedly in Venezuela for 5 years before making the declaration.
Former citizens (reacquisition)
For former citizens of Venezuela, the rules below show when citizenship can be reacquired. Provided the legal conditions are satisfied, authorities must grant citizenship following an application.
Person was a citizen by birth, has previously renounced citizenship, and has been resident in Venezuela for 2 years. Ordinary naturalisation process applies if person was a citizen by naturalisation.
Citizens of specific countries
Holding the citizenship of a particular country is the basis of this route in Venezuela. A decision rests with the authorities, who may refuse despite the conditions being fulfilled.
Person is a citizen of Spain, Portugal, Italy, or a Latin American- or Caribbean country, and has been resident in Venezuela for a continuous period of at least 5 years immediately prior to the application. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation.
Refugees
For recognised refugees in Venezuela, the rules below set out what applies. A decision rests with the authorities, who may refuse despite the conditions being fulfilled.
The naturalisation of any refugee residing in Venezuela will be facilitated.
Stateless persons
This route covers stateless people and children who would otherwise be stateless, subject to the conditions below. A decision rests with the authorities, who may refuse despite the conditions being fulfilled.
Persons who do not have citizenship of any country, or cannot return to the country where s/he previously had habitual residence, are considered refugees under Venezuelan law and as such covered by the rules for refugees.
Special achievements
Special achievements, or a national interest in granting citizenship, are the basis of this route in Venezuela. A decision rests with the authorities, who may refuse despite the conditions being fulfilled.
Person has rendered services contributing to the public good, the economic and social development of Venezuela or humanity in general, or has special achievements on the national or international level as a scientist, artist or writer. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation.
Public or military service
For people with public or military service for Venezuela, the rules below set out what applies. A decision rests with the authorities, who may refuse despite the conditions being fulfilled.
Person is resident in Venezuela within the context of governmental developmental activities. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation.
Not available in Venezuela: Adoption, Other family members of citizens, Ethnic or cultural affinity, Residence during childhood, Very long residence, Investment. This follows the GLOBALCIT coding, with in-force changes applied.
Dual citizenship
Dual citizenship is accepted in Venezuela for new citizens and for citizens who naturalise abroad.
- New citizens
- New citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship
- Citizens who naturalise abroad
- Citizens who naturalise abroad keep their citizenship
Compare with neighbours
Check where Venezuela sits in the full residence ranking
| Country | Residence | Language | Dual citizenship |
|---|---|---|---|
 Bolivia | 3 years | None | Accepted |
 Brazil | 4 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
 Chile | 5 years | None | Accepted |
 Colombia | 5 years | Test or certificate | Accepted |
 Guyana | 6 years | None | New citizens only |
 Suriname | 5 years | None | New citizens only |
Official sources
This page was located by search and has not yet been checked by our team.
Naturalisation provisions: Legal basis: Constitution Art. 33(1), Nationality law Art. 21(1), 23.
Cite this page
TravelDecl. (n.d.). How to Get Venezuela Citizenship. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/venezuela/
<a href="https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/venezuela/">How to Get Venezuela Citizenship</a> (TravelDecl, retrieved 5 November 2026)
Sources and licence
Vink, van der Baaren, Bauböck, Džankić, Honohan, Manby (2025). GLOBALCIT Citizenship Law Dataset v3.1. Global Citizenship Observatory, https://hdl.handle.net/1814/73190. CC BY 4.0. Modified by TravelDecl.
Modified by TravelDecl: updated with changes after 1 January 2024.
GLOBALCIT codes the law as written. Fees, processing times, quotas and how officials apply the rules in practice are not in this dataset: check them with the official authority.
FAQ
How many years to become a Venezuelan citizen?
A foreign resident needs 10 years of residence to meet the condition for naturalisation in Venezuela. Other conditions also apply.
Does Venezuela allow dual citizenship?
Yes. Venezuela accepts dual citizenship in both directions, as coded in the data.
Do I need a language test for Venezuelan citizenship?
No, Venezuelan citizenship does not require a language test.
Is there a civic knowledge test for Venezuelan citizenship?
No civic knowledge test is required for Venezuelan citizenship.
Do I have to give up my current citizenship to get Venezuelan citizenship?
You are not required to renounce your current citizenship to get Venezuelan citizenship. The law of your current country may have its own rules on this.
Can I get Venezuela citizenship by marriage?
Yes. Marriage to a citizen is a route to citizenship in Venezuela. Procedure: discretionary.
Can I get Venezuela citizenship by descent?
Yes, Venezuela has a descent route. Procedure: automatic, entitlement.
Can I get Venezuela citizenship by investment?
No. The data codes no citizenship-by-investment route for Venezuela.
Related pages
Also see: Venezuela passport, visa-free access and entry rules. Latest law changes.
Corrections to this page are handled by Sarah Kim, Fact-Checker.